The majority of individuals who make a living out of tree service are self-employed. And so, getting an insurance policy isn’t a priority for most. But in reality, tree workers need insurance as much as other professions out there.
The ultimate reason why you need insurance is because a lot of exposures are associated with tree work. There are many examples where tree workers were sued by clients or got injured.
In this guide, we won’t just explain what tree service insurance is. We’ll also explain the different kinds of tree service insurance, and the best companies offering the best coverage.
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Tree service business insurance pertains to a broad range of tailored insurance products for arborists, tree cutters, tree surgeons, and more.
Small business insurance for tree service is very important. It can cover the cost of lawsuits and compensate clients. Furthermore, it can pay for the cost of workplace injuries and equipment repairs .
Liability insurance policy for tree service provides the first line of defense. Let’s discuss what this is in the next section.
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Tree service liability insurance usually pertains to general liability insurance for tree service workers.
General liability insurance for tree service takes care of costs in case you caused property damage or bodily injuries to third parties.
So how much money can you get from general liability insurance for tree work? Usually, the policy provides a $1 million limit, which the policyholder can use to pay legal fees and settlement to the aggrieved client.
Tree service workers sometimes get injured while working. The most common injury, by the way, are cuts and scrapes. Cuts and scrapes can result in temporary impairment. In connection with this, latest data show that the average workers compensation for cuts and scrapes is $23,768.
Workers comp for tree service functions to cover the cost of employee compensation. This policy can cover the employees:
Medical bills
Rehabilitation
Medical equipment
Furthermore, in case you can’t go to work for an indefinite period of time, workers comp can also supplement lost income. Depending on the state, tree service workers compensation insurance can provide money equal to 66.67% or 80% of your average weekly payroll.
The United States doesn’t have laws that demand what kind of tree service business insurance should be purchased before one can work with clients.
Nonetheless, it should be noted that most clients demand that there must be a $1 million general liability insurance to cover them.
Another thing to note is that aside from general liability, some clients might also require a surety bond. Commonly, tree services need to get $100,000 in surety bond to satisfy the terms of a contract.
Furthermore, in case there are one or more employees, workers comp insurance is also required. Ask the local workers compensation office in your location to know when you should get workers comp.
Arborist business insurance is a tailored coverage for arborists. It offers liability insurance, commercial property insurance, and commercial auto insurance.
Arborists have liability whenever they cause injuries or property damage. Because of this, their business insurance comes with arborist liability insurance. Usually, this is offered as a general liability insurance policy.
Arborist general liability insurance takes care of cuts, lacerations, contusions, concussions, and other kinds of bodily injuries to the client. In addition, it also covers costs if the client’s property got damaged.
Arborist insurance is very important. Without it, arborists might find themselves in debt or lose a significant amount of savings in their bank. Physical injury claims settlement starts at $10,000. However, if the injuries are severe, settlement can easily scale up to more than $1 million.
Property damage isn’t different. Those who file property damage claims require huge sums of settlement even for minor damages. Broken windows or roofings might require a settlement of $50,000.
Clients have the right to sue arborists for unsatisfactory work, property damage or injuries resulting from negligence, and the failure to finish a project on time. And for this reason, carriers offer professional indemnity insurance for arborists as protection.
Arborist professional indemnity insurance will pay for the lawsuit and the amount of money the client wants as compensation for all economic and financial loss incurred. In practice, the most common scenarios where professional indemnity provides coverage are:
When arborists misdiagnosed the tree’s health
Aggravating a tree’s health instead of improving it
Failure to finish the project on the deadline the client imposed, as stated in the contract
Causing property damage or injuries by failing to follow or implement precautions the OSHA and other safety government agencies mandate
Professional indemnity lawsuits against arborists are costly as they involve numerous charges imposing different penalties (criminal, civil, etc.) The overall costs can reach up to more than $100,000 depending on the severity of the incident and its results. With that said, paying for such an amount can be very problematic without insurance ready and waiting.
Tree removal insurance is a policy that attends to the needs of people in the tree service industry specializing in the transfer and removal of trees. Tree removal company insurance usually includes the following policies:
Professional liability insurance
Equipment breakdown coverage
General liability insurance
Tree removal general liability insurance starts with a $2 million policy limit and comes with products and completed operations as an additional option. Professional liability, on the other hand, has a $1 million limit. Equipment breakdown covers the cost of repair or replacement cost of the chainsaw and other equipment and has a policy limit of $1 million.
Having coverage is very important because, without a good tree removal insurance program, a tree removal company might easily lose profits and clients along the way.
