If your insurance company flagged branches over your roof, start by looking at the exact wording of the notice. “Trim branches away from the roof” can mean something different from “remove all branches overhanging the roof.” That difference matters when we’re deciding which limbs to cut and putting together your quote.
What does the insurance company want cleared?
If the notice is clear, send it over with the deadline and any photos the insurer included. If it just says “trim trees away from the roof,” ask your agent or insurer what that means for your property. Are they concerned about branches touching the shingles or gutters? Do they want a certain amount of clearance above the roof? Or do they want the area directly over the roof clear of branches?
If they give you a measurement, ask where they measure it from. If they need proof when the job is done, ask whether they want photos, an invoice, or something else. Getting those details in writing gives us something specific to work from.
Does every branch over the roof need to come off?
It depends on what the insurer is asking for and what the tree can handle. If the issue is a few branches touching the roof, gutters, or siding, we may be able to address it with a few selective cuts. If the goal is more room above the roof, we look at whether we can raise that part of the canopy by removing selected lower growth and keeping the upper canopy intact.
On some properties, a quote might call for roughly 12–15 feet of vertical clearance above the roof where the tree’s structure allows it. That’s an example of a pruning scope. The right clearance depends on the roofline, where the limbs are attached, and what your insurer asks for.
If the insurer wants every limb out of the space directly above the roof, that can be a bigger job. A mature limb may carry a lot of live canopy, and removing it can leave a large cut. We look at which growth can be selectively removed, which branches can be cut back to a suitable side branch, and whether an entire limb needs to come off. If the requested clearance would take too much live canopy or require cuts we wouldn’t recommend, we’ll explain what we’re seeing so you can take a specific alternative back to your insurer before work begins.
What we put in your quote
We look at the tree and the roof together. Then we write out which tree we’re working on, which side or section of the canopy we’re addressing, and what clearance we expect to achieve. If the notice is strict or unclear, you can send that scope to your insurer and ask whether it meets their request before you schedule the work.
If you’re in Deltona or the surrounding area, send us your property address, a photo showing the tree and roof together, and the relevant wording from the notice. If there’s a deadline, include that too.