When the Wind Howls and Branches Fall: A Homeowner’s Quick Guide

This past weekend in Gig Harbor, we got hit with a pretty good storm. Heavy rain, strong wind, and plenty of fallen branches, some people even lost power for a bit.

When I walked outside Sunday morning, the yard, and the road, looked like a tree had exploded with branches big and small everywhere. It got me thinking: what would you do if a branch, or worse, a whole tree fell on your house?

Of course, the first thing would be to make sure everyone’s safe and to get the tree removed. But before you start cutting or hauling, there’s one thing that’s really important to remember, document everything.

If you’re hiring a company to do the cleanup, they’ll likely take photos for their records, but it’s still a good idea to take your own. If you’re handling it yourself, grab your phone and take pictures from a few angles before touching anything. You’ll want that proof in case you need to file a home insurance claim.

A few years ago, one of my clients had a tree fall on their roof. Thankfully, it didn’t pierce through, but it left a noticeable dent. Their well-meaning neighbor offered to cut up and haul away the tree, which was incredibly kind. But because the cleanup wasn’t documented, the insurance company wouldn’t cover the repairs.

Lesson learned, even if the damage looks minor, take photos before you remove or fix anything. It only takes a minute and could save you a lot of stress and money later.

The Pacific Northwest is known for its storms, and as we head deeper into the fall and winter months, it’s a good reminder to check your homeowners insurance policy and know what’s covered. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it’s always better to be prepared.