If you live in North Texas, you already know storm season is no joke. High winds, severe thunderstorms, and the occasional ice storm send tree limbs flying every year, and one of the most common questions we hear at Hanby Insurance is some version of: “My neighbor’s tree just crushed my car. Isn’t their insurance supposed to cover this?”
The short answer is almost always no — and here’s why.
Your Insurance Covers Your Property
When a tree falls and damages your home or car during a storm, the general rule is that each property owner is responsible for their own damage, regardless of where the tree came from.
That means:
- Your homeowners insurance handles damage to your house, fence, or other structures on your property.
- Your comprehensive auto coverage handles damage to your car (if you carry it and it’s the “other than collision” portion of your auto policy).
This applies even when the tree belongs to your neighbor. The reason? In insurance and legal terms, a storm is considered an Act of God, an unforeseeable natural event that no one could reasonably prevent or control. When that’s the case, negligence doesn’t apply, and neither does your neighbor’s liability.
When Could Your Neighbor Be Responsible?
There is one important exception: Negligence.
If the tree that fell on your property was dead, diseased, visibly rotting, or had large dead limbs, and your neighbor knew about it or had been warned, they may be considered negligent for failing to have it removed. In that situation, their homeowners’ liability coverage could potentially be responsible for your damages.
In practice, this means:
- If you’ve ever sent your neighbor a written notice (even a text message) expressing concern about a tree’s condition, keep that record.
- If a tree professional had flagged the tree as hazardous, that documentation could matter.
- If the tree was clearly dead for months before it fell, that may support a negligence claim.
But here’s the reality: proving negligence is difficult, slow, and often not worth the neighborly friction. In most cases, it’s far faster and simpler to file a claim through your own insurance.
What About Tree Removal?
This is where homeowners often get surprised. Most homeowner’s policies cover damage caused by a fallen tree, but tree removal is handled differently.
Many policies pay a limited amount (often $500–$1,000 per tree) toward debris removal, but only if the tree damaged a covered structure. If a tree falls in your yard and doesn’t hit anything, you’re typically paying out of pocket to have it hauled away.
Check your specific policy — this varies by carrier and coverage level.
What to Do if a Tree Falls on Your Property
- Make sure everyone is safe. Don’t go near downed power lines.
- Document everything with photos and video before any cleanup begins.
- Call your insurance agent (that’s us!) before you file a claim — we can help you understand your deductible and whether filing makes sense.
- Mitigate further damage if you can safely do so (tarping a damaged roof, for example). Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent additional loss.
- Keep receipts for any emergency repairs or temporary fixes.
The Bottom Line
Storm damage from fallen trees is one of the most common homeowner’s claims we help with in Rockwall and the surrounding area. The key takeaway: your insurance is your first line of defense, not your neighbor’s.
If you’re not sure whether you have the right coverage heading into storm season, give us a call or text at 972-285-0381. We’re happy to walk through your policy and make sure you’re protected before the next storm rolls through.
Erin Neill is the owner of Hanby Insurance, bringing over 25 years of hands-on experience helping families and businesses across Texas find the right coverage. As a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and licensed independent agent, Erin and her team work with multiple carriers to find policies that truly fit your needs.