When a neighbor called Sean Young to tell him several trees had collapsed on his roof amid Hurricane Milton’s howling winds, he sped home from his evacuation spot.
More than a week later, the pine trees laid there, piled and splayed on top of Young’s home in west Pinellas County. Young couldn’t count where one tree ended and another began. He guessed there were between seven to nine trees.
On Tuesday, Young’s mother-in-law helped pay to remove the trees. The family could spend between $5,000 and $10,000, Young said.
Now Young’s family wonders how to recoup expenses. What will insurance pay for? And shouldn’t this be the county’s responsibility? Pinellas County owns the wooded easement neighboring Young’s house off Tyrone Boulevard.
County staffers came out to assess the damage, then said they’d need more equipment to remove the trees, Young said. When he next called, the county told him he’d need to pay for tree removal because they fell on private property.
The county doesn’t pay to remove trees that have fallen on private property during a hurricane, said Marq Caughell, a spokesperson for Pinellas County public works. Homeowners insurance instead takes responsibility, he said. But the county will remove nearby trees that fall on public property.
Now the trees are off Young’s roof, but tangles of uprooted 50-foot pines hang precariously nearby. Dead trunks litter his yard. There are still punctures in his roof and a warped laundry room ceiling.
Young’s situation mirrors the confusion and distress among many Pinellas County residents. He lost wages after his place of work, the Friendly Fisherman in John’s Pass, was ransacked by Hurricane Helene.
In the meantime, he’s having to find thousands to fix his home before damage worsens — and praying that he’ll get repaid.
Even elected officials are complaining. St. Petersburg City Council member Brandi Gabbard said on Facebook that her insurance company may not repay the full cost of her tree removal because she paid to have the tree removed from her property.
“I see a lot of out of pocket costs coming in the next several months,” she wrote.
Whether punctures, missing shingles or trees are the problem, experts offered some advice on how to get a fair price for roof repairs.
If my neighbor’s tree fell on my house, who pays?
Florida law doesn’t hold neighbors liable if an otherwise healthy tree falls on your house due to a storm, per insurance claim firm Williams Law, P.A. Homeowners insurance should cover the damages. Policyholders are still responsible for paying their insurance deductible, which can stretch into the thousands.
But if you can prove the tree should have been removed earlier — if the tree was rotting or diseased — a neighbor may be liable.
What should I include in an insurance claim?
The more specificity, the better, said Paul Handerhan, president of the Federal Association for Insurance Reform. It’s best to take pictures of your home before and after the storm, but in the absence of pre-storm pictures, take clear and numerous pictures of the damage.
Make sure to send in itemized receipts. Insurance companies may dispute a large bill for tree removal, for example, if it’s possible trees were removed that weren’t a threat to the home, or extensive renovations were made without an adjuster’s inspection.
Don’t wait on contractors to start the claim process for you. That makes it easier for contractors to take advantage of consumers if something goes wrong.
“You want to make sure you’re managing the process of going through that insurance claim yourself,” said Justin Leo, chief operating officer of Proformance Builder Solutions, a roofing contractor.
What does insurance cover?
Homeowners insurance will cover damage to the home itself and any other structures that are covered under the policy, such as sheds or garages. For tree removal, trees that are on the roof and likely to cause damage are covered by insurance. Trees that fall in the yard aren’t.
“It’s got to be on one of the covered structures,” Handerhan said. “Not leaning over it. On it.”
Florida insurers also only cover up to $500 to move the trees off your property and onto the street for removal.
When should I get repairs?
Insurers expect homeowners to take steps to mitigate further damage. That means that trees, which may have punctured holes in the roof, should be removed by a professional.
But not everyone can afford to pay thousands for tree removal without help from insurance. You shouldn’t attempt to remove the trees yourself and risk injury if you’re not confident doing so, Handerhan said. Instead, get some blue tarp and cover the roof, trees and all, to at least protect the structure from more water damage.
Pinellas County residents can get a temporary blue tarp installed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Operation Blue Roof through Nov. 5.
Don’t pay for repairs beyond what’s needed to protect the home from further damage before an adjuster’s inspection. If your roof is nearing 10 years of age, talk to your insurer about replacing the whole thing, Leo said.
What should I look for in a contractor?
Scammers and unlicensed contractors are rife in places like Pinellas’ barrier islands after the storm.
“You don’t want to go and sign something from somebody who’s knocking on your door,” Leo said.
Instead, do some research. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Read reviews on the Better Business Bureau website. Look up the company on Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website to make sure they are licensed.
To get the best price, never sign a contract with the first person you meet. Try to get at least three quotes, Leo said. If someone is pressuring you into signing something on the spot, that’s a red flag.
On the other hand, a green flag for contractors is longevity. See how long the contractor’s been doing the work.
“If a contractor‘s only been around for a year or two and they’re offering a 10-year workmanship warranty, you don‘t really know if that’s going to hold up,” Leo said. “They may not even be in business at that point.”
Will there be a backlog of claims following Milton?
It’s possible. With back-to-back storms and damage spanning multiple states, insurers and contractors are likely stretched, Handerhan said.
“If you’ve got the money, I would say get it done yourself right away,” Handerhan said. “If you can’t afford it, even if it takes a while,” keep calling your insurer. Stay persistent.
