Tree work is one of the most dangerous trades in the country. Crews climb 60 feet up, run chainsaws, and drop heavy limbs near your house, your car, and your neighbor's fence. When everything goes right, you never think about insurance. But when a limb crashes through your roof — or a worker falls — the question of who carries coverage becomes the most important detail of the entire job. As a family-owned company with 15+ years in the metro Atlanta area, we want every homeowner to understand what tree service insurance actually protects, and why the cheap "tree guy" with no paperwork can end up costing you far more than you saved.
The Two Coverages That Protect You
There are two distinct policies a legitimate tree service should carry, and they protect you in two completely different ways. Both matter, and one is not a substitute for the other.
General Liability Insurance
General liability covers damage the crew causes to your property or someone else's. If a falling limb cracks your roof, crushes your deck, or takes out a section of fence, this is the policy that pays to repair it. Without it, you are negotiating with a contractor who may simply not have the money to make you whole — leaving you to file on your own homeowners policy or absorb the loss yourself.
Workers' Compensation Insurance
Workers' comp covers the crew if a worker is injured while on your property. Tree work produces serious injuries — falls, chainsaw cuts, being struck by limbs. When the contractor carries workers' comp, an injured employee's medical bills and lost wages are handled by that policy. When they don't, the injured worker may have only one place to turn for compensation: you.
Your Real Exposure With an Uninsured Crew
This is the part most homeowners never see coming. If you hire an uninsured operator and a worker is seriously hurt on your property, you can be held financially responsible for their medical bills and lost income. A single hospital stay after a fall can run into six figures. Likewise, if an uninsured crew damages your home and won't pay, you have little recourse beyond a lawsuit against a company that may have no assets.
Get the Certificate of Insurance BEFORE any work starts. Once crews are on your property and chainsaws are running, your window to verify coverage has closed. A reputable contractor will never hesitate to provide proof up front.
How to Verify a Tree Service Is Insured
Don't take a verbal "yes, we're insured" at face value. Verifying coverage is simple and takes only a few minutes.
- Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI). This is a one-page document that lists the carrier, policy numbers, coverage types, and limits.
- Request it directly from their insurance carrier. The most reliable COIs come straight from the contractor's insurance agent or carrier, not a photo texted to you. This confirms the policy is real.
- Check the dates. Make sure the policy is current and not expired. Coverage that lapsed last month does you no good today.
- Confirm both coverages are listed. You want to see both general liability and workers' compensation, not just one.
If you want a fuller checklist for vetting a contractor, see our guide on how to choose a tree service.
Red Flags of an Uninsured Operator
Uninsured operators tend to share a few telltale habits. Any one of these should make you slow down and ask for paperwork before signing anything.
- Cash-only demands. Insisting on cash, especially a large deposit up front, often signals an operator avoiding records and accountability.
- Post-storm door-knockers. After a big storm, out-of-area crews appear in neighborhoods chasing quick work. Many carry no local insurance and disappear once paid.
- No paperwork. No written estimate, no contract, and no Certificate of Insurance are all signs you are dealing with an unlicensed, uninsured outfit.
- Pressure to decide now. Legitimate companies give you free estimates and time to verify; high-pressure tactics are a warning sign.
Protect Yourself Before the First Cut
Insurance isn't a formality — it's the difference between a contractor's problem and your problem when something goes wrong. Before you let any crew onto your property, ask the right questions to ask before hiring and confirm coverage in writing. It also helps to understand how your own policy fits in; our overview of homeowners insurance and tree removal walks through that. At Escamilla Tree Service, we are fully insured, family-owned, and staffed by ISA Certified Arborists — and we're glad to provide our Certificate of Insurance before we ever pick up a saw. Call us at (404) 426-8613 for a free estimate.