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Tree Service Insurance

Insurance Built for Tree Service Companies and Arborists

 

Tree service isn't ordinary business.

Your crews climb trees, operate chainsaws, work from bucket trucks, run chippers and stump grinders, haul expensive equipment and perform jobs around homes, businesses, vehicles and other property.

Your insurance should understand that.

Insurance Built for Tree Service Companies and Arborists

Whether you operate one truck and a small crew or manage multiple crews, vehicles and hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment, we can help you review your risks and explore insurance options designed around the way your tree company actually operates.

Tree companies work around property that can be extremely expensive to repair or replace.

Think about a crew removing a large tree beside a house, trimming limbs over parked vehicles or operating heavy equipment near a customer's property.

General Liability Insurance may help protect your business against certain covered claims involving third-party bodily injury and property damage.

Tree service owners should review whether their policy accurately reflects all of the work they perform, including services such as:

  • Tree trimming
  • Tree removal
  • Hazardous tree removal
  • Stump grinding
  • Storm cleanup
  • Land clearing
  • Residential tree work
  • Commercial tree work
  • Crane-assisted removal

Your employees may face some of the biggest risks in your business.

Tree service work can involve:

  • Working at heights
  • Climbing
  • Chainsaws
  • Falling limbs
  • Chippers
  • Stump grinders
  • Bucket trucks and aerial lifts
  • Heavy lifting
  • Uneven terrain
  • Traffic
  • Weather-related hazards

Workers' Compensation Insurance may provide eligible medical, wage and other benefits when an employee experiences a covered work-related injury or illness.

Workers' Compensation requirements vary by state.

Employee classifications and payroll information can also affect coverage and pricing. Climbers, groundspeople, equipment operators, drivers, sales employees and office staff may perform very different jobs.

For a tree company, the workday often starts with a truck.

Your business may operate:

  • Pickup trucks
  • Dump trucks
  • Bucket trucks
  • Chip trucks
  • Service vehicles
  • Vehicles towing trailers
  • Vehicles towing chippers or stump grinders

Commercial Auto Insurance can provide liability and optional physical damage coverage for eligible business vehicles.

But insuring the truck doesn't necessarily mean everything attached to it or being towed behind it is automatically covered.

That's why tree service companies should review their vehicles and equipment together.

How much money does your tree company have invested in equipment?

One chipper, stump grinder, skid steer or specialized piece of equipment can represent a significant investment.

Tree service equipment may include:

  • Wood chippers
  • Stump grinders
  • Skid steers
  • Mini skid steers
  • Loaders
  • Chainsaws
  • Grapples and attachments
  • Climbing equipment
  • Rigging equipment
  • Specialized tools

Equipment coverage, often provided through Inland Marine or Contractors Equipment Insurance, may help protect eligible equipment against covered losses while it is stored, transported or used at different job sites.

Bought New Equipment Recently?

Don't assume your insurance automatically knows.

When you buy, sell or replace major equipment, review your insurance and update your equipment schedule when necessary.

Does your tree company own or lease a shop, office, garage or storage facility?

Commercial Property Insurance may help protect eligible buildings, business contents and other property against covered causes of loss.

It's important to distinguish between property that generally stays at your business location and equipment that travels from job site to job site.

Your insurance program may need to address both.

Tree service liability claims can become expensive quickly.

Commercial Umbrella Insurance can provide additional liability limits above certain underlying policies when a covered claim exceeds the applicable underlying limit.

A tree company should consider its:

  • Number of crews
  • Number of employees
  • Vehicles and drivers
  • Types of jobs
  • Commercial contracts
  • Customer requirements
  • Property values around job sites
  • Existing liability limits

As the company grows, liability limits should be reviewed too.

Running a tree service company also means managing employees.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance, commonly called EPLI, may provide protection for certain covered allegations involving:

  • Wrongful termination
  • Discrimination
  • Workplace harassment
  • Retaliation
  • Wrongful discipline
  • Failure to promote
  • Other covered employment practices claims

Small businesses can face employment-related claims too.

