The One Thing to Verify Before a Tree Comes Down: Insurance, and What Happens Without It
Proof of insurance is not optional on tree work. Here is what to ask for, and why removal quotes vary so widely.
Tree work is the home service with the widest gap between the cheapest bid and the safest one, and the reason is not skill - it is coverage. A crew dropping a large limb near a roof, a fence, or a service drop is one bad cut away from a claim that will land on somebody. If they are not insured, that somebody is you.
Ask for the certificate, not the assurance. Request a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers compensation, and confirm it is current. Reputable companies hand it over without being asked. On tree removal specifically, this is not paranoia - an uninsured worker injured in your yard becomes your problem in a way that does not happen in most trades.
Ask these before anyone starts:
- Can I see a current certificate of general liability and workers compensation?
- Is an arborist assessing the tree, or just a crew quoting a drop?
- Does the price include hauling, cleanup, and the stump?
- How will you protect the roof, fence, drive and beds during the drop?
- What is the plan if a limb is over the power service?
Why quotes vary so much. Height and spread matter less than access. A big tree in an open field is straightforward; the same tree between a house and a neighbor's garage has to come down in pieces, sometimes with a crane, and that is a different job. When you compare bids, make sure they are all quoting the same scope - especially whether the stump and the haul-off are in or out.
Not every tree needs to come down. A good crew will tell you when trimming and deadwood removal solves the problem, and a stump left behind can be handled separately with stump grinding once the pressure is off. After a storm, crews triage by danger - trees on structures and lines go first - so photos with the request move you up the list faster than a description.
Homeowners who want insured companies quoting the same scope can request local tree removal quotes and compare like for like.
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