What to Do if I Crash My Car Into a Tree
Check yourself for injuries, get the car off the road if you can, and call your insurer the same day to start the claim.
Do these things in order, right after it happens
- Check for injuries first Make sure you and anyone else in the car are okay before you worry about the vehicle. If anyone is hurt, call for emergency help before doing anything else.
- Move to safety if possible If the car still runs and isn't blocking traffic dangerously, get it off the road. If it won't move or you're unsure, leave it and get yourself somewhere safe instead.
- Take photos of everything Get pictures of the damage, the tree, the road, and the position of the car before it gets moved or towed. These photos are what your claim will lean on later.
- Call your insurer that day Report the crash as soon as you reasonably can, even if you're not sure yet how bad the damage is. Waiting too long can slow down or complicate the claim.
- Ask about a police report Some states or situations require one for single car crashes, others don't. Check what your state expects, since it can affect how the claim gets handled.
The short version
Make sure everyone's safe, then call your insurer the same day to report the crash under your collision coverage, which is what pays for this kind of accident. Take photos before the car gets moved. Ask your insurer whether a police report is needed where you live, since that varies.
Will my rates go up after this?
Probably, but it depends on your insurer and your history. A single car crash into a tree is usually treated as an at fault accident, since there's no other driver to share responsibility with, and at fault accidents are the kind that most affect what you pay going forward.
How much it changes, and for how long, depends on things specific to your insurer and your state, like whether you've had other claims recently or whether your policy has any kind of forgiveness built in for a first accident. Some insurers barely move your rate for one incident, others adjust it more. Ask your insurer directly what this specific claim will likely do to your premium, since they can give you a real answer instead of a guess.
Once your claim is moving, compare quotes to see whether this is also a good moment to switch insurers.
Does collision coverage pay for hitting a tree?
Yes, this is exactly what collision coverage is for. It pays for damage to your own car when you hit an object, another vehicle, or flip, regardless of who's at fault. If you only carry liability coverage, this kind of damage won't be covered, which is worth checking now if you're not sure what you have.
What if the tree was on someone else's property?
It usually doesn't change which coverage pays, since your collision coverage still handles damage to your car either way. Where it matters is if the tree itself was diseased, dead, or neglected, since then the property owner's insurance might share some responsibility. That's a separate conversation from your own claim and often takes longer to sort out.
Will I have to pay anything out of pocket?
Yes, typically you'll owe your deductible before coverage kicks in, and the amount depends on what you chose when you set up the policy. Check your declarations page or ask your insurer to confirm the number, since people often forget what they picked. If repairs cost less than your deductible, it may not be worth filing a claim at all.
This counts as an at fault claim, no other driver needed, so treat it just as seriously.
