# Neighbor's Tree Fell on My House: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> A healthy storm-felled tree is a claim on your own insurance; a dead or leaning tree the neighbor knew about can make the neighbor responsible.

**Who pays:** depends

If a healthy tree falls on your house in a storm, insurance treats it as an act of nature: file with your own homeowners insurer, not the neighbor's. If the tree was dead, diseased or visibly leaning and the neighbor knew but didn't remove it, the neighbor can be responsible for the damage if negligence can be proven. Photograph the tree and put the neighbor on notice in writing.

**Boundary:** A healthy tree that falls in a storm is treated as an act of nature, so the damaged homeowner files with their own insurer. If the tree was dead, diseased or visibly leaning and the neighbor was aware of the risk but did not remove it, the neighbor is responsible for damages if negligence can be proven.

**Exceptions:** A dead, diseased or visibly leaning tree the neighbor knew about can shift the damage to the neighbor, if negligence can be proven

## Sources
- [Who is responsible when a neighbor's tree falls on my house?](https://extension.okstate.edu/articles/2024/homeowners_insurance) — "Damage to your home caused by a healthy tree that falls during a storm is considered an act of nature in an insurance policy, and the homeowner with damage will need to file a claim with their insurance company" (accessed 2026-10-01)
- [Who is responsible when a neighbor's tree falls on my house?](https://extension.okstate.edu/articles/2024/homeowners_insurance) — "However, if the tree was unhealthy, it may be the neighbor’s responsibility to repair the damage." (accessed 2026-10-01)
- [Who is responsible when a neighbor's tree falls on my house?](https://extension.okstate.edu/articles/2024/homeowners_insurance) — "If the tree was dead, diseased or visibly leaning, and the neighbor was aware of the risk but didn’t remove it, he or she is responsible for damages, if negligence can be proven." (accessed 2026-10-01)
- [If a tree falls on your house, are you covered? (archived)](https://web.archive.org/web/20241219023107/https://www.iii.org/article/if-a-tree-falls-on-your-house-are-you-covered) — "In some situations where the felled tree was located on a neighbor’s property, your insurance company may try to collect from the neighbor’s insurance company in a process called subrogation. If this happens and your insurer is successful, you may be reimbursed for your deductible" (accessed 2026-10-01)

_Last verified 2026-10-01. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/who-pays-neighbors-tree-fell-on-my-house/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._