Storm tree damage: a checklist before you call

First: is it near a power line?

• Stay away and call your utility. DNR tells storm crews never to prune, remove or move tree material tangled with utilities unless the utility is on site. (WA DNR)
• Seattle City Light: for a downed line, or a tree in the lines that sparks, call 911 and stay at least 30 feet away. Past the first 10 feet from the pole, clearance is the owner's job. (City Light)
• PSE: for a tree close enough to overhead lines to be a danger, PSE sends its own certified arborist at no cost, and it says not to trim near the lines yourself. (PSE)
• Tacoma Power: city code makes clearance around the overhead service drop the owner's responsibility. (TMC 12.06A.145)

Before anything is cut

1. Photograph the tree, the stump and any damage, before and after the work. Unincorporated King County lets an imminent-hazard tree come down without a clearing permit, and it asks for those photos. (King County)
2. Call your insurer before you sign anything with a tree company.
3. Check the company's L&I registration. Pruning needs none, but tree removal is registered contractor work. (L&I F625-115-000) (L&I Verify)
4. Read the badges right. ISA certifies individual arborists, not companies, so look up the person by name or ID. (ISA) TCIA Accreditation is the one business-level badge; TCIA lists accredited companies, and names companies that misuse its logo. (TCIA) (TCIA) (TCIA)

Permit rules after a storm

• Seattle: an emergency action needs no advance approval, but only for a tree at extreme risk of imminent failure. Notify SDCI before work starts, then file a tree removal application within ten days. (SDCI Tip 242B) Hazard assessments and emergency actions need an arborist with TRAQ. (Seattle) See the Seattle registry.
• Tacoma: removing a hazardous tree on private property skips the site development permit if the job stays under 50 cubic yards of grading and 7,000 square feet of disturbance. Trees in critical areas can still need a permit, so call the city first. (Tacoma) (Tacoma Tree FAQs)
• Olympia: removing a tree to protect people or property from imminent danger, as the Urban Forester decides, or after a declared emergency, needs no tree permit; landmark trees still do. (OMC 16.60.040)
• King County, a hazard that can wait: a tree that is a hazard but not an imminent one needs a certified arborist's documentation and a clearing permit. (King County)

More: tree removal permit rules by city. To line up removal bids, see how to compare tree removal bids.

What insurance pays for

• The Insurance Commissioner says homeowner insurance tends to cover a falling tree, but not removal and cleanup unless it hit your house, garage, car or another covered thing. (OIC)
• If a neighbor's tree lands on your house, your own insurer often pays, minus your deductible. (OIC)
• Debris removal is covered only when a covered structure is damaged, and then up to an added 5% of the dwelling limit. (OIC)

Insurance traps

• An Assignment of Benefits lets the company deal with your insurer and collect without your approval. Read it and call your insurer first. (OIC)
• A public adjuster works for you, must be licensed and bonded in Washington, and takes a percentage. An independent adjuster works for the insurer. (OIC)
• Walk away from anyone who won't show credentials or pushes you to sign on the spot. (OIC)
• Offering to cover your deductible as a regular practice is illegal in Washington. (RCW 48.30A.015)