The morning after a major DFW storm, the calls come in waves. Trees on houses. Trees on cars. Trees across driveways. Limbs hanging in canopies, ready to fall. Every spring and fall storm season brings a fresh round, and every year we see the same homeowner mistakes that turn a manageable insurance claim into a costly mess.

This is the checklist we wish every DFW homeowner had on the wall.

First 30 minutes: safety

  1. People first. Anyone hurt? Call 911.
  2. Power lines. Is the tree contacting any wires? Assume every wire is live. Stay back at least 30 feet. Call Oncor (1-888-313-4747) or your utility. Do not let pets or kids approach until utility says it's safe.
  3. Gas lines. Smell gas? Get everyone out of the house, leave the door open, call your gas company from outside.
  4. Structural integrity. If a tree is on the house, stay out of rooms beneath the impact zone until the tree is removed.

Hours 1–4: documentation

  1. Photos. Take photos from multiple angles BEFORE moving anything. Wide shots showing the whole tree and damage. Close shots showing the impact points.
  2. Video. A 30-second walk-around video is gold for insurance.
  3. List of damaged items. Note any vehicles, sheds, fences, outdoor equipment, landscape elements.
  4. Don't move anything yet unless safety requires it. Insurance adjusters want to see the original state.

Hours 4–24: triage

  1. Call a licensed tree service. Get a reputable, insured arborist on-site to assess and stabilize. Verify general liability AND workers comp BEFORE they touch anything.
  2. Tarp the roof if the tree is on the house. Stops water damage. Most reputable services include this on tree-on-house jobs.
  3. Call your insurance. Homeowners covers tree damage to structures plus removal of the portion on the structure (typically). Auto insurance covers tree-on-vehicle. Don't sign with a "we handle insurance for you" door-knocker.
  4. Get your scope in writing. Tree service should give you a written scope of work BEFORE doing anything beyond emergency stabilization.

Common mistakes (we see them every storm season)

  • Hiring storm chasers. Out-of-state crews show up after big storms with low cash prices, take a deposit, and disappear. Verify a local address, local references, and at least 3 years in business.
  • Letting the tree service handle the insurance claim. Their interest is getting paid, not maximizing your claim. Talk to your insurance directly, send your own photos, and use the tree service's written scope as supporting documentation.
  • Moving debris before documentation. "I wanted to clean up." Wait. The adjuster needs to see what happened.
  • Touching power lines. Even small lines can be lethal. Call the utility.
  • Signing a 'storm rate' contract without reading. Honest tree services have published storm pricing. Avoid anyone who quotes triple the normal rate verbally.

What about the rest of your trees?

If one tree failed, others on the same property may have hidden damage. After a major storm, get a free arborist walk of the property to identify hung-up limbs, cracked branches, leaning trees, and other emerging hazards. Many of these conditions worsen in the next storm — far cheaper to handle proactively than as another emergency.

Insurance tips

  • Take notes during every adjuster phone call (date, time, name, what they said).
  • Tree removal is generally covered IF the tree damaged an insured structure. Healthy tree that fell in the yard? Usually not covered.
  • Some policies cap tree-removal at $500–$1,000. Read your policy or ask.
  • Increased premiums after a claim are real but usually less than the cost you avoided.

Have a plan before the next storm

Save the number of a local insured arborist now, not when you need them. Walk your property with one in summer — proactive removal of clearly dead/hazardous trees costs far less than emergency response. And tell your insurance agent what trees are over your house — sometimes this changes a coverage option.

Tree Care Pros runs 24/7 storm response across DFW. Whether you're a current customer or not — if a tree is on your house or threatening it, call us. Lives and homes come first, paperwork comes after.