What To Do If Your Tree Falls
Updated Jul 4th 2025
If you’ve just had a tree fall, you’re not alone. It happens more often than people think, and for many homeowners, it’s their first time dealing with a situation like this. Whether it’s from high winds, heavy rain, or saturated soil, trees can and do fall—even ones that look perfectly healthy.
Over the years, I’ve responded to countless emergency tree calls. Some homeowners are experienced storm survivors, but most are navigating this for the first time. Storm-related work is typically more dangerous and expensive than regular tree care, and knowing what to do can make a big difference in keeping everyone safe and saving money.
Here’s a simple, professional guide to help you through it:
Why Trees Fall
Sometimes it’s obvious—rot, disease, or damage from past storms. Other times, it makes no sense: a healthy-looking tree suddenly topples over. This can happen for a few reasons:
- Wind damage: Strong gusts or straight-line winds can knock down even solid trees, especially if they stand alone or are weakened by poor soil or structure.
- Saturated soil: When the ground stays soaked for too long, tree roots lose their grip. Combine that with a windy day and the tree can fall over.
- Root failure: Even if the top of the tree looks fine, problems underground can lead to a fall. Poor drainage, disease, or damage to the root system can all play a role.
What to Do Right Away
- Make sure everyone is safe. If power lines are involved, stay far away and call 911 immediately. Treat any downed line as live, even if it looks harmless. After emergency services have cleared the area, then you can assess the tree.
- Call your insurance company. If there is damage to your home or property, notify your agent. Take pictures of everything. Don’t move or remove anything until an adjuster has come out or given you the okay. Document everything—they will often look for ways to deny or reduce your claim.
- Contact a Certified Arborist. Make sure they have experience with storm work and insurance claims. Always get the estimate in writing. Make it simple, just call me!
- Get authorization from the insurance adjuster. If they approve the work, they may issue a claim number or sign off on the contract. It’s best if the adjuster and the Arborist meet at the same time.
- Proceed with removal only after approval. Once you have a written agreement and the tree is verified as safe to remove, go ahead.
About Payment
Each company has its own payment policy, but here’s how I handle it:
- The contract is between the homeowner and the tree service.
- I do not get paid by the insurance company; I get paid by you.
- A deposit may be required. Unfortunately, some people promise to pay just to get the tree off their house, then disappear.
- Payment is typically due when the work is done, unless otherwise arranged.
Removing storm-damaged trees is dangerous work. It takes skill, experience, and the right equipment. It’s not just about cutting wood—it’s about knowing how trees respond under pressure, how to manage weight, and how to prevent further damage.
If you can afford to, you may choose to hire the Arborist directly and avoid dealing with the insurance company altogether. This can simplify the process and speed things up.
Warning: Don’t Hire Just Anyone
After big storms, the door-knockers come out in full force. Guys with homemade business cards offering the “deal of the century.”
Don’t fall for it.
These people might have a chainsaw and a ladder, but that doesn’t make them Arborists. Landscapers and lawn care companies sometimes think they can handle storm work, but without the right training, they’re putting themselves and your property at serious risk.
Proper tree removal, especially from a structure, requires specialized rigging skills. One wrong cut can bring thousands of pounds of wood crashing down. And if the guy you hired gets hurt or damages your home, guess who’s liable? You are—if they don’t have insurance.
Many of these pop-up crews are not trained, not insured, and have no ties to the community. Some even bring along workers who may be undocumented and are only looking for fast cash. In some unfortunate cases, these individuals use the work as a cover to scout homes for theft later. I’ve heard it directly from my friends who immigrated the right way—they warn us to be cautious. Not every crew is legitimate. Your family’s safety, your home, and your wallet deserve better.
And it’s not just so-called “tree guys” that flood the streets after a storm. Contractors of all kinds suddenly become tree experts. Roofers, concrete guys, handymen, remodelers—you name it. They rent equipment, slap a magnet on the truck, and start knocking on doors. They see it as a quick way to make money. Problem is, some of them do more damage than the storm itself. They think because the tree already caused damage, anything else they break doesn’t matter. But that’s not how insurance works. If they increase the damage to your home, your claim can be denied or reduced. What should have been a $10,000 repair can turn into a $50,000 disaster. Just search online—you’ll find plenty of videos where untrained crews make a bad situation worse.
Insurance companies are already hesitant to cover storm-related tree damage, and the actions of these unqualified contractors only make it worse for everyone.
Some guys have a big credit line and go out and buy the latest and greatest in new tech for the industry, with grapple saw trucks and track lifts now available, anyone with a credit line can become a “tree guy” This does not mean they know what they are doing at all. Although that equipment is awesome and we plan on getting them ourselves, they should be sold to only seasoned vets. But dealers, well, they will sell to anyone who has the money. Lucky for me, I have good friends who have this equipment and when needed, I bring them in to help me. I can most of the time, handle any situation, but from time to time, I feel it would be safer to bring in a buddy with crane/grapple saw. One of my good friends is the most qualified grapple saw truck operator in the nation. Company’s from all over the nation pay him to come in and train their people in proper operation.
Watch Out for Shady Practices
Insurance companies will often look for any reason to avoid paying a claim. That’s why documentation is so important. Take pictures, videos, and keep every receipt. In Iowa, you are allowed to record any conversation you’re part of without notifying the other person. So record phone calls with insurance reps, contractors, or inspectors—especially when they make promises. Those recordings are admissible in court.
Also beware of tree services that promise to “bill the insurance directly” and say you won’t have to pay a dime. If the insurance company denies the claim, that contractor can and often will come after you for the full amount. Some will even try to bill the insurance company $30,000 for a $5,000 job. That’s insurance fraud—and it’s hurting the entire industry. Some big-name prime contractors are currently being sued for gouging and overcharging after major storms. They also have a reputation for hiring local subcontractors and then refusing to pay them. A fast-talking salesman is usually a red flag.
A Bit About Me
I’m a Certified Arborist with decades of experience. I’m no longer an ISA member, but I still practice everything I learned and continue to follow the teachings of experts like Dr. Alex Shigo—our industry’s “Yoda.”
I’ve studied his work, along with other leaders like Dr. Michael Dirr and Dr. Richard Harris. I’m also a Marine, a Somalia vet, and I bring that discipline and care to every job. In the Corps, we were all colors but one team—green. Olive drab green. That mindset still guides how I work today.
Final Thoughts
Stay calm, take photos, don’t make hasty decisions, and hire real professionals. Your insurance company doesn’t want to pay for a bad job. Neither do you.
And once it’s all cleaned up? Let me plant a new tree for you. Every storm ends, but your yard can grow strong again.