A report analyzing 53 tree felling accidents from 2009 - 2014
The tree impacted another tree/object and fell in another direction, injuring someone as a result
The tree started falling into the intended direction. However, its top portion swayed, came back, and fell somewhere else
Hung up tree (this is a tree, which the operator already cut, but didn’t fall by reason of snagging with another tree/object)
Businesses in the tree service industry that provides trimming services might find tree trimming business insurance helpful. Tree trimming insurance coverage consists of:
General liability insurance
Professional indemnity insurance
Commercial property insurance
General liability insurance for tree trimming service takes care of property damage or personal injury lawsuits. The cost of lawsuits against tree trimmers is $66,000 or even higher depending on the severity of the damage. And so, having coverage is crucial because it provides $1 million basic coverage for attorney fees and other legal costs.
Tree lopping insurance also includes commercial property insurance that covers tree trimming equipment. Coverage applies when damage or theft happens. In other words, tree trimmer business insurance provides backup funds so that tree trimmers can continue their work even when misfortune comes.
In case the client filed a claim because the tree was trimmed wrongfully and got sick, professional liability policy in tree pruning insurance can help reimburse the client for their losses. If the matter is taken to court, then this will also cover legal fees.
Tree cutter insurance is a tailored policy for those involved in logging. The policy offers general liability insurance having a $1 million policy limit, which can be added with products and completed operations coverage.
There’s also commercial property insurance for tree cutting included that provides reimbursements if helmets, hand saws, pole saws, chainsaws, and hatchets got damaged or lost because of:
Fire
Vandalism
Theft
The policyholder can also decide to add workers compensation insurance for tree cutters, which becomes very useful in case of amputations because it gives all the money needed for the operation, medicines, medical equipment, and rehabilitation.
Insurance for stump grinding includes policies such as general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, and equipment breakdown coverage. In stump grinding insurance, general liability offers a $1 million up to $2 million policy limit. Professional liability, on the other hand, starts with a $500,000 limit. Finally, equipment breakdown coverage offers a $1 million policy limit and only covers the stump grinder and other related accessories.
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In this section, let’s take a look at tree service insurance rates. By doing so, you’ll get a more solid understanding of how much you’re going to spend on insurance premiums.
If the only policy included is a basic commercial property insurance, then the average cost of tree service insurance is $400 a year or $33.33 a month.
If commercial auto insurance is the only policy included, then insurance cost for tree service is $600 a year or $50 a month.
Tree service business insurance cost is $780 a year or $65 a month if the policyholder decides to go for Business Owners Policy.
Tree company insurance cost $240 a year or $20 a month provided that the policyholder only decides to get professional liability insurance.
Tree service liability insurance cost is $309.96 a year or $25.83 a month provided that what you'll get is a $1 million general liability policy.
Note that tree service insurance cost depends on location, number of employees, cost of equipment, and how risky the services provided are. And so, the tree business insurance cost that we provided here might differ slightly from that of the carriers.
For further reference, here's a table showing the pricing of the carriers offering the best insurance for tree service:
| | Monthly Rates | Annual Rates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $39 | $468 | Tree service insurance online quote comparison |
| Thimble | $45 | $540 | Short term tree service insurance |
| Next | $52 | $624 | Small business insurance for tree service |
| Arbormax | $57 | $684 | Comprehensive insurance coverage |
| Allstate | $62 | $744 | Tree service companies that can afford to spend $5,000 annual premium for liability insurance and 25,000 annual premium for worker’s comp insurance |
Expect your tree service company to pay $28 per $100 of wages for worker’s comp. The table below shows how much you’ll pay annually for premiums based on the number of employees.
| Number of Employees | Aggregate Annual Salary | Annual Cost for Worker's Comp Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $100,800 | $1,008 |
| 6 | $201,600 | $2,106 |
| 9 | $302,400 | $3,024 |
| 12 | $403,200 | $4,032 |
| 15 | $504,000 | $5,044 |
The average tree trimming insurance cost is $48 a month or $576 a year. Pricing is based on what types of trees you frequently work on, your location, your age, and how much you charge clients for tree trimming services.
If you want to get the best tree trimming and tree service insurance quotes, we suggest you compare tree company insurance costs using our quote comparison tool. All that you have to do is click on the “Get Quotes'' button and fill-up the form. And when you’re done doing so, our system will generate cheap tree service insurance quotes for free.
The average cost of arborist insurance is $32 a month or $384 a year for a $1 million general liability insurance.
By the way, take a look at various arborist insurance quotes by clicking the “Get Quotes” button on this page and filling up the form. Compare tree surgeon insurance quotes to see which carriers provide the least expensive arborist insurance cost.
A tree cutting service insurance having a $1 million general liability policy cost $43 a month or $516 a year.
