Storm Chasers: How to Avoid Getting Taken After a Hurricane

In the days after a hurricane, trucks with out-of-state plates appear in Volusia County neighborhoods offering tree work. Some are legitimate crews who came to help and do good work. Some are not, and the conditions after a storm — urgency, damage, no power, disrupted routines — are exactly the conditions that make people skip the checks they would normally do.

Here is what to verify even when you are stressed and want the tree off your roof today.

Insurance Is the One That Matters Most

Tree work is dangerous, and an uninsured crew working on your property is your exposure. If a worker is hurt in your yard and the company carries no workers compensation, that can become your problem. If they drop a limb through your roof and carry no liability coverage, that is also your problem.

Verify it properly. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their agent or insurer, with you named as certificate holder. Do not accept a photocopy handed to you from a truck, which is trivially faked. Call the agent listed and confirm the policy is active.

Ask specifically about both general liability and workers compensation. Ask whether the crew are employees or subcontractors, and if subcontractors, who covers them.

Red Flags

Door-to-door solicitation immediately after a storm. Not automatically disqualifying, and it is the single most common characteristic of the operators who cause problems.

Pressure to decide right now. "We are in the neighborhood today only" is a sales technique, not a scheduling reality.

Large cash payment up front. Especially cash. A deposit on a large scheduled job can be reasonable; a demand for most of the money before work begins is not.

No written estimate. Everything should be in writing: what is being removed, whether debris is hauled, whether the stump is included, whether the yard is raked, total price.

No local address or verifiable presence. Ask where their yard is. Look them up.

Prices dramatically below everyone else, which usually means no insurance, or a scope that will change once they start.

Prices dramatically above everyone else, which after a disaster may run into price gouging rules.

Asking you to sign paperwork you have not read, particularly anything that assigns your insurance claim benefits to them. Understand exactly what any document does before signing.

No hard hats, no eye protection, no rigging, spikes on trees they are not removing. Watch how a crew works. Professional crews look professional.

What to Verify

• Business name, physical address and phone
• Certificate of insurance direct from the agent
• Whether they hold relevant credentials, and whether any local licensing applies
• References from local jobs, ideally ones you can drive past
• Written estimate with a clear scope

If a crew is legitimate and busy, they will still answer these questions. Impatience with basic verification is itself information.

Understand Emergency Pricing

After a hurricane, tree work costs more. That is not gouging in itself — crews are working extended hours, equipment is running constantly, disposal sites are backed up, and demand far exceeds supply. Expect higher prices and longer waits.

What is not reasonable is a price that changes mid-job, work that expands without agreement, or charges for things that were described as included.

Get It in Writing Even in a Crisis

A written scope protects both parties. It should specify:

• Which trees, and what happens to each
• Whether debris is hauled away or left
• Whether stumps are ground, and to what depth
• Whether the yard is raked and cleaned
• Total price and payment terms
• Insurance confirmation

Take a photo of the estimate with your phone.

Insurance Claim Interactions

Document everything before any work begins — photographs of the damage from multiple angles, before a single cut. Talk to your insurer about what is covered and how they want it handled.

Be careful with anyone offering to handle your claim, work directly with your insurer on your behalf, or waive your deductible. Read anything you sign. If a document transfers your claim rights to a contractor, understand the implications, and consider getting advice before signing.

Triage Is Real

After a major storm, everyone is in a queue and it is ordered by risk. Life-safety situations, trees on occupied structures and blocked emergency access come before a tree down in the back yard. A legitimate local company will tell you honestly where you sit rather than promising to be there in an hour and not showing.

The Best Protection Is Beforehand

Establish a relationship with a local tree service before hurricane season. Have their number in your phone. Get your trees assessed and any obvious hazards addressed in the spring.

Companies serve their existing customers first after a storm. Being on that list is worth more than any negotiation afterward.

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ArboristRX is local, insured and works Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, Oak Hill and Volusia County year-round — not just after storms. Call (386) 444-5959, and ask us for our certificate of insurance. We will send it.