Fallen trees cause significant damage to UK properties every year, particularly during autumn and winter storms. Buildings insurance typically provides cover for this type of event, but the scope of cover, the responsibilities of neighbouring homeowners, and the treatment of the fallen tree itself vary between policies and circumstances.

Damage to Your Property by a Fallen Tree

Standard buildings insurance policies include storm and falling trees as insured perils. If a tree falls onto your house, garage, garden wall, or other structure covered by your buildings policy, and causes physical damage, the cost of repairing that damage is generally covered. This applies whether the tree was in your own garden, a neighbour's garden, or was a street tree maintained by the council.

The insurer will typically cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding the damaged structure and may also cover emergency works to make the property safe and weatherproof while permanent repairs are arranged.

Tree Removal Costs

Whether the cost of removing the fallen tree itself is covered, rather than just the damage it caused, varies between policies. Some policies include tree removal as part of the claim; others do not. Reading your policy schedule or contacting your insurer to confirm whether tree removal is covered before paying for it is advisable. If the policy does not cover removal and you need the tree gone before repairs can proceed, document the situation thoroughly with photographs before removal.

A Neighbour's Tree Falls on Your Property

A common scenario is a neighbour's tree falling onto your property. In this case, your own buildings insurer will generally cover the damage under your policy as a falling tree claim, regardless of whose tree it was. You would be required to pay your policy excess. Whether you can then recover the excess or the full claim cost from your neighbour depends on whether your neighbour was negligent.

Negligence in the context of trees means that the tree owner knew or should have known the tree was diseased, dead, or otherwise dangerous and failed to take reasonable steps to address the risk. If a neighbour's healthy tree falls in a storm without any prior warning of instability, this is generally an act of nature and the neighbour is not legally liable. If a neighbour's tree was known to be in poor condition and they ignored warnings or failed to seek professional assessment, they may be liable for the resulting damage.

Trees Falling Without Causing Damage

If a tree falls in your garden but does not damage any insured structure, the cost of removing the fallen tree is generally not covered by buildings insurance. It is considered a garden clearance cost rather than an insurance claim. Some home emergency policies or garden insurance add-ons cover tree clearance in these circumstances.

Summary

Buildings insurance typically covers damage to your property caused by a fallen tree regardless of whose tree it was. Tree removal costs may or may not be included depending on the policy. A neighbour is only legally liable for damage caused by their tree if they were negligent, meaning they knew or should have known of the risk. Your own insurer is the practical first contact for storm tree damage; liability recovery from a negligent neighbour is a separate matter.