Bad Day for Pole Barn

SwingOak · Feb 26, 2023

I know you’ve already removed the tree, but as a suggestion to others always have the insurance company come out to assess the situation. You don’t have to file a claim if you don’t want to, but they will let you know what they will or won’t cover and the estimated cost for tree removal and repairs.

I had a perfectly healthy walnut tree land on my neighbor’s house in a storm. I called my insurance company, they called theirs. My insurance company said as it was a healthy tree that came down in a storm event, I was not responsible and my neighbor’s insurance would have to cover it.

They said a hazardous tree is another story, if a tree is dead or unhealthy and there are assets of value it could potentially fall on, it is the property owner’s responsibility to remove it. If the property owner does not remove the tree and it strikes an asset, they are responsible for damages.

And they also explained that “known hazardous tree” means that someone could look at the tree and see that it was dead or unhealthy. It does not mean the property owner was aware the tree was dead or unhealthy prior to it coming down.

rocco611 · Feb 26, 2023

Good Job getting the tree down with minimal wall damage. rental of equipment to lift the tree would have cost more than than the wall panel. $4000 insurance deductible is really high , is your premium low? if not maybe get some quotes when it comes due.

Dennis Mohn · Feb 26, 2023

KennyG said:
Yesterday I found a tree on my pole barn. It was actually on my neighbors property. I noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down. It would have been tight to get it between our barns, but I wish we had tried now. I have to call the insurance company but I think I will probably take it off myself since it's hard to get tree services on short notice. It doesn't look likely to roll or twist on me. Since I have a ceiling and insulation, I can't tell if there is structural damage but it looks like one or two purlins might be broken.

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If it was on your neighbors property I would think it would be his responsibility to contact insurance or foot the bill to remove the tree. You seem to be on good terms with the neighbor the two of you should be working together to resolve this. How close to the corner is this and what is the angle of the tree. Is the root ball still attached. A crane or excavator would be best lift it off the roof , but at $75 an hour or more it can get pricy

macdoesit · Feb 26, 2023

If you have Farmers ins, your screwed. Unless there are hole, holes, it is not covered. I had large hail damage on metal shop roof, not covered because hail did not make a hole. Im still fighting with Farmers on claim I filed 11 months ago. Stay away from Farmers ins. I canceled my policy. I have had to fight for every penny, so far have collected 10,000.00 more due to their so-called mistakes. Deliberate mistakes. Almost a year now, metal roof, home shingle roof, siding, windows all damage. Just because they give you an estimate does not mean you have to accept. Do research, get estimates, do not be intimidated, argue, fight for what you are intitled too. They will low ball and tell you things are not covered, when actually, they are. (Read your policy).

Thing · Feb 26, 2023

KennyG said:
Yesterday I found a tree on my pole barn. It was actually on my neighbors property. I noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down. It would have been tight to get it between our barns, but I wish we had tried now. I have to call the insurance company but I think I will probably take it off myself since it's hard to get tree services on short notice. It doesn't look likely to roll or twist on me. Since I have a ceiling and insulation, I can't tell if there is structural damage but it looks like one or two purlins might be broken.

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I know it’s a friendly neighbor. But your insurance company isn’t going going to cover that damage if the tree was on his property. It’s his responsibility

Chanceywd · Feb 26, 2023

hornett22 said:
I'd cut it near the stump and let it roll off. I've done it many times. Highly doubtful it will do anymore damage.

I agree, I wouldn't touch it until an adjuster looks at it. If they want to pay for a tree service, I'd let them. I'm sure they work with one. Tree services do emergency jobs like that all the time on short notice.

I helped a neighbor last year who had a pine go down on their single story home. I cut all the branches off, then was able to cable back to with a sheave at the roof then pull with my kubota. That gave me 2 times the lift and moved it off the roof by swinging it then lowering. That one had broke off about 12 ft high so i used that for the dead man. If you had another tree close maybe that would have worked.

Bill

BlueKnife · Feb 26, 2023

JONNY BOYYY said:
MORE THAN LIKELY YOUR HOME OWNERS INSURANCE HAS TO PAY IT BUT IT WILL THEN BE A CLAIM AGAINST YOU...BETTER TO TRY TO ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR TO PAY FOR IT---SHE DOESNT HAVE TO ,BUT ITS WORTH A TRY

Looks like your caps lock button is on, FYI.

TN8Man · Feb 26, 2023

I always cut down trees within striking distance of my structures no matter how healthy they look.

JimBiddy · Feb 26, 2023

If neighbor was aware that the tree was dead and that it was a threat, his/her insurance company should cover it. It's only an 'act of God' if the tree is alive and then it's your responsibility. For $4000 deductible, I'd have a conversation with neighbor about it and have their insurance cover it. You don't have to 'go after' the neighbor to have his/her insurance cover it.

Gee Ray · Feb 26, 2023

Why on earth are you all writing about the insurance? Tree is down and cleaned up. No one was hurt and the damage was minimal.

Each state as it's own set of rules for dealing with the responsibilities of tree damage. That issue is also mute.

The cost of the clean up and repairs was less then the deductible. The insurance would not have been useful anyway. Plus the OP avoids a black mark on his insurance record. And yes the companies share info about who files claims.

The OP did a good job of dealing with a bad situation and should be commended for dealing with the problem at hand. On his own like a person should.

