Lost a few limbs in the snow storm

[Jerry1]

Ugh. Woke up to a few large limbs on the ground. Sad. The two trees are very large evergreens and the loss of the branches has spoiled their shape. Not to mention that now I have to figure out what to do. Cleaning up the branches that fell is not too bad, but I see at least one limb that’s broke but still connected to the tree. It would take a pretty tall bucket lift to get up there. I’ll have to start calling around.

I wonder if any of this is covered under homeowners insurance. Thinking not but I’ll call my guy on Monday. Thankfully, no damage to the house.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

We got minimal snow overnight, but the winds were howling like it was a blizzard for several hours with lots of rain. My yard looks like a branch and twig factory. Fortunately, no large limbs came down though. I always hate spring branch cleanup almost as much as fall leaf cleanup. I have a bad back and it takes me a few days to bend down-pick up-bend up-repeat all of them.

 

[JoeWras]

Ugh. Woke up to a few large limbs on the ground. Sad. The two trees are very large evergreens and the loss of the branches has spoiled their shape. Not to mention that now I have to figure out what to do. Cleaning up the branches that fell is not too bad, but I see at least one limb that’s broke but still connected to the tree. It would take a pretty tall bucket lift to get up there. I’ll have to start calling around.

I wonder if any of this is covered under homeowners insurance. Thinking not but I’ll call my guy on Monday. Thankfully, no damage to the house.

Call your guy, but I'm going to guess the answer is no. Typically, even trees in peril are your responsibility. Insurance pays removal only when it breaks something.

Varies state by state, and here in the southeast rain forest, they have added amendments to make tree work coverage very, very focused.

BTW: I don't know where my mind is. I was afraid you fell into your auger snowblower and lost an arm or something. I need to slow down on the coffee.

 

[aaronc879]

My first thought was, how did you lose limps in a snow storm. Were they legs, arms, both? I guess tree limbs are still a pain to deal with.

 

[pb4uski]

... I wonder if any of this is covered under homeowners insurance. Thinking not but I’ll call my guy on Monday. Thankfully, no damage to the house.

I don't think so either. I know that none of the cleanup of downed branches/trees from Hurricane Ian wasn't covered by our condo association's insurance policies.

 

[ER Eddie]

My first thought was, how did you lose limbs in a snow storm. Were they legs, arms, both?

That was my first thought, too. My second thought was "It's just a flesh wound."

 

[braumeister]

Innumerable branches on the ground everywhere this morning, but I only saw one tree down. It was a big one, at least two feet in diameter, but it clearly had a rotten spot a few feet above ground level so that's where it broke. Fortunately, it was in the local park where I go to run, and didn't hit anything on its way down.

 

[Car-Guy]

Never thought about insurance coverage for tree damage/loss (I doubt it's covered) but when we get ice/snow or wind storms around here, I just plan on a few hours of clean up the first nice day after the storm passes. I've got a 20 inch chain saw, tractor w/FEL and brush hog and a brush/wood pile that's located at the back of the property. It's rare to get any broken/'hanging branches that I can't reach. Everything I need for a quick cleanup.

Funny thing about brush piles... They never seem to get that big. When we moved here, 15 years ago, the previous owner had already started one "out back and out of sight". It was maybe 30+ feet in diameter and 10 feet high. 15 years later and countless trips with trees, branches, limbs and even old lumber that I've piled on it and it's still about the same size.

 

[JoeWras]

First, glad I wasn't the only one thinking Jerry had a bad incident with his limbs.

Second: decided to actually read my policy. My Amica policy is clear. They will cover removal of a tree that fell from wind or snow only if it damages the structure or blocks your driveway. The recent update they made in the last few years is to limit it to $1000. (Some trees around here cost $3000 to remove.)

 

[Car-Guy]

First, glad I wasn't the only one thinking Jerry had a bad incident with his limbs.

Second: decided to actually read my policy. My Amica policy is clear. They will cover removal of a tree that fell from wind or snow only if it damages the structure or blocks your driveway. The recent update they made in the last few years is to limit it to $1000. (Some trees around here cost $3000 to remove.)

Must be include stump grinding/removal too for that price. Even so, that's outrageous, unless you are talking about giant sequoias.

 

[aaronc879]

Must be include stump grinding/removal too for that price. Even so, that's outrageous, unless you are talking about giant sequoias.

