Emergency guide
Written by Craig, Foundation Garden & Trees
Storm damaged tree removal starts with safety, not chainsaws. Secure people first, photograph the damage for your insurer, then call for the tree work and the storm damage clearance.
5 minute readUpdated September 2026Last updated:
Anything touching power lines is a job for the network operator, not a tree surgeon.
Photograph the damage before anything is moved for your insurer.
Call 999 if a highway is blocked or there is risk to life.
Move everyone well clear of the tree and anything it is leaning on. A partly fallen tree can move again without warning, especially where roots are still holding one side.
Craig will ask what the tree is resting on, whether anything is still moving and whether access is clear. That decides whether it is a same night attendance or a safe first light start.
We make the situation safe first, then complete the removal and clear the debris.
Most policies want photographs before clearance, a description of the damage and an invoice for the work. We provide a written job description with the invoice so the claim has what it needs.
Common questions
That depends on your policy. Insurers usually want photographs taken before anything is moved, so record the damage first and check with them.
Yes. The emergency line goes to Craig directly, and storm damage is assessed by phone straight away rather than left until office hours.
That is between the two insurers. Our job is making it safe and documenting what happened, so photograph everything before we start cutting.
Stay well back and call the electricity network operator on 105. No tree surgeon should work on a tree in contact with live cables until the network has made it safe.
Out of hours work carries a call out element because of the timing and the added risk. We tell you the basis of the charge on the phone before attending.
Genuinely dangerous trees can be made safe without waiting, even where a preservation order applies, but the council must be notified afterwards with evidence of the danger.
Straightforward advice
Call Craig or send photos, your location and a short description for an initial estimate.
