Home Home insurance Claims One of my trees fell into my neighbor’s yard last night during a storm. It did not cause any damage. Do I need to call my home insurance company to file a claim? One of my trees fell into my neighbor’s yard last night during a storm. It did not cause any damage. Do I need to call my home insurance company to file a claim? By Barbara Marquand | Posted on July 16, 2012 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. No, and there are a couple of reasons for this. The first has to do with where the insurance responsibility falls with downed trees. Generally you file a claim with your own home insurance company if a tree falls and damages your property — no matter where the tree came from. So if the tree caused damage in your neighbor’s yard, your neighbor would file a claim with his own insurance company. The neighbor’s insurer could come after you and your home insurance company, though, if there were signs you neglected caring for the tree, and this led to its fall. Secondly, home insurance typically does not cover the removal of fallen trees if they don’t damage property. To qualify for a claim, the tree must have damaged a structure covered by the policy. An exception is sometimes made if a tree blocks a driveway or a wheelchair ramp for accessing the house. What if the tree had caused damage to your neighbor’s house? In that case, your neighbor’s home insurance policy would pay for the damage, minus the deductible, and the cost of removing the tree up to a specified limit. Although home insurance probably won’t come into play here, that doesn’t you can’t be neighborly and offer to pitch in to remove the tree. For more, see Chain saw massacre: When trees go down, whose insurance picks up the tab? QuickTake Home insurance claims – How to file and what you should know Does homeowners insurance cover water leaks? Can my homeowners insurance get canceled because my house is empty? Guide to the insurance claims history report (CLUE) How much do claims increase home insurance rates? Does homeowners insurance cover storage units? How to protect your home from lightning strikes Does homeowners insurance cover mold? Are pools and hot tubs covered by homeowners insurance? Does homeowners insurance cover a leaking washing machine? How to file a successful mold claim Does homeowners insurance cover tornado damage? If the roof on my house caves in due to the weight of snow, is this covered by home insurance? Can insurance companies enter your house or examine your car? Don't get snookered by fake roof damage scams The basics of sewer backup insurance Don't try this at home: Easy ways to mess up your home insurance claims Does homeowners insurance cover power surges and outages? Is carpenter ant damage covered by homeowners insurance? Rotten or Sagging Floors: Does homeowners insurance cover rotting wood? What to do when lightning hits your house Chain saw massacre: Insurance for downed trees How your fire department's rating affects your home insurance bill My husband fell in our home and broke his ankle. Will our homeowners insurance cover this since the accident happened in our home? My dad passed away and we need to find the homeowners insurance policy. What should we do? Before you know it, your kitchen is on fire Is it legal for my home insurance company to drop my coverage after filing claim? That's gross! Why home insurance won't pay for disgusting problems We left a faucet turned on in my home and it caused water damage Home insurance policies cover damage from trees downed by ice and snow The trouble with drunk friends Homeowners premiums fluctuate with community's fire-fighting ability See more > In case you missed it What is HO-6 insurance? Average home insurance cost in 2023 What is dwelling coverage and how much do you need? Personal liability insurance: What it is and why you need it Renters insurance quotes: Compare rates Hurricanes and home insurance: 14 key questions answered Replacement cost policies for your home: Getting what you pay for How much do claims increase home insurance rates? Mobile home insurance: What does it cover and how much does it cost? Homeowners insurance basics Home Insurance Advisor The Best Cheap Homeowners Insurance of 2021: Guide How much flood insurance do I need? How to bundle home and auto insurance policies to save money The largest home insurance companies by market share Home Insurance Discounts Guide to dog liability insurance: cost and coverage Do you have an emergency go-bag? Most Americans don’t 1/1 Related Articles What is HO-6 insurance? By Shivani Gite Are landlords responsible for tree damage to your car? By Casey Bond Can my homeowners insurance get canceled because my house is empty? By Nupur Gambhir Does homeowners insurance cover a leaking washing machine? By Laura Longero Home insurance inspection: how to prepare a checklist By Daniel Bortz How renters insurance works for pit bulls By Nupur Gambhir