A letter from your home insurer telling you to trim or remove trees over your roof means the insurer sees those trees as a risk to the house and is putting your coverage on the line until they are dealt with. For Florida and Georgia homeowners the first move is the same: find the deadline in the letter, then call Josh at (850) 888-5603 and tell him what the letter says.
Florida and Georgia: Your Insurer Sent a Letter to Trim or Remove Trees Over Your Roof
Questions about a tree? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
General information, not legal or insurance advice. We cut trees. We are not insurance agents or adjusters, and we do not speak to your insurer for you.
Why insurers are sending these letters
Insurers now look at your house from above. News reports say companies in several states, Florida among them, use aerial and satellite photos, and sometimes AI to read them, to decide who to keep insuring (NPR). One Texas homeowner got an email from her insurer with two aerial photos attached and two months to trim the trees near her house or risk losing coverage.
The roof is what they care about most. A damaged roof is often an insurer's biggest liability, and one insurance agent calls a tree hanging over a home a fire risk. It can also come down on the house in a storm (NerdWallet). Trimming trees is on NerdWallet's short list of ways to make a house easier to insure.
What the letter usually asks for
Every insurer words it differently, so your letter is the only thing that counts. The cases reported so far share a few parts:
- A deadline to finish the work.
- A photo from above, or a description of what the insurer saw: limbs touching or hanging over the roof, a tree that looks dead or leaning, or debris on the roof.
- A warning about what happens if nothing changes. Some say coverage will not be renewed. Read yours for the exact words.
If the letter is also about the roof itself, such as worn shingles, that is a roofer's job, not a tree job. Trees are the part we can fix.
What to do, step by step
1. Read the deadline and what the letter threatens. Put the date on your calendar. In Florida, a nonrenewal notice on a home policy must give the reason and must come at least 120 days before it takes effect (Florida Statute 627.4133). A letter that only gives you a window to fix something may not be that notice, so ask your insurer which one you have.
2. Ask the insurer in writing which trees and which limbs. "Trim the trees" is not specific enough to work from. Ask which tree, which limbs, and for a copy of the photo with the date it was taken. NerdWallet reports that aerial images are sometimes wrong or out of date, and that insurers have flagged the wrong house. If a tree in the photo has already been cut back, say so in your reply.
3. Photograph the trees before anyone cuts. Take wide shots that show the roof and the tree together, and close shots of the limbs the letter is about. Keep them in one folder with the letter.
4. Get the work done by an insured crew. Call Josh at (850) 888-5603, read him the part of the letter that names the trees, and he can tell you what the job takes. Whoever you hire, ask if they are insured before anyone climbs over your roof. Reed Tree Service is insured.
5. Photograph the result, then send proof. Take the same shots again after the work, from the same spots. Josh can give you an invoice for the work. Send the invoice and your before and after photos to the insurer or your agent, and keep a copy of what you sent and the date. NerdWallet says photos or a contractor's receipt can show an insurer that the problem in its picture is gone, and that you may be able to ask for an in-person inspection.
6. If you think the insurer got it wrong, complain. Florida's Division of Consumer Services says it helps with cancellations and non-renewals, but wants you to give the insurer a chance to fix it first and keep records of every contact (Florida Department of Financial Services). In Georgia, the Insurance Commissioner's Consumer Services Division may help with a complaint about your insurer (Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance).
What tree work satisfies the letter
The insurer decides whether the work is enough, so use the letter's wording. In general, the jobs are:
- Clearing limbs off and away from the roof. Limbs touching or hanging over the roof come off at the right spot on the branch. Our tree pruning page covers how that work is done.
- Removing a dead or leaning tree that could come down on the house. See our guide on leaning trees, fix or remove. A tree over a roof is often cut in sections and lowered on ropes, and some need a crane.
- Removing the tree when the letter calls for it, or when pruning would leave it ruined. That is a tree removal job.
Proper pruning matters here. Cutting a tree back to stubs to satisfy a letter damages it and grows weak regrowth that can reach the roof again. Our guide to topping and proper pruning explains the difference.
What a tree service can and cannot do for the paperwork
We cut the trees. Josh can give you an invoice for the work, and you take the before and after photos. That pair is what you send to the insurer.
We do not speak to your insurer for you, file anything, or promise that the insurer will accept the work. Cleanup and stump grinding are quoted separately.
Reed Tree Service is based in Tallahassee, and Josh takes calls across North Florida and South Georgia.
FAQ
How long do I have to get the trees trimmed?
As long as the letter says. If you need more time, ask the insurer in writing. Whether to extend is the insurer's decision.
Can my insurer really use aerial photos?
NerdWallet says the practice is usually legal. It also says the photos can be old or wrong, so ask to see them and when they were taken.
Will trimming the trees keep my policy?
Nobody outside the insurer can promise that. NerdWallet quotes an agent saying that when a homeowner shows documentation, an insurer may work with you. If you cannot fix the problem in time, NerdWallet advises looking for other coverage right away and says an independent agent can help.
Can I cut the limbs myself and send photos?
Photos and a receipt are what NerdWallet mentions as proof. Cutting over a roof is also the most dangerous kind of tree work, and a mistake can damage the roof. An invoice from a crew is a clean record for the insurer.
Will Josh call my insurance company?
No. You deal with the insurer. Josh cuts the trees and can give you an invoice.
Got a letter about trees over your roof? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
Sources: NPR, insurers using aerial imagery; NerdWallet, aerial images and home insurance; Florida Statute 627.4133; Florida DFS Division of Consumer Services; Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance.