How to check a feller has insurance and can work near power lines
Verify a tree feller's insurance and power-line safety credentials before work starts. Check registration, insurance proof, Eskom protocols and references.
When a feller works near power lines without proper insurance or credentials, you're exposed to electrocution risk, property damage, and unlimited liability if something goes wrong. Eskom won't cover your losses, and neither will an uninsured contractor. Yet many homeowners skip this step because they assume "experienced" means "safe" or because getting proof feels bureaucratic. It isn't. Three quick checks protect you.
Search the contractor's registration and insurance status
Start with the National Credit Regulator (NCR) to verify the feller is registered as a business. Visit the NCR website and search their name or registration number. A legitimate tree feller should have business registration — either as a sole proprietor, partnership or company registered with CIPC. Ask for their CIPC registration number and confirm it matches their trading name. Unregistered operators often vanish after an accident.
Next, ask for proof of Public Liability insurance. Request a copy of the current certificate — not a promise to "get it sorted", but an actual document with a cover amount, policy number and expiry date. Insurance that covers tree work near electrical hazards is essential; generic liability won't cut it. Check the expiry date is current and call the insurer directly to verify the policy exists. Many fellers carry outdated certificates or none at all.
For work near power lines specifically, ask whether their insurer knows about this hazard and whether the cover extends to electrical damage claims. Don't rely on the feller's word. A quick call to their insurance broker or the underwriter takes five minutes and prevents a catastrophic claim later.
Confirm electrical safety qualifications and Eskom coordination
Work near overhead or underground power lines requires specific competence. Ask the feller whether they've done work near power lines before and request the names of two previous clients who can speak to this. Call those references and ask directly: "Did the feller coordinate with Eskom? Was there a safety plan? Did anything go wrong?"
Eskom has a formal process for work near high-voltage lines. The feller should know this and either handle it or tell you upfront that Eskom approval is needed and will add to the timeline and cost. If they say they'll "just be careful", that's a red flag. Competent fellers know that working near live power lines demands a utility notification and a method statement — they don't improvise.
Ask whether they hold a current electrical awareness or high-voltage safety certificate. These aren't legally mandatory for all tree fellers, but they signal someone who takes the hazard seriously. Request the document. If they hedge or can't produce it, ask your second reference whether it mattered in their case.
Get written proof of liability limits and on-site conditions
Before work starts, insist on a written quote that specifies: the insurance cover amount, that work near power lines is included, and any conditions (for example, "Eskom to isolate line" or "tree to be felled away from cables"). A sloppy quote is a sign of a sloppy operation.
Call your local municipality's electrical or planning department to confirm whether a power line fall-zone notification is required. Some jurisdictions ask Eskom to be notified; others impose their own protocols. The feller should know this for your area.
Before the feller arrives, photograph the tree's position relative to lines and take note of the cable routing. Ask the feller to walk you through their plan: which direction the tree will fall, where they'll stand, how they'll manage debris near the lines. If they can't articulate a clear method, do not proceed.
Once you've verified registration, seen current insurance, heard back from references and understood the electrical protocol, you can move forward with confidence. Verified fellers on Strove carry this documentation by default and won't hesitate to show it; their reputation depends on it. Take the five minutes now to check — it costs nothing and protects everything.
Common questions
- What insurance should a tree feller have to work near power lines?
- Public Liability insurance that explicitly covers tree work near electrical hazards. Request a current certificate, verify the cover amount and expiry date, and call the insurer directly to confirm the policy exists and includes electrical damage claims. Generic liability won't protect you if something goes wrong near the lines.
- Do I need to notify Eskom before someone fells a tree near power lines?
- Yes, in most cases. The feller should know whether Eskom approval is required for your tree's location and should either handle this or tell you upfront that it will add to the timeline. Ask your feller directly how they manage power-line notifications and request references from previous jobs near cables.
- What registration should I check for a tree feller?
- Search the feller's business registration with CIPC (the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission). Ask for their CIPC registration number and verify it matches their trading name. Unregistered operators leave you with no recourse if damage occurs.
- What questions should I ask their previous clients?
- Ask whether they coordinated with Eskom, whether there was a written safety plan, how the tree fell relative to the power lines, and whether anything went wrong during or after the work. References from actual clients will tell you far more than the feller's pitch will.
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