General information, not legal advice. Check with an attorney or your insurer about your situation. We cut trees. We are not insurance adjusters, and we do not file claims.
Georgia Homeowners Insurance and Storm Tree Damage: What to Expect
Questions about a tree? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
A standard Georgia homeowners policy gives limited coverage for trees. When wind brings a tree down, removing it is usually covered only if the tree damages a covered structure, and then only up to a small limit set in your policy. Call your insurer before you hire anyone. After that, call Josh at (850) 888-5603 about the tree.
The points below come from the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office, which publishes consumer guidance on homeowners insurance at oci.georgia.gov. Your own policy is what governs your claim, so read the declarations page and ask your agent about anything that is unclear.
What does homeowners insurance cover when a storm drops a tree in Georgia?
Less than most people expect. The Commissioner's guidance says standard policies give limited tree coverage. For a tree knocked down by wind, the usual pattern is this:
- If the tree lands on a covered structure, such as the house, removal may be covered up to a limited amount. Ask your insurer how the damage to the house itself is handled.
- If the tree falls and hits nothing, removal is usually not covered.
- When removal is covered, the payment is usually capped at a small limit written into your policy. The number is in your policy, not on this page.
Because every policy is written a little differently, the only reliable answer comes from your own paperwork. Some insurers also send letters, with no storm involved, telling homeowners to trim or remove trees over the roof; our post on what to do when your insurer sends that letter covers it.
Should I call my insurer or a tree service first?
Your insurer. The Commissioner's office advises calling your insurer before you hire a storm contractor.
If a tree is on the house and time matters, make that call first and keep it short. Then call Josh at (850) 888-5603 with the address and what the tree is resting on. Our emergency tree removal page explains what to tell him.
How do I protect the house and report the damage?
Two instructions from the Commissioner's guidance: protect the property from further damage, and report the loss promptly.
In practice:
- Keep people out of any room under or beside the tree.
- Photograph the tree, where it landed, and the damage before anything is moved.
- Cover openings in the roof or walls where you can do it safely.
- Report the claim, then keep your photos, notes, and any quote together.
A tree on a roof is often a job where a crane lifts the pieces clear. Josh quotes it on its own once he has seen the job.
What if the tree came from my neighbor's yard?
Your own insurer may cover damage from a neighbor's tree and may then recover the cost from the neighbor's carrier. That is another reason to report the claim promptly and not wait to settle the question with your neighbor.
Who is responsible in the first place is a separate question. The Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Education office answers it, and our post on a neighbor's tree falling on your property in Georgia walks through that answer.
How do I choose a tree service after a storm?
Tree services are not state-licensed in Georgia, so ask any company about its insurance and for references, and get the scope of the job in writing. Do all of it before work starts.
Tree removal, debris cleanup and stump grinding are separate lines of work, and each is quoted on its own. At Reed Tree Service, cleanup and stump work are always an extra quote, set per customer, so ask what a price includes. Our tree removal service and storm cleanup pages describe the work.
Where does Josh take calls?
Josh takes calls across South Georgia. The pages for Valdosta, Thomasville and Bainbridge cover the areas around them. If your home is in Florida, see our post on tree storm damage and insurance claims in Florida.
FAQ
Does homeowners insurance pay to remove a tree that fell without hitting anything?
Usually not. Wind-felled tree removal is typically covered only when the tree damages a covered structure. Check your policy for exceptions.
How much will my policy pay for tree removal?
It depends on the limit written into your policy. That limit is usually small, so ask your agent for the exact figure before you plan around it.
Does Georgia license tree services?
No, tree services are not state-licensed in Georgia. Ask any tree service about insurance and references. Josh quotes each job himself.
Will Josh file the insurance claim for me?
No. You report the claim to your insurer. Josh cuts the tree, and cleanup is quoted separately.
Storm tree down in Valdosta, Thomasville, Tifton, Moultrie or anywhere in South Georgia? Call your insurer, then call Josh at (850) 888-5603.