· Michael Blair
Storm damage puts homeowners under time pressure with a damaged property and someone at the door offering to fix it today. That combination is where the costly mistakes get made.
Safety first, genuinely
Assume any downed limb near a line is energised, and stay well clear. Report lines to the utility rather than approaching, and never attempt to move a limb resting on a wire.
A tree leaning on a structure is under load that will release unpredictably when cut. That is a job for someone with rigging equipment.
Document before anything moves
Photograph everything from several angles before any clearing. Insurers assess from evidence, and a cleared site is harder to claim on.
Keep receipts for emergency work — most policies cover reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
- Treat every downed line as live and report it
- Photograph before clearing anything
- Keep receipts for emergency mitigation
- Get the contractor’s licence and insurance certificate
- Never pay in full up front
What insurance typically covers
Broadly, a tree that hits a covered structure is usually a covered loss, including removal from the structure. A tree that falls in the garden and hits nothing is frequently not covered for removal.
Coverage for the tree itself is usually limited, and neighbouring trees follow the same knew-or-should-have-known logic about pre-existing hazard.
Storm chasers
After a significant Middle Tennessee storm, out-of-area crews arrive quickly. Some are competent; the pattern to watch is pressure to sign immediately, a large cash deposit, and no local address.
Ask for the Tennessee licence and a certificate of insurance naming their carrier, and verify it. An uninsured crew injured on your property becomes your problem.