A storm damage tree assessment is what a tree care company or consulting arborist writes on the first visit after a storm: which trees are down or broken, what they hit, what is still hanging, how urgent each one is and what it will take to fix. It is the job list for the crew, the estimate's backbone and, very often, the evidence an insurance adjuster will ask for. This template puts safety first, then walks tree by tree. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Safety before the first photo
After a storm the tree is rarely the biggest danger. Wires brought down or pressed by limbs can be energized even when the lights are out, and they can energize a fence, a puddle or the tree itself. The form asks about lines, gas and injuries before anything else, and the answer to every one of them is the same: keep people away and call the people whose job it is — the utility, the gas company or 911.
Only crews qualified for work near energized lines go near them, and they keep the minimum approach distance their qualification, state and utility rules require. ANSI Z133 is the safety standard most US tree care companies work to; this form does not restate it.
Every damaged tree gets an urgency
Emergency means today: a tree on an occupied house, across the only exit, or with a large broken limb hanging over a walkway. Soon means the next few days: a split trunk leaning toward a garage, or hangers over the back yard. Routine means it can wait for a scheduled visit: a broken leader in an open lawn, or limbs to clean up.
The urgency on each tree becomes a finding in the report, with emergencies at the top, so the owner, the office and the adjuster all read the same priority list.
Photos the adjuster will ask for
Take the photos before anyone cuts: a wide shot of the property with the tree in it, the break or the lifted root plate up close, the point where the tree hit, and the damage to the building or vehicle. Then take the same views after the work. Insurers vary in what they cover for tree removal, and good before-and-after pictures make the claim easier whatever the policy says.
The form also asks whether there were signs of old decay or cracks at the break. Record what you see; the adjuster and the policy decide what it means for coverage.
Common questions
What should a storm damage tree report include?
The property and owner, the storm and its date, the safety situation (lines, gas, injuries, access kept clear), each damaged tree with the type of damage, what it hit or threatens, an urgency and the recommended work, damage to structures and vehicles, access for equipment, insurance photos before and after, and a signed summary.
What should I do if a tree is on a power line?
Keep everyone away from the tree, the line and anything touching them, and call the utility. Do not try to move or cut the tree. Only line-clearance qualified workers may work near energized lines, at the distances their training, state and utility rules require.
Does homeowners insurance pay for storm-damaged trees?
It depends on the policy and the circumstances, such as whether the tree hit a covered structure or blocks a driveway. This form does not decide coverage; it records the damage clearly, with photos, so the owner can make the claim and the adjuster can see what happened.
Can a storm-damaged tree be saved?
Often, yes. A tree that lost a few limbs or its leader can frequently be restored by careful pruning over several years. Uprooted trees, trunks split through the main union and trees that lost most of their crown usually cannot. Record the damage, then let the recommendation reflect the species, the age and the target.
What are hangers?
Hangers are broken limbs caught in the crown, still hanging after the storm. They can fall without warning, days later, which is why they are listed as their own kind of damage and often marked urgent when they hang over a place people walk.