Those tree limbs are your responsibility!

As I write, I am volunteering as an assistant to the Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief team serving the St. Louis area after the tornados that struck the area on Good Friday. I've been impressed by the teams that have worked ever day since Easter, and there are teams still arriving to help. I worked with a chainsaw crew yesterday, and I learned several tidbits to pass along to you.

Of course, you should always talk to your insurance company before and after a storm to determine details of your coverage. Here's what homeowners have told me about their situation. Their policy covers their home and possibly other personal items; however, the removal of debris left by trees and other landscaping is not covered. So many homeowners with adequate coverage are still left with hundreds to thousands of dollars of tree work to be paid for out of pocket. The worst situations involve large tree with the tops broken over and hanging or leaning. These are dangerous situations and expensive projects. One owner had four large trees fall on his home. The insurance company paid to cut the limbs ten feet from the house and stopped there.

I want to give a shout out to these crews (and all the other volunteers) that work so hard to serve our cities so well. Thank you.