Storm Damage Tree Removal: Your First 24 Hours

By the Fort Wayne Tree Pros team · May 12, 2026

Northeast Indiana gets hit with serious wind every spring and summer. Straight-line winds, hail-heavy thunderstorms rolling off the lake, the occasional derecho, and a few EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes most years. The result for Fort Wayne homeowners: a lot of trees and limbs on roofs, fences, cars, and power lines.

If a tree just came down on your property, here’s exactly what to do in the first 24 hours.

Step 1: Make Sure Everyone Is Safe

Before anything else: get people and pets out of the affected area, and stay away from any downed power lines. Always assume downed lines are live. Don’t touch them, don’t drive over them, and don’t go near anything they’re touching — including a fallen tree.

• If lines are down, call AEP/Indiana Michigan Power immediately and stay back at least 35 feet.
• If there’s any chance of structural damage to the house, get out of the affected rooms.
• If anyone is injured, call 911 first — tree work waits.

Step 2: Document Everything With Photos and Video

Before anything is moved, take wide and close-up photos and a slow video walk-around of:

• The fallen tree from multiple angles
• Damage to the roof, siding, gutters, fence, vehicles, etc.
• Any interior damage (water stains, broken ceiling, etc.)
• Items inside the house that may have been damaged

This documentation is what your insurance company will rely on. Take more photos than you think you need.

Step 3: Tarp What You Can (Safely)

If part of your roof or wall is open and rain is coming, a tarp can save you thousands in interior damage. Don’t climb on a damaged roof yourself — many emergency tree services and roofers in Fort Wayne can come out and tarp for you. If you can’t get someone out before the next storm, move belongings out of the affected rooms and put buckets and plastic sheeting under the leak.

Step 4: Call Your Insurance Company

Homeowner’s insurance usually covers damage caused by a fallen tree (roof, siding, fences, vehicles), but the rules around removing the tree itself vary by policy and by what it fell on. A few things to know:

• If the tree damaged a covered structure, removal is typically covered up to a policy limit (often $500–$1,500).
• If the tree just fell in your yard and didn’t hit anything, removal is often not covered.
• If a neighbor’s tree fell on your house, your policy still pays — not theirs, in most cases.
• Ask your adjuster for a claim number before any removal work begins.

Step 5: Get a Professional Tree Crew On Site

Storm-damaged trees are some of the most dangerous tree work that exists. Trees under tension (bent, twisted, partially uprooted, or held up by other trees) can release with enormous force when cut. This is not the time to grab a chainsaw and try to handle it yourself.

A qualified emergency tree service will:

• Show up with proof of insurance you can verify
• Assess what’s safe to cut and in what order
• Coordinate with utility crews if power lines are involved
• Give you a written estimate before starting work whenever possible
• Provide an itemized invoice your insurance can process

What to Watch Out For After a Storm

After major storms, Fort Wayne always sees a wave of out-of-state “storm chaser” tree services going door to door. Some are fine. Many are unlicensed, uninsured, and will demand large cash deposits up front before disappearing. Red flags:

• No physical address, just a cell phone
• Won’t provide a current certificate of insurance
• Demand full payment up front
• Pressure you to sign anything “right now”

If you’re not sure, call a local crew you can verify. The job will still be there in two hours.

We’re Here for Storm Cleanup

If a tree has come down on your home or business anywhere in Allen County, give us a call. We can be on site to assess, tarp, and start safe removal, and we’ll work directly with your insurance adjuster on documentation.