Tree damage insurance claims in Australia. The honest walkthrough.
Tree-damage claims are usually straightforward when documented well, and a six-month nightmare when they're not. The difference is the work done in the first day. We do this constantly — here's the playbook we hand homeowners.
What's typically covered (Australian standard policies)
- Damage to insured structures from a fallen tree — roof, walls, garage, fence, pool. Almost always covered under a standard home buildings policy.
- Damage to insured contents — anything inside the structure damaged by the tree or by water entering through the breach. Covered under contents policy.
- Damage to insured vehicles — covered under comprehensive car insurance, not home insurance. Two separate claims if both apply.
- Tree removal cost when the tree has caused damage — usually covered up to a sub-limit ($1,000–$5,000 typical).
- Removal of the tree if it threatens but hasn't yet caused damage — sometimes covered, often not. Read your PDS.
- Temporary accommodation if the home is uninhabitable — usually covered for a defined period.
What's typically NOT covered
- The tree itself, replanting costs, landscape value
- Damage to uninsured structures (sheds without explicit cover, ad-hoc carports)
- Damage from a tree on your own property that "should have been removed" (insurers may argue lack of maintenance)
- Pre-existing damage
- Removal of a healthy tree because the homeowner is now worried about it
Six steps to a clean claim
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Photograph the damage before anything moves
Wide shot showing the whole scene with something for scale. Medium shot of the damage area. Close-up of the contact point — tree-on-roof, branch-through-window, root-cracked-driveway. Time-stamped automatically by your phone (verify the date/time setting first). Take 10+ photos. Insurers prefer too many.
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Notify your insurer within 24 hours
Most policies require notification within 24 hours. You don't need the full claim filed — just open a file and get a claim reference number. Phone is faster than online for the initial notification. Have your policy number, the time the damage happened, and the basic facts ready.
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Get an arborist incident report
Insurers accept AQF-qualified arborist reports as primary evidence. Report should include: time of attendance, weather conditions, tree species and dimensions, contact point with the structure, removal method used, before/after photos with timestamps, and a written statement of cause (e.g. "tree failed at the root flare following 95mm of rainfall in 24 hours, no signs of pre-existing structural defect"). We provide this as a PDF, free with any storm-damage removal we do.
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Submit the quote and report together
One email to the claims address with: the arborist incident report, the removal quote (or invoice if work is already done), and the building/repair quotes. Make the assessor's job easy. Multi-attachment, single thread. Don't dribble information in over two weeks.
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Liaise via the assigned assessor
Once your claim is past the initial stage, an assessor (employee or contracted) is assigned. All further comms through them, by email. Don't go back to the call centre — they'll just route you to the assessor, slowly. Save the assessor's email and direct number.
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Follow up at fortnight intervals
Tree-damage claims often stall at the two-week mark — assessor waiting on building quotes, insurer waiting on assessor, etc. A polite "checking in on claim #X" email every fortnight keeps it moving without being annoying. If nothing's moved in 6 weeks, escalate to the insurer's internal disputes team.
The arborist incident report — what to expect
A good incident report runs 3–5 pages and includes:
- Time and date of attendance, weather at site
- Tree species (common + Latin name), height, trunk diameter
- Apparent cause of failure (root failure, limb failure, whole-tree blowdown)
- Pre-failure structural condition assessment (visible from remaining stump or canopy)
- Damage description with reference photos
- Removal method statement (sectional dismantle, crane lift, etc.)
- Time on site, equipment used, crew composition
- Before/after photos with timestamps
- Arborist sign-off with qualified arborist number
This document is what wins or loses the marginal claim. We've handed insurers reports that turned a probable refusal into a same-week payout, because the cause and method were documented to a level the assessor couldn't argue with.
The Sunday Tesla — a worked example
2am Sunday in autumn. A 12m liquidambar came down across a driveway in Sydney's inner west, pinning a Tesla. Owner called us at 6am. Crew on site by 7:15am, tree off the car by 9am. Written incident report with timestamps and photos emailed to her insurer by lunchtime.
The insurer paid out within two weeks — clean, no back-and-forth — because the report covered: time of failure (rain gauge in same suburb logged 47mm in 90 minutes, attached as supporting evidence), root flare condition (photographed, no pre-existing decay), removal method, before/after photos. Assessor accepted it without site visit. Claim closed in 14 days.
The car was a write-off. Replaced in three weeks. Owner's experience: "easiest insurance thing I've ever done". That's the goal.
Disputed claims — when insurers push back
Common pushback reasons and how to address each:
| Insurer says | Counter |
|---|---|
| "Pre-existing condition — tree should have been removed" | Pre-failure tree health report (if you have one) or arborist statement that visible structural condition was within acceptable range. Photographs of the tree pre-storm. |
| "Damage caused by lack of maintenance" | Receipts for prior pruning / arborist visits. Statement from arborist that maintenance was within reasonable schedule for species and location. |
| "Sub-limit reached for tree removal" | Argue building damage cover separately covers structural restoration; tree removal cost is incidental and should not be capped if structure damage is covered. |
| "Tree was on neighbouring property" | Yes, but damage occurred on your insured property. Standard policies cover damage to your property regardless of which side the tree fell from. Insurer can subrogate against the neighbour later. |
| "Storm wasn't a 'declared event'" | Damage doesn't require declared-event status under most standard policies. Policy will define what an "insurable event" is — read it. |
If your claim is refused, the next step is the insurer's Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) — free, must be responded to within 30 days. After that, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) — free, binding on insurer up to $500,000 + $5,400/month for income protection.
What we provide as standard
- Free arborist incident report (PDF) with any storm-damage removal we do
- Timestamped before/after photos in the report
- Written cause-of-failure statement signed off by an qualified arborist arborist
- Removal quote and incident report in one email to your insurer (with your authorisation)
- Follow-up call to assessor if needed
This is included in any storm-damage job. Doesn't cost extra. We do it because clean claims pay out fast and the homeowner remembers who made it easy.
Frequently asked
Will my insurance cover tree removal?
If the tree has caused damage to insured property — usually yes, up to a sub-limit. If you just want a healthy tree gone — almost always no.
What if the tree fell from my neighbour's property?
Your insurer covers damage to your insured property. They'll then subrogate against your neighbour's insurer if your neighbour was negligent. Your job is to lodge with your insurer; the rest is their problem.
Do I need an arborist report?
For damage claims under $5,000, often not required. Above that, almost always required by the assessor. Including one anyway speeds up every claim.
How long does an insurance claim take?
2–4 weeks for clean claims with full documentation. 6–12 weeks for typical claims. 6+ months for disputed.
What about excess?
You'll pay your policy excess — typically $500–$2,000 — regardless. The insurer covers the rest up to the relevant cover limit.
What if I've already removed the tree without an arborist?
Harder but not impossible. Photographs (anything you have), receipt for the work done, and a retrospective statement from a qualified arborist who attended the cleared site can be enough for many claims. Better to call us first next time.
We provide the report with the removal
0402 522 434Free incident report with any storm-damage job. Insurers accept it as primary evidence.