Insurance, paperwork and paying for tree work
What our licensing and insurance cover, what your homeowners policy pays when a tree falls, the City's rules on fallen public trees, and how people pay for a removal they didn't plan on.
Our license and insurance
Inside Sioux Falls, anyone paid to maintain or remove trees must hold a City arborist's license and provide proof of general liability insurance (Code § 94.060). The City publishes the list of licensed companies and tells residents to ask for proof of licensing and insurance before work starts, especially after storms. The crews that work through us hold the license and carry general liability and workers' compensation. Workers' comp matters because if a climber is hurt on your property and the company doesn't carry it, the question of who pays can land on you. Ask for both certificates; we provide them before anyone climbs.
Your homeowners insurance
A standard homeowners policy generally covers damage a falling tree does to covered structures, such as the house, the garage or a fence on the policy, and removing the tree from that structure as part of the loss. Many policies pay a limited amount to remove a tree that fell without hitting anything if it blocks a driveway. What they usually don't cover is removing a standing tree, dead or alive, before it falls, including an ash killed by emerald ash borer. That's maintenance. After a storm, photograph everything before anyone cuts, keep the emergency invoice separate, and file the claim yourself. We provide dated photos and itemized invoices.
When the tree was the City's
If a tree falls from public property, including the boulevard, City Forestry removes it, and eventually the stump, at no cost, even if it lands on private property. Report public-tree branches bigger than 6 inches across or 20 feet long through the City app, online or the police non-emergency line at 605-367-7000. Parking-strip ash are removed free under the City's EAB plan unless the owner treats them.
Paying for it
Most residential jobs are paid on completion by card, check or bank transfer, with no deposit until the written price is approved and the work is scheduled. For a bigger job you didn't plan on, such as several ash at once or a crane removal, we can connect you with third-party financing with fixed monthly payments. Approval and terms come from the lender. If the City's Forest Health Survey sent you a removal letter with a deadline, bring it to the estimate and we'll schedule the work inside it.
Reports and letters
When a buyer, a lender, an insurer or a neighbor wants a written opinion on a tree's condition, we'll write it with photos and measurements for a small flat fee, credited toward any work we do.