It’s been almost two weeks since the Pacific Northwest saw its first storms of the winter season. Days later, homeowners are repairing and rebuilding after wind, ice and snow toppled hundreds of trees and power lines.
Insurance companies are also swamped. In the past 14 days, State Farm said the company has received more than 3,200 claims in the Portland area.
Lake Oswego resident Stephanie Ladd said there was a risk of several trees falling on her home after the first storm. As a precaution, Ladd, her husband and their two daughters stayed at her parents’ house.
In the meantime, Ladd said she called multiple landscape companies trying to find an available crew to remove the trees. She said she received different rates from each company, some as high as $100,000.
On Tuesday, a company finally came to take care of the trees. She said the cleanup and removal totaled $5,000.
It was really stressful and full of uncertainty,” Ladd said. “The weather and the wind were really unpredictable. Arbor crews are so busy right now.”
Jason Horton of the Oregon Department of Financial Regulation said it’s important for those facing storm damage to remember that most insurance companies only cover damage after a tree has fallen on someone’s property. Insurance companies generally do not cover preventive tree removal that involves downed trees.
Also, the homeowner who is damaged is the one whose insurance covers it, regardless of who owns the tree. When starting the claims process, there are a few things to keep in mind, Horton said.
“Before filing a claim, it is important to always contact your insurance agent. Know what your coverage limits are and what your deductible is so you can determine if it’s better for you not to file a claim,” he said.
State Farm spokeswoman Amy Harris said the tree must land on covered property, whether it’s a home, garage, shed or fence, for the policy to take effect. She said many people are asking questions about liability.
“There are a lot of questions about if my neighbor’s tree falls on my property, who is responsible? You’re going to be liable for that unless you can prove that the homeowner neglected that tree,” Harris said.
There may also be cases where your local government owns a fallen tree.
Sam and Jesse Cox live in southwest Portland and said they were in their upstairs bedroom on Jan. 13 when a tree crashed through the roof, narrowly missing them. They said the trees that fell on their house are city property and are on a city lot near their property.
They told KATU they spent much of last year working with the city to preemptively remove the trees on that lot because they believe those trees could pose a hazard. They said the city came to remove most of the trees, but not all.
I had to fight to get them to take down the dead, dangerous trees,” Jesse said. “I told them over and over, ‘It’s dangerous and they’re going to hurt people.’ Now we have one in our bedroom.”
The couple said the damage to the house was considered “catastrophic” and repair work would take around six months.
They said communication with the city was frustrating. Jessie said she emailed Portland Urban Forestry two days ago and was told they would be in touch with someone in a few days. Jesse said that given the way things have been in the past six months, he doubted he’d get an answer.
KATU also addressed this case and several others. We have not received a response.
As the experts say, the bottom line here is that even with state trees, talking to your agent is critical. Harris says that since different cities have different ordinances with different rules, your agent can help you handle these types of situations. She also recommends people take pictures and document any damage, whether it’s trees on your property or someone else’s. If you hire a company to remove a tree, make sure they are licensed and bonded.
Horton says if you’re having trouble with your insurance company or the claims process, you can call (888) 877-4894 to speak with a state consumer attorney for help. You can also find more information at [email protected].
