The field of arboriculture is not the most popular career choice for young adults, which is why arborists are in high demand. Arborist insurance is a niche that many insurance brokers and agents overlook, yet it can be a lucrative way to help you build your book of business, especially when you have a specialty arborist insurance product to stand behind you.
Arborists spend some of their time on the ground, but you will also find them climbing tall trees. The arborist profession is wrought with risks of injury and illnesses, and the right insurance products give business owners and sole proprietors peace of mind knowing they are protected from the most common types of losses.
We are providing an informative overview of the arborist and tree services niches, reviewing some of the more common risks, and guiding you on how to recommend arborist insurance coverage to this interesting niche of clients.
Getting Acquainted With the Arborist Niche
What exactly does an arborist do? Simply put, an arborist defends trees.
Arborists must be certified and professionally trained in the science and art of trees. While trees make up a large part of an arborist’s repertoire, they also assess and treat plants, shrubs, and other forms of plant life.
You may hear arborists called by other names, such as a tree doctor or tree surgeon. Businesses and individuals call upon arborists to assess the condition of trees, identify diseases, and obtain recommendations for how to care for trees and plant life and maintain them. Arborists also prune trees, trim trees, mitigate drought problems, fertilize trees and plants, and address issues with insects or other animals.
Arborists obtain certifications, so they have the proper training and experience, as well as vast knowledge about tree life. They must go through a comprehensive examination process to get their certification, and the education does not stop once they receive their certification. It takes years of practicing their craft to become a master at managing the growth and development of trees. Being an arborist requires a high level of expertise, and continuing education enables arborists to stay current with the latest techniques and technologies related to arboriculture.
Springtime is the high season for arborists, but any time of year is appropriate to seek out new clients in the field of arboriculture.
What Kinds of Risks Are Associated With Arborist Insurance?
Tree work of any kind is very dangerous. Many things can go wrong, causing injuries or illnesses to arborists. As you pursue a niche in arborist insurance, it is prudent to get acquainted with the common arborist risks, such as those listed below:
- Faulty gear – Arborists are trained on how to use ropes and other gear to allow them to scale and descale trees safely. Tree gear has a limited shelf life, and faulty gear can cause falls.
- Power lines – While arborists are trained on how to safely navigate power lines, shock and electrocution can occur, causing injuries or fatalities. Arborists have a “10-foot rule,” which means anyone who is not certified must not work within 10 feet of a power line.
- Swinging branches and limbs – Tree branches and limbs can sway unpredictably when the wind is blowing, causing falls or injuries.
- Weather-related – Wind, snow, hail, rain, and frost can create hazardous conditions on the ground and while climbing trees.
- Falling tools and debris – Risks are prevalent when arborists are climbing high, but tree workers on the ground are also susceptible to falling tools or debris.
- Heart attacks – Climbing high causes stress and anxiety, and when combined with the physical strain of climbing, the risk of a heart attack while tethered to a tree is notable.
- Decayed trees and weak tree limbs – While a quick glimpse shows a tree is healthy, good trees can be weakened by mold, fungi, decay, animal or insect infestations, or old age, causing them to be weak in various sections.
- Animals and insects – Bees, hornets, opossums, rats, mice, owls, raccoons, and other animals live in trees.
- Chainsaw injuries – A chainsaw is a staple tool for arborists. If not used properly, chainsaws can create serious injuries or the loss of limbs.
- Inconspicuous electrical hazards – Telephone lines, street lamps, and distribution lines, along with water and humidity around power sources, are major hazards for arborists.
As you can see, the risks associated with arborists and tree service workers are numerous and hazardous. Arborist insurance protects against all of them and other unprecedented risks as well.
What Kinds of Special Insurance Coverages Support the Arborist and Tree Service Niche?
How do you put together an arborist insurance package for a client? A tree service or arborist business requires many of the same commercial insurance coverages as other types of businesses, and specialized coverages allow you to customize the package.
As an insurance broker or agent, your commercial customers rely heavily on you to make recommendations for the most appropriate insurance coverages to protect their businesses. A commercial package policy is an individualized policy that includes certain necessary coverages for arborist insurance. Commercial package policies cover general liability, property, and other coverages bundled into one policy.
Explain to your insureds that while a commercial package policy groups coverages together, each coverage has its own declarations, definitions, conditions, endorsements, exclusions, and covered perils. Some endorsements may be mandatory, and others will be optional.
With these things in mind, begin putting the following basic commercial insurance coverages together and explain to your clients why each of them is critical:
- General liability
- Commercial auto
- Property
- Inland marine
- Umbrella liability
- Crime liability
- Employment practices liability
- Cyber liability
- Workers’ compensation (if the company employs workers)
In addition to the main commercial insurance coverages, arborists may need the following specialty insurance coverages:
- Arborist errors and omissions
- Pesticide and herbicide applicator coverage
- Arborist broad form also called loggers broad form
- Crane coverages
- Limited jobsite pollution
- Auto pollution broadened coverage
TreePro: Specialized Arborist and Tree Service Insurance
Arborists and tree service companies face some of the highest risks and challenges in the green industry. Risks can be more complex than in other industries, and with the huge risks associated with the industry, arborist business owners need to get their insurance right.
Specialty niches call for specialty insurance coverages and insurance expertise in the niche. What arborists need is a multi-line commercial insurance package that offers them the best tree service insurance coverage and value. Standard insurance products simply will not hold up in this industry.
Final Thoughts
NIP Group offers a tree service insurance program called TreePro which is designed specifically for arborists and tree service companies, and we have been insuring tree professionals for over 30 years. We are proud to say it is the largest green program of its kind.
Arborists and tree service companies can expect specialized coverages, risk control assistance, claims management, and a complete library of resources for the industry. For example, TreePro covers crane and boom exposures, as well as snow and ice removal, which other competitors do not include.
Safety is a priority at NIP Group, and we provide the security arborists and tree service workers need so they can focus on doing their jobs and taking care of all other aspects of the business.
The arborist and tree service markets have untapped potential. With the right commercial insurance products in your arsenal, you can work this niche with confidence and achieve success.
Contact one of our arborist experts to learn more about how to protect against big risks and gain big rewards as you serve this overlooked market at 866-620-7152 today!
Check out these other articles on prevention and wildfire protection:
