Properly billing HO insurance for disaster tree removal

sam4242

New member
Hi, new here - I checked the sidebar, hope this is the right place to post this.

I run a tree company based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. For the last few years, I’ve chased hurricanes and tornadoes doing disaster removal (removing trees off houses and removing structurally compromised trees).

I’ve somehow stayed away from billing insurance companies, but as time has gone on, and having spoken to some other companies, I’ve realized I can bill them and communicate directly with the adjusters, sort of removing the customer from the equation once we’re on the same page about the game plan and they sign the contract.

We’ve just experienced a particularly powerful Cat. 4 hurricane here in SE Louisiana, and people are really stressed. This seems like a pretty simple thing I can do to make it a little easier (As easy as it can be with a karate-chopped house and rain on the way).

I’m seeking advice on how to communicate clearly with the adjusters, and how I should format my contracts so as to not get shafted.

From what I understand, there are two portions to the tree removal process; Getting the tree off the house, and getting the debris to the street for FEMA to pick up.

My intention is to bill in a line-item style, hourly. This would include an hourly rate for the climber, the groundsmen, our trucks and trailers, and our bobcat. Any insight or advice y’all can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading. Power’s out for the foreseeable future, and it’s looking like some l o n g days ahead. We’re a bit outside the eyewall here, and there’s been pretty catastrophic damage. Hits different when it’s in your own backyard.
 
@sam4242 Reasonable cost to chop and drop. $500 for debris removal (remove tree from ground to the dump). If youre not removing the tree from the yard, then you shouldn't bill for the up to $500 removal.

And for fcks sake, don't hire a crane to follow you from job to job to take a photo of your hired "necessary crane" to inflate your emergency chop and drop bill from $2500 to $10,000 like most bs companies. I'll call your bluff and report you to our fraud unit in 2 seconds.

You can make a damn killing. And we'll pay it. Just don't get greedy.

I know that you'd typically bill an insured $300 for something you bill us $2500 for.
 
@resjudicata Wow - the crane bit is crazy...I know of people who gouge (IME, out of town companies getting desperate) really hard, but not like that.

Thanks for the reply.
 
@sam4242 You have the right idea, insurance companies typically look at the drop and the haul away. Do everyone a favor by making the two categories very clear.
Also keep in mind if a tree lands in a yard, not on a structure or blocking a driveway, the tree removal might not be covered.
Good luck out there.
 
@anne_l Yeah, I assume insurance isn’t going to cover anything that hasn’t touched their house, unless they tell me otherwise.

Okay that’s good - I’ll make sure the verbiage is very clear and the categories are separate.

Thank you for the reply.
 

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