Storm Damage in the Midwest

or a more likely response.

Oh S#!T, There’s a Tree on my Car.

by Larry Lubell

Walking home last last night, I could see the sky was getting darker, signaling a major storm was clearly in the offing. Luckily I was barely in the house before the drops began falling.

by 10:00pm the storm's arrival was announced by both the National Weather Service Warning as well as by a sky "Lit" by lightning. The very quantity and brilliance trumpeted that this storm would leave it's calling cards long after it departed.

These Severe thunderstorms moved across the Midwest during the late night, ripping roofs from buildings, sending people to shelter and leaving thousands of homes and businesses in the dark.

These storms set off tornado warnings for downtown Chicago, resulting in Fans being evacuated from the stands at Chicago's Wrigley Field, and travelers from the upper levels of terminals and planes at O'Hare International Airport.

Walking to work the today, I noticed the number of trees that had either completely fallen, or had one or more large branches that separated from the trunk.

First, It is critical that you approach this situation with great care.
Trees or large branches are very heavy. A branch that is partly separated from the rest of the tree, are unstable, and if you are not careful you can get crushed. If the branch is on your car, keep in mind your car might be the only thing holding it up.

The tree might have a “Power line” tangled within the leaves, unlike in a “Tom and Jerry cartoon”, a shock from a downed power line can result in death or life changing injuries. There are many stories of a homeowner taking a power saw to downed tree only to accidentally cut into a live wire.
There are things that are best left to those with the expertise and equipment needed to do the job safely.
If a tree damages you auto, it is a good idea to snap a picture of the tree resting on your car. Understand that if the storm damaged your car, it is likely that insurance adjusters will be quite busy with many other claims.

Tree damage to your car is covered under the Comprehensive part of your car insurance policy.

If you have a question, please contact us at 1-800-680-0707.