--- title: Proof of Insurance: What to Ask a Tree Service For url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-service-proof-of-insurance/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [The Field Guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/) - Proof of insurance: what to ask a tree service for # What proof of insurance should a tree service show you? Ask for a certificate of insurance and then call the insurer to confirm the policy is active. The International Society of Arboriculture advises asking for proof of insurance and calling the insurance company. Key takeaways - Ask for the certificate, then confirm it with the insurer. - Look for liability, property damage and workers' compensation. - The certificate names the policy holder, the dates and the coverage. - A Nevada business license is not insurance, and tree work is not licensed as contracting. - If you are unsure, your own insurer or an attorney can help. Tree work is risky for the crew and for your property, so insurance is not paperwork to skip. Battle Born Tree Service says it is licensed and fully insured and prints Nevada Business License # 20131580674. This site does not publish policy limits. ## Why does a tree service need insurance? Because trees fall where they are not meant to, and workers get hurt. Without coverage, a damaged roof or an injured worker can become your problem. OSHA calls contact with electricity one of the leading causes of death for tree care workers, which shows how serious this work is. Read our [guide for when a tree has already come down](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-fell-on-house/). ## What should the certificate show? It should show the company's name, the insurer, the policy dates and the types of coverage. The ISA advises asking for proof and phoning the insurer. Look for general liability that covers property damage, and workers' compensation for the crew. - Business name matches the estimate. - Insurer name and policy number. - Policy start and end dates. - General liability and property damage. - Workers' compensation. ## How do you confirm it is real? Call the insurer or the agent listed on the certificate and ask whether the policy is active. A certificate is a snapshot, and the call checks that it is current. Do this before the day of the job, not after. - Ask the company to send the certificate. - Read the names and dates. - Call the insurer or agent on it. - Ask whether the policy is active and covers tree work. - Keep a copy with your estimate. ## How is a license different from insurance? A license is the government's permission to do business, and insurance is financial protection if something goes wrong. They answer different questions. The Nevada State Contractors Board lists removal and trimming of trees and shrubs as work that does not need a contractor's license, so no contractor license number should be expected. A Nevada business license, like Battle Born's # 20131580674, shows registration only. Our [ISA credential guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/) covers the training side. ## What if the company will not show proof? Then do not book the job. A company that is insured has no reason to hide the paperwork. Ask in plain words: may I see your certificate of insurance? Their answer tells you how the rest of the job is likely to go. ## When should you ask for proof? Before you accept an estimate, not after the crew arrives. It is easier to compare companies and walk away when you are still gathering quotes. Ask each company the same way and record the answers. A certificate that is dated, names the company and matches the business on the estimate is a good start; the call to the insurer confirms it. ## What does insurance not cover? It does not cover a bad plan, and it does not make a risky job safe. Insurance helps with the cost when something goes wrong; a trained crew and a sound plan are what prevent it. It also depends on the policy's terms. Your own homeowners policy may respond to damage differently than the company's policy, which is a question for your insurer or an attorney. ### Sources - [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist (PDF)](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Hire%20An%20Arborist_0321.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) - [OSHA: Electricity and Tree Care Work, A Deadly Combination (OSHA 3861, 2016)](https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3861.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) - [Nevada State Contractors Board: Choosing the Right Landscaper](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Choose_Landscaper_english.pdf) (read October 1, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/homeowners-insurance-tree-removal/) - [What is an ISA Certified Arborist, and how to verify one](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/) - [How to read a tree service estimate](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/how-to-read-a-tree-service-estimate/) - [Arborist vs tree service vs landscaper in Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/arborist-vs-tree-service-vs-landscaper/) - [About Battle Born Tree Service](https://battleborntreeservice.com/about/) - [Free estimate](https://battleborntreeservice.com/free-estimate/) ## More from the blog Pruning and care October 17, 2026 5 min read ### What should you do with your trees in October in Carson City and Reno? In October, finish watering while the ground is open, look over your trees for dead or hanging limbs, and clear leaves and needles away from the house. Save most live-wood pruning for the dormant seas Pruning and care October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Young trees in new subdivisions: the first ten years A young tree in a new subdivision needs very little pruning in its first two or three years, then steady structural pruning to build one strong central trunk and well-spaced branches. The ISA says tre Removal and equipment October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City Green waste has a few legitimate homes in our area: the landfill or transfer station if the load is only wood and green waste, a fire district drop-off day or curbside chipping program if you qualify, [All posts](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week. ### Does Battle Born carry insurance? Battle Born says it is licensed and fully insured. Ask for the certificate when you get an estimate, as you would with any company. ### Are policy limits published? Not on this site. Ask the company for the certificate. ### What if a worker is hurt on my property? Workers' compensation is the reason to ask about it. Your own insurer or an attorney can advise on your situation. ### Who decides what insurance I need? You and your insurer decide for your property. This guide is general information. ### Is the ISA credential the same as insurance? No. The credential is training for one person, and insurance covers the company's work.