Monsoon season: What to do if a tree falls on your car
Knowing what to do next could save you time, money and even your life.
WITH monsoon storms and ageing roadside trees posing a constant risk, knowing what to do next could save you time, money and even your life.
In Malaysia, falling trees are not rare, especially during severe weather.
Just this week, trees fell along Jalan Ampang, Jalan Nagasari and Jalan Selayang-Kepong in Kuala Lumpur, damaging several cars during a thunderstorm that swept across the Klang Valley.
In February, a 10-metre tree fell onto two vehicles near a restaurant on Jalan Seremban-Tampin in Negeri Sembilan, trapping a family of five inside a Nissan Grand Livina.
In another alarming case that same month, an e-hailing driver and his passenger were critically injured after their Perodua Bezza was crushed by a fallen tree near Inti College in Nilai.
If it happens to you, panic is your worst enemy. Here is what to do, step by step.
1. Make sure everyone is safe
Before anything else, check yourself and your passengers for injuries. If the tree fell while you were moving, pull over safely and turn on your hazard lights. Do not attempt to move the car if the tree is still on top of it, as shifting the weight could cause further damage or injury.
If anyone is hurt, call 999 for police and ambulance immediately.
2. Call Bomba to clear the tree
Fire and Rescue Department handles more than just fires as a federal agency, it is responsible for firefighting and technical rescue operations across the country.
Response times are generally fast. In the Selayang incident on April 20, a distress call came in at 4.18pm and a team from the Selayang fire station arrived at the scene just seven minutes later, cutting and clearing the tree and ensuring the road was safe by 5.45pm.
Important: There is no need to prevent cleaning contractors from clearing away the tree debris once they arrive — they have to do it for public safety reasons. Just make sure you have taken photos before they clear the scene.
3. Document everything before the tree is removed
This is arguably the most critical step for your insurance or council claim later.
- Photograph the tree on your car from multiple angles
- Capture the surrounding area, including any road signs, council markings or tree tags
- Note the time, date and exact location
- If there are witnesses, get their contact details
4. Lodge a police report
Head to the nearest police station or call 999 to file a report. To ensure an efficient claim process, file a police report detailing the damage and contact your insurance provider or takaful operator as soon as possible, as delays may affect your claim.
A police report is also useful documentation if you later pursue a claim against the local council.
5. Figure out who is responsible - Council or nature?
This is the key question that determines where you file your claim. If the tree is on a public road or road divider maintained by the local council (e.g., Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Shah Alam City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council MBPJ):
If the car was hit by a fallen tree due to roadwork or landscaping carried out by municipal authorities, you can directly make a claim to the relevant council or department without involving your insurance or takaful claim.
Malaysian courts have backed this up with real rulings. Last month, a Sessions Court ordered the Kuala Lumpur Mayor to pay RM824,180 in damages to a couple who lost their son to a fallen roadside tree On March 22, 2023. The Court found that DBKL had failed in its statutory duty under the Local Government Act 1976 to maintain and monitor trees within its jurisdiction.
The judge ruled that the tree was excessively large and had not been properly maintained while DBKL failed to produce any documentary evidence showing that cutting, trimming or pruning work had been carried out.
If it was caused by a storm, heavy rain or other natural event:
Insurance companies will usually refer to meteorological reports to confirm the occurrence of a natural disaster before processing a claim.
Claim from your local council (if applicable)
If your car was hit by a tree on public land, go to your local city or municipal council and file a public liability insurance claim.
Vehicle owners in Shah Alam whose cars are damaged by falling trees must lodge a report in person at the city council (MBSA) to make a public liability insurance claim, this service is not available online.
For KL residents: head to DBKL at Menara DBKL, Jalan Raja Laut. For Petaling Jaya: visit MBPJ at Jalan Yong Shook Lin. Bring your photos, police report, IC and vehicle registration.
Contact your insurance company but check your coverage first
Here’s the hard truth many Malaysians don’t know until it’s too late:
Basic car insurance does not cover damage due to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, hurricanes, storms and fallen trees.
Even if you have a comprehensive policy, you still do not get coverage for vehicle damage due to natural disasters without additional coverage.
Your only option for natural disaster coverage is a Special Perils add-on, which protects you in cases involving rainstorms, windstorms, floods, landslides, earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, landslips and subsidence.
If you only have a third-party insurance policy, there is no way to claim damage from fallen trees.
The good news? The add-on is affordable. For instance, if your car’s sum insured is RM50,000, you would only pay RM125 per year (0.25 per cent of RM50,000) for Special Perils coverage.
Get your car assessed and repaired
Once your claim is approved, your insurer will direct you to an authorised panel workshop.
Do not repair the car before getting the insurer’s assessment, as this could void your claim.
If the damage is severe, the insurer may declare the car a total loss and pay out the agreed or market value of the vehicle.
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