As your tree company adds employees, supervisors and crews, EPLI may become an increasingly important part of your insurance discussion.

What Are the Biggest Insurance Risks for a Tree Service Company?

Every company is different, but tree businesses commonly face risks involving people, property, vehicles and equipment.

Falling Trees and Limbs

Tree removal doesn't always go according to plan.

A limb or tree could damage a roof, vehicle, fence, neighboring property or other structure.

That's one reason appropriate liability coverage is so important.

Employee Injuries

Tree workers may climb, work at heights and operate dangerous equipment.

Workers' Compensation should be reviewed alongside your safety practices, employee classifications and payroll.

Vehicle Accidents

Tree companies put a lot of miles on commercial vehicles.

Multiple trucks, trailers, heavy loads, changing drivers and long storm-cleanup days can increase vehicle exposure.

Equipment Theft or Damage

Chippers, stump grinders, chainsaws and other equipment can be expensive to replace.

Know what equipment you own, what it's worth and how your policy is designed to cover it.

Storm Cleanup

A major storm can change your operation overnight.

Suddenly you may have longer workdays, additional jobs, equipment in constant use, more miles on vehicles, hazardous removals and work outside your normal territory.

Your insurance should be reviewed before the rush whenever possible.

What About Tree Service Subcontractors?

Tree companies sometimes use subcontractors or independent contractors for specialized work, overflow jobs or additional crews.

This is an area where assumptions can create problems.

Simply calling someone an independent contractor doesn't necessarily determine their status for Workers' Compensation, tax or employment purposes.

Rules vary by state and circumstance.

If you use subcontractors, discuss:

  • Who is performing the work
  • What work they perform
  • Whether they have employees
  • Their insurance coverage
  • Certificates of Insurance
  • Written contracts
  • Workers' Compensation requirements
  • How your insurance policy treats subcontracted work

Don't wait until there's a claim to figure out how the relationship is treated.

Tree Service Insurance Claim Scenarios

Insurance coverage always depends on the actual policy, circumstances, terms, conditions and exclusions, but these scenarios illustrate why tree companies need a coordinated insurance program.

A Limb Damages a Customer's Vehicle

Your crew is trimming a tree and a large limb damages a vehicle parked nearby.

Depending on the circumstances and policy, General Liability Insurance may respond to an eligible covered property damage claim.

An Employee Is Injured While Working

An employee is injured while performing tree work.

Workers' Compensation Insurance may provide eligible benefits for a covered work-related injury, subject to applicable state law and policy provisions.

Your Chipper Is Stolen

A wood chipper is stolen while away from your main business location.

Whether the loss is covered depends on how the equipment is insured and the terms of the applicable policy.

A Company Truck Is Involved in an Accident

An employee driving a company vehicle is involved in an accident while traveling between jobs.

Commercial Auto Insurance may respond to an eligible covered claim, depending on the circumstances and coverage selected.

A Liability Claim Exceeds Your Primary Limit

A covered liability claim exceeds the applicable limit of an underlying policy.

Commercial Umbrella Insurance may provide additional coverage if the claim qualifies under the umbrella policy.

The point isn't that every claim is covered.

The point is that tree service companies have multiple exposures that may require multiple types of insurance working together.

Tree Service Isn't Landscaping Insurance

Tree trimming and removal can be very different from traditional landscaping work.
Your crews may be 40 feet in the air.
They may be removing a dead tree beside a house.
They may be operating a bucket truck along a roadway.
They may be feeding large limbs into a chipper.
They may be using a crane for a complicated removal.
Your insurance company needs an accurate picture of what your business actually does.

If your policy describes your company as something very different from your actual operation, that's worth reviewing.

What Affects the Cost of Tree Service Insurance?

There is no single price for tree service insurance.

