Trees and insurance companies survey

[ATH]

The latest email update from Ohio Chapter ISA has a link to a survey from University of Georgia asking about arborists' experiences with insurance companies and trees...thought I'd post it here if folks wanna participate in that:

link to survey

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Please post and links and info.

 

[ATH]

Please post and links and info.

 

[Matias]

I submitted responses, though I worry that the insurance companies are like the police, and any information obtained by them can and will be used against you.

 

[ATH]

It was a couple days ago I did it...but they didn't ask for any personal information, right?

I don't want to bias anybody else's responses, but my frustration is it costs nothing for an insurance company to tell a client "you need to remove that tree" without them having any idea of the risk it poses. It might cost the client $8000 to remove the tree, their AC bill will take a big hit (may not even be able to cool the house anymore, so another $12000 to install a bigger AC unit) - not to mention the lost environmental benefits the whole community looses. All because somebody in an office looking at an aerial photo sent a letter.

The survey asked about an "introductory" course for insurance employees. That sounds like a nightmare...the same people will write the same letters, but now feel justified doing it because they watched a 2 hour webinar. Wonder if I can set rates if I attend an introductory class on actuary sciences...or can I bind coverage as an agent if I do an introductory class for that?

 

[Matias]

I responded along similar lines but with extra emphasis on the fact that if everyone had to follow their requirements exactly as worded, entire neighborhoods would be essentially forbidden from having any real trees; shrubs only and kept small. The extensive benefits of trees beyond the scope of the individual property on which they are growing are felt by so many people, not to mention other trees.