I find it very aggravating that so many people want to run their lives according to what the insurance companies want. The often stated comments about using your tractor to help a neighbor must be approved by the insurance company or you can not drive your tractor down the street because insurance blah, blah, blah.

Get a grip, you can not buy insurance for everything.

Wait wait! Should I get a policy to protect myself from arguing against insurance companies ruling my life?

Zmann. · Feb 26, 2023

In My experience even a call to the Insurance company to discuss a possible claim can cost you,
it all winds up on your history ( as stated they all share ) ,, I was in shock when I stumbled on this
in my dealings.
pay premiums all your life never a claim ,, when you have a legit claim it will usually be cheaper to avoid them unless it is a big $ or someone else is clearly at fault but not doing the right thing

glad this is almost behind you and thanks for sharing

KennyG · Feb 26, 2023

I'm pretty happy with how this is working out. $140 for replacement metal. If I had the capability to lift it and prevent the wall damage, it would have saved about $40. As to those who questioned using my loader, my loader maxs out at 1000 lbs. At the points I would have had to lift it, I doubt I could get over 500 lbs. My guess is that even after trimming, I had well over a ton of tree left.

TractorTYMe · Feb 26, 2023

January 13th, 2021 My house is the red tip on the left, this was my wife's uncle's pole barn, erected 3 months prior.

Rob REECE · Feb 26, 2023

KennyG said:
Yesterday I found a tree on my pole barn. It was actually on my neighbors property. I noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down. It would have been tight to get it between our barns, but I wish we had tried now. I have to call the insurance company but I think I will probably take it off myself since it's hard to get tree services on short notice. It doesn't look likely to roll or twist on me. Since I have a ceiling and insulation, I can't tell if there is structural damage but it looks like one or two purlins might be broken.

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According to what my insurance company tells me if the neighbor knew the tree was rotted and could possibly fall and damage a neighbors property then he could be liable.

Sodo · Feb 26, 2023

Robert walker said:
Build a 4x4 a-frame and put under it about 4 or 5 feet from the side. You should then be able to cut limbs off the building side. Then hook a chain to it up to it close to the a-frame and pull it over, cut up, split and enjoy a fire

Monday-morning quarterbackin'......

Alan46 · Feb 26, 2023

Sodo said:
Monday-morning quarterbackin'......

He would have, if he could have, but he couldn’t so he didn’t!

jdmeth · Feb 26, 2023

stevem5215 said:
In the court of Judge Judy, she would side with you on the neighbor owing for damages. And the reason is because it was dead for a while and the neighbor knows it and is liable. It's not an "act of God" in that case. Which is what the insurance company is looking at. I just had two dead pines removed of which one was right next to the neighbors house. It had been dead for 2 years and was at the point of needing removal due to getting weak. $1500 for two trees over 100ft tall and ground up and hauled away along with a brush pile from Decembers tree that I did that was 100ft and 20" at the base (all my EFCO 20" could handle). The one they did was about 24" and the other about 20". Two truck loads of ground up trees and branches. Nice looking job they did too. I can't complain at all. Even raked the yard afterward and fixed all "divits" of grass. Pros do that kind of thing. Me, I just left it all lol. I am chainsaw certified though by the Pa DCNR state group. A plus IMO.

I have lived in the same place for 50 years. Four years ago I had 6 oak trees that were too close to my home and needed to be taken down, 24-36 inches at the base, who knew oak trees grew that fast. I live on 15 acres so they are my trees. Luckily I had access to a John Deere 510 backhoe. I just dug around four of them and pushed them over. That way I could control where they fell. Two were so close to my garage I couldn't do that, the roots were under the concrete, so I sawed them off. I chained them to the backhoe and pulled them over after I had cut mostly through the trunk. I bolted my vise to the stump in front of the garage side door. I just shoved the trunks and limbs into the woods after cutting off the limbs. Two were so large the backhoe couldn't move them. I payed a tree service to cut those off the root mass. Would have been cheaper to buy a big chain saw and then I would still have a big chain saw. Not for me, my son in law, my chain sawing days are over, bad back.

tonynz · Feb 26, 2023

KennyG said:
Yesterday I found a tree on my pole barn. It was actually on my neighbors property. I noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down. It would have been tight to get it between our barns, but I wish we had tried now. I have to call the insurance company but I think I will probably take it off myself since it's hard to get tree services on short notice. It doesn't look likely to roll or twist on me. Since I have a ceiling and insulation, I can't tell if there is structural damage but it looks like one or two purlins might be broken.

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Don't mention to the insurance company that you "noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down".!

chickm1 · Feb 26, 2023

Probably not even more that your deductible.

ClinchfieldPaul · Feb 26, 2023

KennyG said:
Yesterday I found a tree on my pole barn. It was actually on my neighbors property. I noticed it was dead last year and thought about suggesting we take it down. It would have been tight to get it between our barns, but I wish we had tried now. I have to call the insurance company but I think I will probably take it off myself since it's hard to get tree services on short notice. It doesn't look likely to roll or twist on me. Since I have a ceiling and insulation, I can't tell if there is structural damage but it looks like one or two purlins might be broken.

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Correct me if I’m wrong on property responsibility but if a healthy tree falls from an act of nature and damages your property it is on your insurance but a dead tree falls from your neighbors property and he knew it was dead or you notified the neighbor of said dead tree that needs to be taken down then the responsibility is on the neighbors insurance?