Per the NY Times:
” When a Tree Falls, And Everyone Hears It
By BARBARA WHITAKER
Published: June 15, 1997
A NEIGHBOR’S tree falls during a storm and crashes onto your house. Who pays for the damage?
It is not meant to be a trick question, but to homeowners who have been in the situation, it may seem like one.
’‘Even though it’s your neighbor’s tree, it’s your problem,’’ said Bill Demarest, manager of Mike Forte Landscaping and Tree Service in Scarsdale, N.Y. ’‘If your tree uproots and comes down on a neighbor’s house, that’s an act of God. Nobody can be held liable for acts of God.’’
The rule of thumb is that the property owner whose house was hit by a tree is the one who claims the damage on his or her homeowner’s policy, said Steve Goldstein, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade association.