Short answer
Usually your own homeowners policy is the first place to look, not your neighbor. Most policies cover a fence under "other structures," which is often about 10% of the dwelling coverage, minus your deductible. Whether the neighbor shares responsibility can depend on facts like the tree's condition before the storm, and that's a question for your insurer or a Pennsylvania attorney. Document everything before cleanup starts.
How fence damage is usually covered
On a standard Pennsylvania homeowners policy, a detached fence falls under the "other structures" part of the coverage, typically set at about 10% of the dwelling limit. Your deductible applies. Pull your declarations page before you call, so you know the limit and the deductible going in. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice; your policy wording controls.
When the neighbor's tree comes into it
An adjuster will want to know where the tree stood, whether it was alive and sound before the storm, and whether anyone had raised concerns about it. Those facts can matter to whether a neighbor shares any responsibility. How they apply to your claim is for your insurer or a Pennsylvania real-estate attorney, not your fence contractor, to say.
If the trunk stood right on the property line, remember that Pennsylvania treats a boundary tree as owned by both neighbors. That can complicate who removes what.
Storms that have tested fences here
| Date | Storm | What happened locally |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 5, 2014 | Ice storm | PECO's second most damaging storm on record; more than 180,000 Montgomery County customers out, mostly from falling limbs |
| June 3, 2020 | Severe thunderstorms | Three deaths in the county, one in Lower Moreland; gusts to 76 mph; more than 130,000 customers out; part of a Lansdale apartment roof torn off |
| Aug. 4, 2020 | Tropical Storm Isaias | Wissahickon Creek reached 15 ft at the Fort Washington gauge |
| Sept. 1, 2021 | Ida remnants | EF-2 tornado with winds near 130 mph from Upper Dublin (Fort Washington) to Horsham; 8.25 in of rain on average countywide; a falling tree killed a woman in her Upper Dublin home |
What to do the day after
- Stay clear of any wire tangled in the tree. Call the utility: PECO for most of the area, or borough-owned Lansdale Electric for most of Lansdale.
- Photograph everything before anything moves: the tree, the stump or root ball, the fence on both sides, and wide shots showing where the tree stood.
- Don't cut up a tree on your neighbor's side without talking to them; you can deal with what's on your side.
- Call your insurer and get a claim number.
- If the fence was a pool barrier or kept a dog in, set up a temporary barrier right away. A pool without a working barrier is a safety problem, not just a claim.
- Get a written repair estimate itemized by panels, posts, gates and removal.
Repair or replace?
A tree usually snaps a few posts and crushes the panels between them. If the rest of the fence is sound, replacing that section is often enough. Matching an older fence can be the hard part: a 10-year-old stained cedar fence won't match new boards right away, and some vinyl styles get discontinued.
Check whether your township treats the rebuild as a new fence. Montgomery Township requires a permit for new or replacement fences, and Upper Dublin charges its $50 permit fee for new and replacement fences alike.
Call us after the adjuster's visit, or before it, and we'll write up an itemized estimate you can hand to your insurer.
Common questions
Does my neighbor's insurance pay if their tree hit my fence?
The starting point is usually your own policy. Whether the neighbor or their insurer bears any responsibility depends on the facts, so ask your insurer or a Pennsylvania attorney.
Do I need a permit to rebuild a storm-damaged fence?
It depends on the township and how much you replace. Montgomery Township and Upper Dublin require permits for replacement fences. We check before we start.
Can I trim the tree so this doesn't happen again?
You can trim overhanging branches back to the property line. See can I trim my neighbor's tree over the fence.