We also had lightning hit our tree last month. Our insurance company, State Farm, would only pay $250 toward the tree. It cost us $850 to get it removed. The insurance policy (which cost us $2100) only allows $250 per tree. Our tree was very tall, so we did not really expect the insurance to replace it, but at least thought they would pay to have it removed. The lightning traveled down the tree into our lamp post and damaged several things in our house and blew out the wire to the lamp post. The insurance company did pay for that - LESS the $250 deductible.