What to Do When a Tree Falls on Your House in Texas

First: Make Sure Everyone Is Safe

If a tree has fallen on your house, your first priority is making sure every person and pet in the home is safe and accounted for. Do not go back inside to assess damage. Do not try to move branches off the roof yourself. Do not stand under any part of the tree that's still elevated.

If anyone is trapped or injured, call 911 immediately. If the tree has pulled down power lines, keep everyone at least 35 feet away and call 911 and your utility provider. Once everyone is safe, here's the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Call Your Insurance Company

Before you call a tree company, call your homeowners insurance. They need to document the damage before removal begins, and some policies require pre-authorization for emergency work. Tell them which part of the house is affected, whether there's structural penetration, whether power lines are involved, and whether water is entering.

Take photos from multiple angles before anything gets moved. These photos are your best evidence for the insurance claim.

Step 2: Call a Certified Emergency Tree Service

Emergency tree removal from a structure is one of the most dangerous operations in tree care. The tree's weight is unevenly distributed, the structure underneath may be compromised, and one wrong cut can cause the entire tree to shift.

Look for an ISA Certified Arborist on the team, full commercial insurance, crane capability, and written documentation for your insurance claim. Do NOT hire storm chasers or uninsured crews.

Step 3: Protect Against Further Damage

Most Texas homeowners policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. If rain is forecast and the roof is punctured, cover the opening with a tarp. If water is entering, move valuables. If the tree has compromised a load-bearing wall, do not enter that section.

Document every protective step you take. These mitigation costs are typically reimbursable under your policy.

‍

What Insurance Usually Covers in Texas

Homeowners insurance generally covers structural repairs, tree removal from the structure, debris cleanup, and temporary housing if the home is uninhabitable.

Insurance generally does NOT cover removing a tree that fell in the yard but didn't hit anything, stump removal, or pre-existing tree conditions you knew about but didn't address. This is why proactive tree risk assessment matters.

Who Pays If a Neighbor's Tree Falls on Your House?

In Texas, your own homeowners insurance typically handles the claim regardless of where the tree came from. The exception is if you can prove your neighbor knew the tree was hazardous and failed to act. But that's a legal question. Focus on getting the tree removed safely first.

What NOT to Do After a Tree Falls on Your House

Don't try to remove it yourself. The risk of structural collapse, chainsaw injury, or electrocution is extreme. Don't hire storm chasers. After major storms, unlicensed crews flood neighborhoods. They're uninsured and disappear before problems surface. Don't sign anything without reading it. Get a written estimate before work begins. Don't delay. A tree on your roof is an active load the structure wasn't designed for.

Prevent This: Get a Tree Risk Assessment

Most trees don't fall without warning. Dead branches, trunk cracks, root zone issues, lean changes, canopy dieback — a trained arborist can spot these months or years before failure. If you have large trees near your home, an annual inspection is one of the smartest investments you can make. Here's how to assess storm damage.

Emergency Tree Removal Across Central Texas

Tree Scouts provides 24/7 emergency tree removal throughout Central Texas. Same-day response, full insurance documentation, and arborist-led operations. We serve Georgetown, Leander, Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, and Lakeway. Call 512-265-0861 for immediate response.

Emergency Tree Service · Tree Removal · Risk Assessments