Tree service red flags

At the door after a storm

• They want to start today. L&I lists "sign today" pressure as a warning sign. (L&I F625-084-000)
• They will not show credentials, or they push you to sign fast. The Insurance Commissioner flags both after property damage. (OIC)
• They offer to cover your insurance deductible. A business that makes a practice of that is breaking state law. (RCW 48.30A.015)
• They hand you an Assignment of Benefits to sign. It lets the contractor deal with your insurer and collect payment without your approval. Talk to your insurer first. (OIC)

A high price on a storm night is not a red flag by itself. Pressure to sign on the spot is. (OIC)

Paperwork

• No L&I registration number for a removal, or a number that comes back expired on Verify.
• No written bid, or a bid with no business name on it.
• They ask you to get the permit yourself.
• They want to do the work on weekends or after hours, on a job that is not an emergency.

L&I lists each of those as a warning sign. (L&I)

Payment

• Cash only.
• A large deposit, or the full price before the work.
• Payment to a personal name instead of the business.

Same L&I list. (L&I) If you hire someone unregistered for removal work, L&I says you could be treated as their employer, and most homeowner policies do not cover workers. (L&I)

Inside Seattle

• No City registration number on the truck. Registered providers must display it. (City of Seattle)
• "You don't need an arborist." Seattle's registry requires at least one ISA Certified Arborist on staff or retainer. (City of Seattle)
• A hazard call with no TRAQ-qualified arborist. The City requires TRAQ for hazard tree assessments and emergency actions. (City of Seattle)

Next

Ask the questions before anyone climbs, then pick from the directory.