A tree removal insurance cost is $27.83 a month or $334 a year for a $1 million general liability coverage.
Tree service insurance quotes comparison online
Easy online policy management
Not an insurance company but a broker selling the quotes of its partners
CoverWallet doesn't offer specialized tree service insurance. However, you can still get covered because this company has an intuitive online quote comparison platform that allows you to get tree service insurance quotes from different carriers.
Best for: Tree service insurance online quote comparison
Average cost: $39
Our rating: 10/10
Short term tree service insurance
Quick certificate of insurance
Only includes general liability coverage
Thimble’s tree service insurance product only includes general liability insurance. But still, this is okay as the company allows you to get coverage for only hours, days, or weeks.
Best for: Short term tree service insurance
Average cost: $45
Our rating: 10/10
Additional insureds with no additional costs
Tree removal insurance at 5% discounted rates
Online insurance application and purchase
The coverage limit is only enough for the needs of starting tree service companies
Next tree service insurance is great if you’re just starting with your business. This company offers a lot of options for you to save money on your insurance policy. For instance, you can bundle two or more policies to get an exclusive 5% discount on your premiums.
Next’s tree service insurance gives general liability and commercial auto coverage, which are tree removal service insurance policies that are absolutely important when you’re just starting. In addition, there’s also property damage coverage having business interruption coverage as an additional option. Just like Arbormax, Next allows you to name additional insureds on your policy for free.
Best for : Small business insurance for tree service
Average cost: $52
Our rating : 8/10
Endorsed by TCIA
Funds tree care service R&D
Free additional insureds
No exclusions in tree care commercial auto-insurance
Comprehensive arboriculture insurance
Needs businesses to meet hard to satisfy requirements that are mostly made for the convenience of large tree service companies
Arbormax insurance is one of the best tree trimming insurance carriers offering tree service insurance endorsed by the Tree Care Industry Association. We included this insurance company in our list not only because its reputation is good but also because a percentage of your payment to this insurance company is used as funds for tree service education and training.
Arbormax’s tree service insurance is great as it provides comprehensive coverage to tree service companies. Though not cheap, this company is worth the try because it offers a complete commercial tree insurance coverage having:
No boom or overload exclusions
Per project aggregate terms
Waiver of subrogation (GL, Auto, & WC)
Free additional insureds
Pesticide and herbicide applicator coverage
Commercial auto–broadening endorsement
Arborist general liability
Best for: Tree service companies that can afford to spend $5,000 annual premium for liability insurance and 25,000 annual premium for worker’s comp insurance
Average cost: $57
Our rating: 7/10
Customi zable tree business insurance
Allows you to track your claim
Online claims filing
Provides up to more than $2 million in coverage
Since there are a lot of policies that can be included or excluded, you can’t just proceed to get Allstate tree removal insurance without talking to an agent
With an AM Best rating of A+, Allstate didn’t fail to make it on our list of the best tree removal insurance companies. Allstate is the largest publicly traded casualty insurance provider in the United States. And so, we greatly doubt that Allstate tree removal insurance can’t meet your expectations.
Allstate offers tree removal insurance for tree service companies with its business protection policy. This business protection policy provides numerous coverage that a buyer can add or remove to fit his business type and model. For tree service companies offering tree removal service, excellent coverages in Allstate’s business protection insurance are employee dishonesty coverage, computer fraud coverage, tree removal liability insurance, and equipment breakdown coverage. Note that Allstate is a good choice if you’re looking for best arborist insurance coverage.
Best for : Customizable tree company insurance
Average cost: $62
Our rating : 6/10
Discounted tree removal coverage for homeowners
Not comprehensive
Just like State Farm USAA only offers tree removal insurance for homeowners and not for individuals working in the tree removal industry. USAA tree removal insurance provides coverage when a tree falls on the policy holder’s house. The amount payable is only enough to cover payments for removing one or two trees.
Best for: Cheap tree removal coverage for homeowners
Average cost: $47
Our rating: 7/10
Easy claims filing
Doesn't offer generous policy limits on its tree removal insurance
State Farm doesn't have insurance for tree service company - well not if you want to get it as a tree service technician. On the other hand, if you want to get it as a homeowner, then State Farm has tree removal insurance, which is part of its homeowner’s insurance policy. State farm tree removal insurance for homeowners will pay for the service of arborists and other similar professionals.
Best for: Homeowner's insurance with tree removal coverage
Average cost: $55
Our rating: 6/10
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Lawn technicians and gardeners will do better with lawn care insurance and gardening insurance. Tree service insurance might provide coverage. However, the terms of the insurance policy might not cover all risks associated with the jobs of gardeners and lawn technicians.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Not all those who wander are lost.
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