Questions after Isaias

Often, but with limits. On a common HO-3 policy form, removal is covered when a tree felled by wind, hail or the weight of ice damages a covered structure, or blocks a driveway or a wheelchair ramp. That sample form caps tree removal at $1,000 per loss and $500 per tree. Damage to the house itself is covered separately, up to the policy limits.

Policies differ. The declarations page and the “Debris Removal” section of the homeowner’s own policy are what count. A tree that falls in the yard without hitting anything is usually not covered.

Ask for their local business tax receipt and, in counties that require one, their solicitation permit. Ask for a written, itemized estimate before you sign. In Florida, a contractor may not interpret your policy or advise you about your coverage unless they hold a public adjuster license (§ 489.147(2)(d)), and only a licensed public adjuster or attorney may negotiate your claim for pay (§ 626.854).

Walk away from anyone who offers to pay or waive your deductible. Florida law calls that insurance fraud, a third-degree felony. Don’t sign anything that hands your claim payment to the contractor; for Florida policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, that kind of assignment is void anyway. You can report suspected unlicensed activity to Florida DBPR.

Florida DBPR lists trimming or removing a fallen tree and removing debris among common storm services that do not need a DBPR license. Roof repairs, new roofs, windows, plumbing and electrical work do. If a tree job turns into roof or structural repair, that part needs a licensed Florida contractor.

A business tax receipt is still required to offer services during the emergency (§ 501.160(8)), and counties and cities can require their own permits. DBPR says its teams may run door-to-door sweeps with law enforcement after a storm.

Call the city and county before you set up. Most require a local business license before you start, and any repair to the structure itself (roofing, framing, decking) may need a licensed contractor in that state. Bring one in or stay on the tree.

Alabama’s price-gouging law covers services, including tree work, during a declared state of emergency in the areas the Governor names (Ala. Code § 8-31-3). Charging 25% or more above the area’s average price in the 30 days before the declaration is prima facie evidence of an unconscionable price, unless reasonable added costs explain the increase (§ 8-31-4). A court can impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation, capped at $25,000 for any 24-hour period, and can suspend the licenses of someone who violates it continuously and willfully (§ 8-31-5). Georgia has its own price-gouging law for declared emergencies.

Price from your normal rates, write down why each line costs what it does, and keep receipts for any storm-related added costs.

Not as your advocate. In Florida, only a licensed public adjuster or an attorney may, for pay, prepare or file your claim or negotiate its settlement (§ 626.854(20)). A contractor may explain its own bid for the work to you or your insurer (§ 626.854(16)).

Claims Reaper is built around that line: it drafts the contractor’s invoice package and emails, and the contractor reviews and sends them about their own bill. It never negotiates, adjusts or files a claim for anyone.

Florida bars unconscionable prices for essential goods and services in the area of a declared emergency. A price is presumed unconscionable if it is grossly higher than the average price in the 30 days before the declaration, unless the increase comes from added costs or market trends (§ 501.160). Willful violations can bring civil penalties of up to $10,000 each (§ 501.2075). Other states have their own price-gouging laws.

Price the job the way you always do, write down why each line costs what it does, and keep receipts for any added costs.

Before anything is moved: wide shots of the whole property, then close-ups of where the tree hit, the root ball or break, and anything it is resting on. During and after the work: the same angles again. Keep the signed work authorization, the itemized invoice, crew and equipment hours, dump or disposal tickets, and every email with the insurer.

The NOAA Storm Events Database records storm reports by county and date, which helps show what the weather did at the address.

Claims Reaper is software for tree companies. It turns a finished storm job into an invoice package an adjuster can approve: contract, itemized invoice, photos, a NOAA storm report and your W-9, in one email. It drafts every follow-up. You review and send each one from your own mailbox.

It is not a law firm, an insurance company or a public adjuster, and it never negotiates with a carrier for you. The homeowner files their own claim and stays your customer.

The National Hurricane Center and your local National Weather Service office for weather; FEMA and DisasterAssistance.gov for federal help; and your state’s emergency management agency for local orders, shelters and debris pickup. All of them are on our Official resources page.