Tree removal, insurance questions, danger to my house

November 6, 2006 9:36 AM

I'm having a massive tree removed from my backyard. What should I know about the arborist's insurance?

I've gotten several quotes, and the prices all seem in line. All of the companies have shown me papers that look like insurance policies. How can I be sure they have reputable insurance? Obviously I want to avoid damage to my house if I can, so I'm only using people that come highly recommended.

If they do drop a large chunk of tree on my house or deck, how likely is it that there would be problems with the insurance fully covering the costs of repair?

posted by agropyron to Home & Garden (2 answers total)

After you've picked one of the tree-service companies, explain that you're very concerned about liability, and ask for a carrier & policy number from them prior to signing the contract. If they balk, thank them for their time and move on. If they do provide you with that information, call that carrier to verify current coverage.

Also, prior to signing anything, call your homeowner's insurance agent and let them know what's going on and what your concerns are. In my experience, they'll be happy to provide you with advice about what to ask and what to look for. It's in their best interest to help you here, since if the tree company's insurance isn't any good and the worst happens, you'll be making a claim against your own policy, something they definitely don't want.
posted by deadmessenger at 9:57 AM on November 6, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for the reply... Guess no one else wanted to take a stab at this one. Heh. I had put in a call to my insurance agent before I posted, and she didn't have much to say... Wish me luck.
posted by agropyron at 3:06 PM on November 6, 2006