Tree work can be dangerous work. When cutting a tree near a building (or anywhere for that matter), the list of things that can go wrong is endless. If you need tree work done near your home, and you are not trained to do it yourself, you should consider hiring a competent, professional and licensed tree service provider to do the work. But, when you do, be careful not to open yourself up to any liability for injured workers by hiring an uninsured tree service provider.

Some tree service providers advertise “Fully Insured” but do not carry Workman’s Compensation Insurance (Workman’s Comp). If a worker is injured (or worse) on your property, he/she (or their family) is likely to seek compensation from you. To be sure that your tree service provider is covered by Workman’s Comp, ask them to have their insurance company issue you a “Certificate of Insurance” that includes Workman’s Comp. Once you have the certificate, straight from the insurance company, if the tree company or individual cancels their insurance, you will be notified. Allowing any tree service provider to work on your property without proper insurance could put your assets at risk.

Workman’s Compensation is very expensive, so some tree service providers try to cut costs by not carrying it. If a company has no employees, they are not required by law to carry Workman’s Comp. but the fact remains that if a worker gets hurt (or worse) on your property, without any means to pay his/her medical bills and/or lost wages, he/she may seek compensation from you.

So, again, even though Workman’s Comp will add to the price of the job, it’s worth paying a little more for the protection it provides. And, if you decide to tackle those trees yourself, double-check your health and disability insurance and then, be careful!

The Author is  a Licensed Arborist. You can contact him at 693-3831.

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