A Tree Fell on My House: What Do I Do First?

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"Now I’m worried there is invisible damage to the structure of the house."

One commenter in r/Roofing wrote that about their own house, and the worry is fair. It is why the first hours are about safety, not repairs. Stay away from downed power lines and damaged parts of the house¹, take photos from the ground, and keep the rain out with temporary measures only.

Quick answer:

Stay back from lines and damaged rooms, and call emergency services if anyone is at risk¹.
Photograph or video the damage before making any repairs².
Keep fixes temporary: no permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected and you agree on the cost³, if you file a claim.
Get a repair estimate and check your deductible before you decide whether to file.

On this page

What should you do first when a tree hits your house?
Steps to take while you wait
If your neighbor's tree fell onto your house, who pays?
Before you file a claim with your insurance or sign anything
Get the roof looked at
Quick questions

You control the next hour: where everyone stands, and what you record before anything moves.

What should you do first when a tree hits your house?

Get safe, document, prepare, then make the first contact. In that order:

Get safe. Report downed lines, or a tree touching a line, to the power company⁴. Don't cut the tree or limb yourself: a fallen tree can be under stress⁵. Look at the roof only from ground level⁶: the risk of falling is too great without proper safety systems.
Document, then protect. Take photos or video of everything before you move a thing, then follow the steps in the next section.
Prepare. Read your policy to see exactly what your responsibilities are⁷, and find your deductible, the part of a repair bill you pay yourself. If you are unsure whether a claim is worth it, get repair estimates⁸ from a roofer you picked yourself.
Make the first contact. Your insurance company or a roofer you choose – not one who shows up uninvited⁹. If you file a claim, call with your photos and questions ready, and leave permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen the damage.

Steps to take while you wait

Water coming in or an open hole is the urgent case, and everything else can wait behind it.

Put a bucket under the drip, move belongings away from the wet area, and lay towels or plastic sheeting under it.
Dry wet areas and items within 24-48 hours¹⁰ to prevent mold growth.
Keep fixes temporary and take photos first. Make temporary repairs to protect your house and belongings², and keep every receipt.
In California, policies may not cover ensuing damage to your property if you have not taken reasonable steps to secure the property¹¹, so this part is in your hands.
If no roofer can come today, keep catching and drying the water, and look at the roof from the ground again after the next rain.

Once everyone is safe, how does the opening get covered? How to tarp a roof safely, and when not to.

If your neighbor's tree fell onto your house, who pays?

Not automatically the neighbor. In Texas, a neighbor's policy probably does not pay unless the neighbor was at fault¹². In Iowa, your own homeowners insurance may cover it, but you will have to pay your deductible¹. Your own policy decides if this is covered, so read it before you assume anything.

A commenter in r/Roofing asked, "Why would you not go through your neighbors insurance company?" The catch is fault, as above.

A deductible can be a percentage: a house insured for $100,000 with a 2 percent deductible has $2,000 deducted from any claim payment¹³. Your numbers will differ.

Wondering who pays to cut up and haul away the tree itself? Whose insurance pays when a tree falls on your house.

Before you file a claim with your insurance or sign anything

Compare the estimate with the deductible first. If repairs cost about the same or less than your deductible, you may decide it's not worth filing a claim⁸. One r/homeowners commenter wrote, "We didn't involve insurance when a tree branch punctured our roof and needed to be patched." That can be a fair call for a small patch, but only once someone qualified has looked.

Ask each roofer to put the temporary protection and the permanent repair in writing as separate prices, and to get your signed approval before any extra work. You can send this:

Please list the temporary protection and the permanent repair as separate prices, and tell me in writing before any extra work so I can approve it first.

If a roofer pushes you to sign today or won't itemize, that is an answer too: weigh it against the estimates from roofers who will. Ask to see a photo of every problem they say they found.

If the tree is still on the roof, ask a tree service you picked yourself to put the removal price in writing before they start, and tell any roofer about the tree when you call. Be skeptical of anyone promising immediate clean-up or repairs¹⁴, including a crew that knocks on your door.

Hiring a crew for the tree and the cover, and unsure what to sign? Tarping service: what to ask and what not to sign.

Get the roof looked at

Before you call anyone, have these ready:

Your photos or video, taken before anything moved.
Your deductible and the policy's wording on your responsibilities.
Any estimates you have collected so far.
Questions for the roofer: what is temporary and what is permanent, and what did you check under the roof surface?

Quick questions

Can I throw away the broken branches and roofing? If you file a claim, don't throw away any damaged items until your adjuster has seen them². Store them somewhere dry; they show what came off.

Is there a separate deductible for storms? Possibly: a windstorm or wind/hail deductible can apply to any kind of wind damage¹⁵, so look for one in your policy before you count on a payout.

What if the damage is hidden? A look from the ground can't rule out invisible damage to the structure. Ask whoever inspects to tell you what they checked under the roof surface, and keep your first photos so any change is easy to compare.

What happens if my neighbor's tree falls on my property in Pennsylvania? Ask your insurer how your own policy treats a neighbor's tree¹, and have your photos ready.

Will insurance pay to remove the tree? A standard homeowners policy generally covers removing a tree that fell on the house, up to a set limit¹⁶. Ask your insurer what yours says, and ask the tree service to put its price in writing.