I had an estimate for tree removal last fall and it was $1600 for an oak and that was with a discount if I keep the wood so he didn't have to haul it. That did not include stump grinding. That is in low-ish cost of living Wisconsin. Prices are crazy. Tree is still standing

 

[Car-Guy]

I had an estimate for tree removal last fall and it was $1600 for an oak and that was with a discount if I keep the wood so he didn't have to haul it. That did not include stump grinding. That is in low-ish cost of living Wisconsin. Prices are crazy. Tree is still standing

In the past, I'd usually cut them down myself but the DW gets upset with me. (She not ready to cash in my life insurance policy I guess) Anyway the last time I got a quote it was 3 to 5 hundred a tree. (40 to 50' Oak's). No stump grinding and just hauled it to my brush pile. That was a few years ago.

 

[38Chevy454]

Funny thing about brush piles... They never seem to get that big. When we moved here, 15 years ago, the previous owner had already started one "out back and out of sight". It was maybe 30+ feet in diameter and 10 feet high. 15 years later and countless trips with trees, branches, limbs and even old lumber that I've piled on it and it's still about the same size.

Are you in a burn ban area? Otherwise that pile on my property would be up in smoke and gone long ago. We can burn brush where I live, and I probably have 3-4 burn times each year. My burn pile is usually about 8-10 ft diam and 4-5 ft high each time. Put a couple pallets on the bottom, then pile it up. Pallets work great to help dry out the brush, and with most (of the good ones) being hardwood, they provide a good base to help get everything burned off completely.

 

[Car-Guy]

^^^^
We have burn bans when it gets to dry but normally we can burn stuff anytime. The pile is out of the way and out of site behind a heavily wooded area of the property so I just keep adding on. Maybe someday I'll light it up.

 

[foxfirev5]

The last storms here in lower Michigan have certainly added to my brush pile. Also got a couple of widow makers pretty high up. Over the last 27 years we've had plenty including a huge walnut tree that just brushed the house. However I never considered calling my insurance agent. The rates are good and I want to keep it that way.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I miss the brush (and grass/vegetation clippings) pile I had at my second home when I owned it. Dad started the pile many years ago and it was in a wooded area on the back of the property. He had a nice path into the woods that he kept mowed for easy access with the lawn tractor and small trailer. When I bought the house, I kept using it for the waste from that house, plus I took truckloads of waste (such as my many, many tree branches that fall each year) from my primary home over to the pile. Alas, I have sold that house to my niece and forgot to make continued use of the brush pile part of the deed! My primary home does not really have a subtle place to create a brush pile and we aren't permitted to burn in the city limits. So I pretty much have to cut everything up and put it into decomposable bags that the trash collectors pick up every 2 weeks during warm months.

That brush pile was large, but as mentioned above, it never seemed to grow after a while. I guess yearly decomposition balanced out the continued use.

 

[braumeister]

I had an estimate for tree removal last fall and it was $1600 for an oak and that was with a discount if I keep the wood so he didn't have to haul it. That did not include stump grinding. That is in low-ish cost of living Wisconsin. Prices are crazy. Tree is still standing

About six years ago I paid $1,800 for three trees in Ohio. That covered only cutting them down in pieces and leaving the logs, but they took away the smaller limbs and debris. They were enormous old ash trees, and that was a fair price based on my research.

 

[JoeWras]

Must be include stump grinding/removal too for that price. Even so, that's outrageous, unless you are talking about giant sequoias.

Trees in the perpetually moist Southeast don't grow scrub style like they do in Texas. They grow fast and high, especially loblolly pines.

Add a hill, an inaccessible back yard, a tree on the house and you are going to have to crane it out. Crane charges for this push $200 per hour. Large fallen trees laying on the house are extremely dangerous, and that's what we're talking about here: storm damage.

Finally, add a supply shock to the equation and it is not difficult to reach $3k for a large pine that has fallen on a house. After the hurricane, everyone needs tree work. They may not gouge, but their going to demand a price.

Here's some crane work in my deep back yard with a relatively small pine in non-storm times. This one was part of 20+ removed with a total charge of $10k. The thing about one bad tree on the house that requires a crane is mostly the crane charge. If you get crane work done, have them do a bunch of trees.

 

[old medic]

Ugh. Woke up to a few large limbs on the ground. Sad. The two trees are very large evergreens and the loss of the branches has spoiled their shape.

I can sympathize with you. We have a large Magnolia Tree in the front yard, a few years ago snow took out 1/3 of the top. now looks like crap, but still smells wonderful in the spring.