Connecticut arborist urges homeowners to verify insurance, Department of Consumer Protection registration and DEEP arborist licensing.
COVENTRY, CT, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A homeowner recently called Arbortech Tree Services after talking with three other tree companies about the same job. None of the three could show both proper insurance and the state credentials Connecticut requires. One gave her an insurance certificate that looked legitimate. On closer inspection, the policy was no longer current.
Arbortech, a licensed arborist company serving Tolland, Hartford and Windham counties since 2005, says the story is far from unusual. It is urging homeowners to check three credentials before any tree crew starts work on their property.
“We hear some version of this all the time, and it picks up every time a storm comes through,” said Justin, owner of Arbortech Tree Services. “Tree work is some of the most dangerous work that happens on a residential property. When a crew isn’t properly insured or licensed, the homeowner carries the risk. Most people don’t find that out until something goes wrong.”
Fall cleanup is underway, and many properties are still dealing with damage from September’s nor’easter, so demand for tree work is high. That is often when unqualified operators go door to door. Arbortech recommends homeowners verify the following before signing anything or paying a deposit.
1. Current insurance: general liability and workers’ compensation
General liability insurance covers damage a crew causes to a home, vehicle, fence or neighboring property. Workers’ compensation covers crew members who are injured on the job. Connecticut law requires employers with one or more employees to carry workers’ compensation. If an uninsured worker is hurt on a homeowner’s property, the homeowner may have to face the claim.
Because certificates can be outdated or altered, Arbortech recommends that homeowners:
Ask the contractor’s insurance agent to send the certificate directly to you, with you named as the certificate holder.
Check the policy effective and expiration dates against the dates of your job.
Call the insurance agency listed on the certificate to confirm the policy is active.
Be wary of photocopies handed over by a crew member on site.
“A certificate of insurance is only as good as the date on it,” Justin said. “A legitimate company will have its agent send proof straight to you. If a contractor hesitates at that request, that tells you what you need to know.”
2. Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Department of Consumer Protection
Connecticut’s Home Improvement Act requires contractors who do work on residential property to register with the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Tree work on a home’s property generally falls under the act. The registration number must appear on contracts and in advertising. Hiring a registered contractor also keeps a homeowner eligible for the state’s Home Improvement Guaranty Fund, which can help consumers recover losses when a registered contractor fails to make things right. Homeowners can verify a registration at elicense.ct.gov.
3. A Connecticut arborist license from DEEP
Connecticut has licensed arborists since 1919, making its arborist law one of the country’s oldest. State law requires a license from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for anyone who advertises, solicits or contracts to do arboriculture, including pruning, cabling and bracing, fertilizing, treating trees for insects or disease, and assessing tree health. Arborist businesses must also register with DEEP. To earn the license, you must pass a rigorous state examination administered by DEEP through the State Tree Protection Examining Board.
Industry certifications from national organizations are valuable, but they do not replace the Connecticut license. Contracting for arboriculture without a license can bring civil penalties of $1,000 to $2,500 per day.
Homeowners can look up licensed arborists through DEEP’s online license lookup.
“Pruning, cabling and risk assessments are where the license really matters,” Justin said. “A bad cut or a poorly installed cable can shorten a tree’s life or set up a failure years down the road. The license means the person making those calls has proven they know how to make them.”
About Arbortech Tree Services
Founded in 2005, Arbortech Tree Services is a Connecticut-licensed arborist and tree care company based in Coventry. Arbortech holds CT arborist license S-6872 and HIC registration HIC.0651213.
Lindsey Sienkiewicz
Arbortech Tree
+1 860-777-8902
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