Insurance companies may consider factors such as:

  • Annual revenue
  • Payroll
  • Number of employees
  • Employee classifications
  • Years in business
  • Claims history
  • Types of tree services performed
  • Number and type of vehicles
  • Driver records
  • Equipment values
  • Geographic territory
  • States where you operate
  • Use of subcontractors
  • Coverage limits
  • Deductibles
  • Safety practices

Two tree companies with similar revenue can have very different insurance needs and pricing.

Questions Every Tree Service Owner Should Ask About Insurance

Don't just ask, “Am I insured?”

Ask better questions.

  • Does my policy accurately describe all the work we perform?
  • Are all of my vehicles listed correctly?
  • Who is approved to drive company vehicles?
  • Is my chipper insured?
  • Is my stump grinder insured?
  • Did we add the equipment we purchased this year?
  • Are my employee classifications accurate?
  • Is my payroll current?
  • How does my policy address subcontractors?
  • What are my liability limits?
  • Do my contracts require higher limits?
  • Should I consider Commercial Umbrella Insurance?
  • Are we covered appropriately when crews cross state lines?
  • What changed in my business since my last insurance review?

Those questions can lead to a much more useful insurance conversation.

Your Tree Company Grew. Did Your Insurance Keep Up?

Tree service companies change quickly.

Maybe you started with one truck and now have four.
Maybe you hired another crew.
Maybe you bought a $75,000 chipper.
Maybe you added a bucket truck.
Maybe you started taking commercial jobs.
Maybe you're now working across state lines.
Those changes matter.

Your insurance should reflect the tree company you're operating today, not the company you were several years ago.

Tree Service Insurance in Multiple States

Tree Trimmers Insurance Agency works with tree service companies in:

  • Michigan
  • Indiana
  • Illinois
  • Minnesota
  • Iowa
  • Wisconsin

Because Workers' Compensation and other requirements can vary by state, we've created resources specifically for tree companies operating in each state.

Explore Tree Service Insurance by State:

Michigan Tree Service Insurance →
Indiana Tree Service Insurance →
Illinois Tree Service Insurance →
Minnesota Tree Service Insurance →
Iowa Tree Service Insurance →
Wisconsin Tree Service Insurance →

Frequently Asked Questions About Tree Service Insurance

The cost varies based on factors such as payroll, employees, services, claims history, vehicles, equipment, territory, limits and coverage selected. A review of the actual operation is needed to provide meaningful pricing.

Requirements vary by state and business structure. Tree service companies with employees should understand the Workers' Compensation requirements in every state where their employees work.

Not necessarily. Commercial Auto Insurance and equipment insurance serve different purposes. Towed or mobile equipment may require separate coverage.

Coverage depends on the policies, work being performed and circumstances. If storm cleanup is a regular or significant part of your operation, discuss it specifically with your insurance professional.

Subcontractor relationships can affect insurance exposures. Requirements and worker classifications vary, so tree service owners should review subcontractor arrangements rather than assuming the subcontractor is completely separate from their insurance responsibilities.

Review your program at least annually and whenever your operation changes significantly—especially when adding employees, vehicles, equipment, locations, services or states.

That's okay.

You don't need to be shopping for insurance from scratch to benefit from another review.

Send us your current policies and tell us about your operation.

We'll look at your:

  • Current coverage
  • Employees and payroll
  • Vehicles and drivers
  • Equipment
  • Services
  • Locations
  • Subcontractor use
  • Liability limits

Then we can have a conversation about whether your current insurance still fits your business.

Insurance for People Who Work in Trees

Tree Trimmers Insurance Agency specializes in helping tree service companies and arborists protect the businesses they've built.

We understand the trucks.
We understand the equipment.
We understand the crews.
We understand the risks.

And we understand that tree service insurance isn't ordinary business insurance.

Request a Tree Service Insurance Review

Your business may have changed since your insurance was written.

Let's take another look.

Request a Tree Service Insurance Review →

Serving Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin SINCE 1960!

CONTACT TREE TRIMMERS INSURANCE AGENCY

Toll Free: 877-810-8872

Fax: 206-338-4348

E-Mail: info@treetriminsurance.com

Address: 105 Commercial Street | Dowagiac, MI 49047