There is one question that decides almost every tree claim in Texas: did the tree damage something the policy covers?
If a pecan comes through your roof, you are covered. If the same pecan falls flat across the lawn and hits nothing, you are almost certainly paying for the removal yourself. The tree is identical. The claim is not.
What a standard Texas policy does and does not pay
| Situation | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Tree hits the house, garage or shed | Yes, removal usually capped $500–$1,000 |
| Tree hits your fence | Usually yes |
| Tree hits your car | Yes, under auto comprehensive, not home |
| Tree falls on the lawn, hits nothing | No |
| Tree blocks your driveway | Sometimes, if access is blocked |
| Healthy tree removed as a precaution | No |
| Dead or leaning tree removed before it falls | No |
| Tree killed by disease or drought | No |
The cap is the part that stings
Even on a covered claim, the debris removal portion is usually limited to something like $500 to $1,000, and often to $500 per tree with a total per storm. A live oak through an Austin roof can easily be a $3,000 removal, so the gap comes out of your pocket.
The repair to the roof itself is a different matter and is covered up to your dwelling limit, less the deductible. That is where the real money in the claim sits. Do not let a conversation about the removal cap distract from it.
Why preventative removal is never covered
People ask this constantly and the answer does not vary by insurer. Homeowners policies cover sudden accidental damage, not maintenance. A leaning, dying or obviously hazardous tree is maintenance, however plainly it is going to fall. State Farm, Allstate, USAA, Farmers and the Texas regional carriers all decline these.
The arithmetic still favours doing it. A hazardous tree removal in Austin runs $900 to $3,200. Your deductible alone is often $2,000 or more, before you count the disruption of a tree through the roof.
After a storm
Wind, hail and lightning are covered perils in Texas, so a storm-felled tree that hits a covered structure is a normal claim. The cause of the fall matters less than what it landed on.
Flood is the exception. Texas homeowners policies exclude flood, so a tree undermined by rising water is a separate conversation and needs NFIP or private flood cover.
Whatever happened, photograph everything before anyone cuts. Wide shots showing tree and damage together, close shots of the break, and anything wet inside the house. Once the tree is in the chipper the evidence is gone, and adjusters do not take your word for it. More in what to do in the first 24 hours after storm damage.
Your neighbour’s tree
In Texas, generally whoever the tree lands on claims it, regardless of whose land the trunk grew in. Your neighbour’s oak on your roof is your claim and your deductible. That feels wrong to most people and it is settled law.
It flips only where negligence can be shown: the owner knew the tree was dead or hazardous and did nothing. Which is why, if a neighbour’s tree worries you, you write to them. A dated letter or email describing the problem, kept on file, is what converts their insurer’s position from act of nature to failure to maintain. Photographs help. A written assessment helps more.
The full picture is in who is responsible for fallen tree removal.
Making the claim work
- Photograph everything before anything moves.
- Open the claim before repairs start, not after.
- Do emergency make-safe work, such as tarping an open roof, and keep the receipt. Policies require you to prevent further damage and they pay for that.
- Get the removal quoted in writing, with the tree work and any structural repair itemised separately.
- Keep every receipt, including anything you did yourself.
One judgement call worth making honestly: if the whole job comes to $1,800 and your deductible is $2,000, there is no claim to make. Weigh it before you file, because filed claims can affect renewal pricing even when nothing is paid out.
Tree already down? Send photos before anything is moved. We document every storm job before the first cut and send you the set for the adjuster. We work across Austin, Round Rock and eight more cities.
None of this is insurance advice, and policies differ. Your declarations page is the document that actually governs your cover.