If a tree falls on your Sacramento property or roadway during a storm, who cleans it up?

As high wind gusts gear up to jerk an already shaken Sacramento, you may notice an uptick of fallen trees around the area.

State Farm Insurance received more than 2,000 claims, said spokeswoman Amy Harris with State Farm Insurance in an email to The Bee, a result of the weekend Northern California “atmospheric river.” Sacramento was one of the few California cities with the highest number of home and auto claims.

Between Wednesday morning and Thursday night, the capital could receive up to 3 inches of rain with wind gusts as high as 55 mph. Brace yourself for another round of fallen trees and branches.

Here’s what you need to know about the steps to take if a tree or branch falls on your private property or on public roads, as well as how your insurance may (or may not) help with fallen tree damage.

A tree fell on my Sacramento home

Sacramento County won’t assist with fallen trees or branches that land on private streets or property. Instead, homeowners should call a private tree service for clean up, said spokeswoman Janna Haynes.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO

The rules for the city are similar.

If a tree or branch falls on private property, the owner is responsible for clean up as they would for any other plant or shrubbery, said spokeswoman Jennifer Singer in a 2021 story about the October atmospheric river that hit the region.

Report a fallen tree on public Sacramento roads

Sacramento County Department of Transportation will remove fallen trees and branches on public roadways including sidewalks, streets and parks.

If you see a fallen tree or branch on public roadways, be sure to report it right away and identify if the tree or branch is touching power lines. Here are your options:

• Dial 3-1-1
• Dial 916-875-4311
• Make a report online at Sacramento County’s 311 website

Remember: Sacramento County Department of Transportation’s crew members may move initial material from the roads and come back to clean up the rest during severe storms.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO

City rules regarding fallen trees on public roadways are similar.

Call 3-1-1 or 916-808-5011 to report fallen trees or branches on public roadways.

Does my insurance cover fallen tree damage?

It really depends whether or not your home or auto insurance will cover damage created by a fallen tree, even if the damage was caused by severe weather conditions.

Harris said State Farm homeowners or auto insurance would be responsible for fallen tree damage if it’s their neighbor’s tree, unless they can prove their neighbor was aware of the tree’s poor condition.

If a State Farm customer’s insured car is damaged by their own tree, their auto policy will take care of both damage costs and tree removal if they have a comprehensive plan.

Allstate Insurance Company’s rules surrounding damage caused by fallen trees, for example, are a little different.

“If the tree was otherwise healthy and damaged your home because of wind,” Allstate Corporation wrote on its website “a typical homeowners insurance policy may help pay to repair damage to your home or other structure on your property.”

This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 10:57 AM with the headline "If a tree falls on your Sacramento property or roadway during a storm, who cleans it up?."