A fallen tree can cause plenty of damage during a storm, but one Ohio resident says the trouble started well before the bad weather arrived. Two months before a large oak tree fell onto their parked car, they had noticed dead branches and fungal growth on its trunk and texted their neighbor to ask whether they planned to have it checked.

The neighbor never responded. Then, during a windstorm, the tree fell onto the resident’s car, which was parked in their driveway, causing about $6,000 in damage. Now the car owner faces a $1,000 insurance deductible, while their neighbor refuses to share their homeowners insurance information.

In a Reddit post, the resident asked whether their earlier warning could affect who pays for the damage.

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They had raised concerns about the tree months before it fell

According to the homeowner, the oak tree stood on their neighbor’s property. Two months before the storm, they photographed what appeared to be warning signs, including large dead branches and visible fungal growth on the trunk. They also texted their neighbor to ask whether they planned to have the tree inspected.

The neighbor didn’t reply. When the tree eventually fell during a windstorm, it landed on the homeowner’s car and left them with a substantial repair bill.

The car owner said their auto insurance adjuster explained that damage from a healthy tree falling during a storm would typically be handled through their own comprehensive coverage. However, the adjuster also indicated that evidence of a preexisting hazard could change whether the neighbor might be responsible.

That distinction matters to the homeowner because their comprehensive coverage carries a $1,000 deductible. Although they could file a claim under their own policy, they don’t want to absorb that expense if the tree was already a known hazard.

Their neighbor says the storm was to blame

After the incident, the homeowner asked their neighbor for their homeowners insurance information. The neighbor refused, maintaining that the tree fell because of the storm and that they weren’t at fault.

The car owner turned to Reddit with two questions: whether they could obtain the neighbor’s insurance information directly and whether the earlier photos and unanswered text might affect the liability question.

The post doesn’t establish whether the tree was actually diseased or unsafe before it fell. Dead branches and fungal growth prompted the homeowner’s concern, but determining the tree’s condition and whether the neighbor had a responsibility to address it would require more than the account shared online.

Other homeowners urged them to share the evidence with their insurer

Many people responding to the post suggested that the resident stop trying to obtain the neighbor’s policy information themselves and instead give their auto insurer the photos, text message, and details of the incident.

One person recommended filing a claim and letting the insurance company pursue the neighbor or their insurer if the evidence supports it. They also described a situation in which they had sent a certified letter, photographs, and documentation about a dying tree to both their neighbor and their own insurance company. In that case, the tree was removed before it caused damage.

Another respondent encouraged the homeowner to provide the photos and text messages to their insurance company rather than continue negotiating directly with the neighbor.

Several people mentioned subrogation, the process through which an insurer may seek reimbursement from another party after paying a covered claim. Whether that process would apply here and whether the homeowner could recover their deductible would depend on the facts, the applicable insurance policies, and the outcome of any liability determination.

The warning could still be worth documenting

The homeowner hasn’t shared an update about whether they filed the claim or resolved the dispute with their neighbor. For now, they have photographs taken before the storm, a record of their attempt to raise the issue, and an insurance policy that may cover the damage subject to their deductible.

The situation also reminds us why it can be worth keeping records when a neighboring tree appears to be in poor condition. Photographs and dated messages may not prevent a tree from falling, but they can help establish what concerns were raised and when.

In this case, the resident’s warning came two months before the tree landed on their car. Whether that warning changes who ultimately pays for the damage remains unclear.