Insurance in storm damage work

[husqvarna335xpt]

I have newbe question... How does one do insurance work? Like storm damaged tree lands on home owners house? Is there a process to get the work? Who talks to the insurance company? Myself or the home owner?
Any info from the experienced tree service would be great

 

[old_soul]

Homeowner hires you, you send them a bill, they pay you, then they file a claim and ins reimburses them.

Any other way, you're gonna get screwed .

Rules for claims vary by state, county, size of storm, damage caused, etc etc etc. Its not really any fun

 

[VA-Sawyer]

I have done it where the adjuster talked with me in person, and approved my bid. Then was paid directly by the insurance company upon finishing the job. Not a good method in big storms or in big cities.
If you are new to this, I suggest following the advice in the above post.

Rick

 

[husqvarna335xpt]

Thanks fellas

 

[TheJollyLogger]

It's just another tree job. The homeowner's insurance status has nothing to do with you. Give a fair bid. But getting involved with the ins. Co. just opens you up to headaches. Make your contract with the HO. At the end of the day, I hate to say it, but filing a lein on Joe Smiths house is easier than fighting it out with Allstates lawyers. And DON'T start work without a signed contract!! In other words, don't make any of the mistakes I made cleaning up Ike. Which means don't take partners, and don't fall in love with that cute blonde with the oak in the powerlines, and scotch and mre's don't mix well, and 17 days without power isn't all it's cracked up to be.......... OK I'm over it, sorry, stormchaser PTSD

 

[VA-Sawyer]

In other words, don't make any of the mistakes I made cleaning up Ike. Which means don't take partners, and don't fall in love with that cute blonde with the oak in the powerlines, and scotch and mre's don't mix well, and 17 days without power isn't all it's cracked up to be.......... OK I'm over it, sorry, stormchaser PTSD

Yup, been there done that. Isabell hit me where I lived. Wasn't in the business then, so just no fun and no power. Went to Texas for Ike or Ivan ( don't remember the name for the storm in 08 ) and told myself that proper preperation would make it easier. Went back to Williamsburg, VA for Irene, and learned that it still wasn't fun. Too many tree guys chasing the work! I sat out Sandy and had fun reading about it here on AS. No more chasing for me either. If the storm comes to me, fine, I'll work it. Not chasing will help avoid SCR. ( Storm Chasers Regret )

Rick

 

[rarefish383]

I think Va-sawyer may run into some of the same problems we had with insurance work in MD. Some states with no licensing and insurance requirements may differ greatly. In states like MD where you have to have a license to practice tree care, the homeowners insurance does not want them to use an unlicensed company, and will most likely balk at the bill later. Many insurance companies also only pay to have the tree removed from the insured structure or object, car, boat, whatever, to the ground. They want an itemized proposal stating how much of the bill was actually for removal, and how much for further clean up. The bigger the tree and the greater the amount of damage, the more risk you run. Here's the typical situation. These were prices 6 or 8 years ago, on my last storm damage job. I am retired.

Sunday afternoon, big storm, large Oak on house. No power, can't contact insurance co. Home owner says just get it done, I'll cover it and settle with the insurance later. Gotta stop the leak in the roof before it does more damage. The crane company we used charged $800 for half day, but full day ($1600) on Sundays and holidays. We charged $85 per man hour for normal work, $125 for storm damage work. We had the tree on the ground in about 4 hours, roof tarped over, area roped off and finished up on Monday.

Now this did not turn into a horror story for us, it's just the way storm damage plays out.

The home owner didn't care he was gonna have to pay double for the crane, the Insurance company may.
The home owner didn't care he was gonna have to pay a premium for storm damage rates, the Insurance company may.
The home owner didn't care if you were licensed and insured when he said "just get it done", the Insurance Company can and just may, refuse to pay.
So, when you hand the home owner the bill for well over $5000 dollars, and the Insurance company has already told him no, where does that leave you.

We were a forth generation company and had very little problems with insurance companies. However, I knew of landscapers trying to branch out into tree care, that thought they were going to make a killing on big storms, that just got tore up with Insurance claims. Often taking months to get paid, sometimes settling for partial payment just to get something, and sometimes just getting tore, up, Joe.

 

[Lil Red]

Sorry the off topic question but I will ask anyway:redface:

I live out here on the west and business gets pretty slow, I have been considering heading out towards the East Coast next winter during a big storm (hopefully it doesn't happen). To chase down some work and help keep money coming in during the winter.

Does anyone have any thoughts about this plan? Would it be worth while?

 

[rarefish383]

Our family has been in the tree business for four generations. I retired in 2004, my cousins business is still going. When we both were in business we would be booked out about 3 months. A couple years ago things dropped off enough he had to go to a 4 day week for a couple months. He's keeping all his crews going 5 days now, but he's only booked out a week or two. If people balked about price we would offer them a "Winter Discount Price". That would keep us booked up all winter. The last time I talked to him about business he said they were giving the "Winter Discount Price" year round. After four generations we have a pretty big customer list, but you can't sit back and coast, you have to hustle. We are in the Baltimore/Washington Metro area, and have been pretty insulated from any recession. The winter are our slower months. I wouldn't want to go cross country hoping to hit a couple storms to scab out work. We often have mild winters. An other thing, the Washington area is pretty affluent, and many people want nothing but licensed and insured tree companies. There are always people looking to save a buck, but that's where the lawn guys jump in, Joe.