We will be removing a large oak from our backyard. The oak is in a very tight spot between 3 houses. The tree company has asked to use our neighbor's driveway to remove the tree. Their driveway will be a primary work area due to the location of the tree. The contract is in my name and the liability certificate has my name and address indicated on it. Since they will be working in my neighbor's yard, should the tree company also provide an insurance certificate with my neighbor's name and address? Thanks for any advice.
Question about Liability Insurance Certificate
- Thread starter JoanneS
- Start date
Stumpsprouts
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Asheville
My understanding is that their liability policy covers them for whatever tree work they are doing whether or not a certificate is made for a specific property. What it wouldn’t cover is work outside of the scope of their policy- for example, construction. But I’m just your average tree bub, not an insurance professional, so don’t take my word for it. It’s fairly uncommon for clients I’ve worked with to request a certificate but my understanding is all clients I have done work for were covered.
That being said, requesting a certificate is just a few minutes of computer/phone work and wouldn’t hurt to request it if you’re feeling anxious.
That being said, requesting a certificate is just a few minutes of computer/phone work and wouldn’t hurt to request it if you’re feeling anxious.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Agreed.
Commercial customers have had my insurance name them, specifically, a few times in 15 years.
Workers' Comp coverage is also verifiable. My state has an up to date listing on the Dept of Labor and Industries web site.
Commercial customers have had my insurance name them, specifically, a few times in 15 years.
Workers' Comp coverage is also verifiable. My state has an up to date listing on the Dept of Labor and Industries web site.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
I would agree as well. If in doubt, call the insurance company and verify. Make sure you have a certificate of Worker’s Compensation insurance too, around here probably 2/3 of the tree services do not carry it, or if they do, they only carry it for their office staff.
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
I've been asked for a "Certificate of Additional Insured" or some such thing (wife does all our paperwork) on a few occasions. Insurance company documents it and sends it over to show coverage for a neighbor property that is being kind enough to let us use their land etc. Also a contractor wanted it one time as I did a tree removal as a subcontractor for him on a building project.
Steve Connally
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Suffolk, Virginia
I am a subcontractor. All my customers require a COI with additional insured. Some even ask for a waiver of subrogation. This is very common. Call your agent and explain the situation, The will not likely send you the document directly. They send it directly to the party that requests it. This is standard procedure. Keeps the paper out of your hands and makes the requestor more secure in knowing you didn't forge a document. Call your agent. If they are legit, they've seen this a million times and know exactly how to proceed. They'll need the name, address, phone, and email of the party that wants the COI.
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
Yep...almost nobody asks to even see proof of insurance (that reminds me...I need to laminate a copy of latest policy certificate to keep in the truck, nobody's asked in the last 3 months). A few commercial companies ask to be listed as additionally insured. I can think of one residential client who has requested that in 15+ years (he's a judge...). We've done a lot of work for them since and they've never asked again.
But for the OP - I could see if the neighbor wanted it because they aren't your primary client.
Every few months I'll have a potential customer ask for a 'proof of insurance' document, which I keep in my notebook and have a PDF that I can email as well. They only ask about the general liability so they know their house/etc is covered, never had anyone ask for proof of workers comp. When I subcontract for businesses, they usually ask me to get them listed as additionally insured, which then puts their name on a document and my agent charges me $50 to do...
There are websites that just scrape the web and create listings about various businesses and info on them such as business licenses, bond status, insurance, etc. I recently had an experience where someone googled me and the website showed my liability insurance was expired, but only because that website hadn't been updated since my insurance renewal. I sent them a PDF showing current insurance and that worked fine, but the public info was out of date/incorrect.
There are websites that just scrape the web and create listings about various businesses and info on them such as business licenses, bond status, insurance, etc. I recently had an experience where someone googled me and the website showed my liability insurance was expired, but only because that website hadn't been updated since my insurance renewal. I sent them a PDF showing current insurance and that worked fine, but the public info was out of date/incorrect.
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
Surprisingly I think I’ve only been asked about a dozen time if I was insured, this is accounting for 8-9 years.
I use to be asked if I was a ‘licensed arborist’ and I would explain that ‘that’s not a thing’ with detail of contractors license and certification etc.. now I just say “yup”.
There’s the labor and industries website which has all the info on it and when I’m asked I just refer the client to that, saying something along the lines of “it’s a great tool to verify any service provider”.
I’ve only been asked to provide a COI about 3 times, and an ‘additionally insured’ once. The additional insured thing was kinda BS, as I was a sub just to do a climbing inspection for another guy who couldn’t climb anymore. The client was a big wig though and at one point was responsible for engineering the largest cable suspended structure in the world. So it made sense in a way.
