Storm in Skåne, Emergency Tree Removal and What to Do Right Away

Storm in Skåne, Emergency Tree Removal

The storms that hit Skåne every few years (Gudrun 2005, Per 2007, Egon 2015, Babet 2023) leave thousands of fallen trees in their path. It is no longer a question of if but when the next big storm comes. The pattern is clear.

When you stand there after the storm with a tree across the roof, road blocked or house without power, special rules apply. Here is what to do right away, how insurance works, when it is urgent enough to call us in the middle of the night, and what RUT covers.

The emergency checklist, first 30 minutes

1. Safety first, always

• Do not approach the tree if unsafe. Hanging branches can release at any time.
• Check power lines. Is any cable down or pulled into the tree? Call 112 in case of mortal danger. For fault reports, contact your grid operator's operations centre (E.ON in western Skåne via eon.se, Kraftringen in Lund and surrounding areas via kraftringen.se). The number is on the back of your electricity bill or on the operator's outage page.
• Check gas lines if the house has gas. In case of leak, evacuate and call 112.
• Leave the house if the structure is seriously damaged and call 112 if someone is injured or stuck.

2. Document

The insurance company requires documentation. Before anything is moved:

• Take photos from several angles. Overview first, then detail of the damage.
• Film a short walk-through if possible.
• Save meteorological data if you can, wind speed, time (SMHI has history at smhi.se).
• Note time and date of the storm.

3. Contact the insurance company

• Call directly, do not wait. Damage report is made by phone or app.
• Request a damage number.
• Ask if emergency actions are reimbursed retroactively (usually yes, but get it confirmed).

4. Call a tree firm

• In case of acute danger to person or house: call us or another F-tax registered firm immediately
• For blocked roads: we can come promptly in Skåne
• For non-urgent damage: we can come within a week without jeopardising the insurance case

When is it urgent?

We prioritise dispatch based on the following criteria:

Urgent (within 24-48 hours)

• Tree over house with risk of further collapse
• Tree over road blocking exit
• Tree over high-voltage line (usually taken by the grid operator first)
• Tree threatening to fall on the house if the wind turns

Soon (within 3-7 days)

• Tree fallen on the lot without damaging the house
• Tree with severe root lift that must be removed before the next storm
• Cracks in the trunk after a lightning strike

Planned (within 2-4 weeks)

• Storm-stressed trees without urgent danger, but that need assessment and possible felling
• Trees with 30-50% crown loss that likely will not survive

The insurance, what is covered

Standard villa insurance (Trygg-Hansa, Folksam, If, Länsförsäkringar and others) normally covers:

• Damage to the house and fixed property from falling trees during storms with wind speed above 21 m/s
• Cost for haul-away of the fallen tree from the lot
• Emergency securing (covering the roof, propping a wall) after damage
• The tree's own value is usually not reimbursed, it is not "property" in insurance terms

Excess varies depending on policy. Read your specific policy or call the insurance company directly upon damage.

Important: The insurance requires that the tree fell from the storm, that is, the wind, not from root or disease. If a dead or diseased tree fell without a storm, the insurance may deny the claim. During a storm, wind speed is documented by SMHI and the insurance normally covers.

What RUT covers in emergency storm felling

Tree felling after a storm is fully RUT-eligible, 50% off the labor cost directly on the invoice. This applies even with insurance reimbursement. Actual handling becomes:

1. The insurance reimburses its share (usually cost for securing and haul-away)
2. You are invoiced the rest after the insurance reimbursement
3. The RUT discount is applied on your share

We help with documentation to the insurance company and gladly talk directly with them if it simplifies the process for you.

Marklov for emergency felling

Normally, Vellinge kommun, Malmö stad and Lomma kommun require marklov for felling of larger trees. For emergency safety felling after a storm, however:

• Emergency actions to avert danger are allowed without prior approval
• Documentation after is important: photos, wind speed, damage description
• We report the felling to the municipality afterwards if it would normally have required marklov

We handle that documentation for you.

Neighbour's tree across your lot

Common scenario: the neighbour's tree has fallen across your deck or fence. Who is responsible?

• The neighbour's tree, the neighbour's responsibility. They cover felling and haul-away.
• Damage to your property is reimbursed by the neighbour's insurance (can take time, we can start work and invoice against your insurance which then regresses against the neighbour's).
• Emergency securing you can do yourself and invoice against the neighbour's liability insurance.

Document everything, talk with both insurance companies, we can take the job and help with documentation.

Storm-stressed trees, what to do after

Not every tree that survived the storm is safe. Inspect over the following days:

• Lean that was not there before → contact us for assessment, often a risk tree
• Cracks in bark or trunk → contact us, may require felling
• Large dead branches in the crown → safety pruning or felling
• Root lift (soil bulging around the root plate) → risk tree, should be felled before the next storm

We do free safety assessments the first weeks after major storms.

Prevent, the only thing that actually works

Once the storm is there, it is too late to prevent. What you do between storms:

• Safety pruning of risk branches every 2-3 years
• Inspection of older trees for rot, dead wood, lean
• Remove storm-stressed trees after major winds, do not wait
• Plant wind-resistant species when replanting (oak, lime, beech, avoid poplar and willow in exposed positions)

More in tree removal or pruning.

Call for emergency need

For emergency storm cases in Skåne call +46 73 949 06 24 or write via the contact page. We respond promptly, faster for existing contract customers. Read more about the tree removal service, safe tree removal next to a house and tree removal in Falsterbo (especially storm-exposed).