A Falling Royal Oak Oak Can Cause Massive Damage

When it comes to preventing damage from a tree falling on your house, Michael Drabek, owner of Woodsman Services, said you are the first line of defense.

Royal Oak residents need to pay close attention to their trees, as a falling tree can cause massive damage if it strikes a home.

The owner of the tree pruning and removal service said the warning signs of a dying tree often go ignored or unnoticed, because most don't give them much attention. 

"If you spill some grape juice on your carpet, you look at it every day," he said. "But very rarely do people look up."

Warning Signs

Drabek said the health of a tree can be assessed by a quick glance. If the leaves on the tree are consistent in shape, size and color and you don't notice any animal infestation or an excess of falling branches,  the tree is probably healthy.

If not, he suggests calling a tree removal service. He said any "decent" service will give a free quote for removal.

Drabek advised never to trim trees during the summer months. Trees cut at this time are at risk for contracting oak wilt or Dutch elm disease, deadly diseases that are typically dormant from fall through  the spring. If a tree is trimmed during the summer, the open wounds from the cuts can attract disease-carrying sap beetles. Disease can  spread between trees through their roots.

Sometimes the warning signs of a dying tree are difficult, if not impossible to tell. Rotted limbs can be too high to spot. Drabek recommends property owners have their oak trees checked by specialists every three years.

He said it is best to act sooner than later when there is a dying tree looms over the house. Drabek said dying trees degrade rapidly—in less than a year. The longer you delay, the greater the decay and price for removal.

"When [a tree] is dead it becomes like a cracker,” he said. “If the limbs are falling off, what makes you think when we go up there, the limbs are not going to fall off?"

What does insurance cover for fallen trees?

Thomas Arce, president of Atlas Insurance Agency in Royal Oak, said coverage for fallen trees is a standard feature in most homeowner insurance policies; they're considered falling objects. 

"Falling objects are covered, period," he said. "If a plane engine falls on your house or a neighbor's tree the falls on your house, it is covered."

That means that if a tree falls on your house, you are covered for the damage to the house, the property in the house, and around $500 for tree removal, depending on the policy.

However, if a tree falls in your yard and nothing is damaged, Arce says tree removal is not covered.

If a tree falls on your house, Arce recommends a call to your insurance agency and preventative action to limit damage done to property after the tree hits. If a fallen tree leaves a hole in the house, seal the hole to make sure that rain won't cause further damage.

If you rent your home and a tree damages it, Arce says renters insurance should cover any damage done to your property, in addition to paying for temporary housing in the case that the house or apartment is not in living condition.

Above all, Arce said you need to know what your insurance covers.

Home Inventory 

Creating a home inventory document for your insurance company is vital in order to protect the value of the items in the home in case of a disaster, like a falling tree. Michigan’s Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation has instructions for how to complete a home inventory.

1. Make a list of possessions, including “celebration” purchases, such as jewelry and fine art.
2. Think about family heirlooms, collections and furniture. Also, consider items related to everyday leisure time, from flat-screen televisions to custom guitars.
3. Take note of common-place items, such as toys, CDs and clothing. And, do not forget items used occasionally, such as holiday decorations, sports equipment, tools, and high-ticket items kept outside the home, such as landscape and swing sets.
4. Attach copies of original sales receipts and/or appraisal documents to the inventory. Be sure to note model and serial numbers.
5. Group possessions into logical categories, for example, by hobby, by room in the home.
6. Carefully photograph or videotape each item and document a brief description, including age, purchase price and estimated current value.
7. Remember to open drawers and closets to document what is inside.
8. Store the home inventory and related documents in a safe, easily accessible place, such as a secured site/file online, a fire-proof box or in a safe deposit box. You may want to share a copy with your insurance provider to make necessary updates to your coverage.
9. Review and update  inventory annually and any time you make a significant purchase.
10. To get started, you can check out the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s simple home inventory checklist at www.insureuonline.org/home_inventory_checklist.pdf.