Tree Care Insurance Risks Interactive Map

The tree care industry has the highest annual risk of any sector in the green industry. Work-related accidents, damages, and injuries are a common occurrence in the tree care industry simply due to the nature of the work being performed. Professional tree service companies should always carry the proper tree care insurance to protect themselves from these incidents. All it takes is one incident to ultimately destroy even the largest tree care businesses if they don’t have the proper insurance coverage.

• See the details and examples of the types of risks faced by tree care professionals that can hurt your business >>

There are many lines of insurance coverage that your tree service company will benefit from. So how do you choose the types of insurance coverage that are right for you?

To help you make the best decision, check out these details and examples of the various types of tree service insurance you should consider to help protect your business.

A quick summary of the most essential types of coverage is below.

• At a minimum, general liability coverage is the most essential type of tree care insurance an arborist should have for their day to day operations. General liability coverage will protect your business in the event you or your employees cause any property damage or bodily injury while working.
• Workers’ Compensation coverage is required for all tree care businesses, but the terms of this requirement vary on a state by state basis.
• If your tree care business has a vehicle fleet, you should consider a commercial auto policy to cover you in the event of any vehicle accidents or damage to your fleet.
• Commercial property insurance will help cover your business location (whether home-based or a physical office), as well as your tree care equipment, tools, etc.
• An inland marine policy will protect any of the tree care equipment you are transporting to and from jobsites.
• In some cases an excess liability policy may be required if you’re required to have coverage limits that excess your standard general liability policy.

The amount of insurance you carry is largely driven by the type of work you do. If you mainly do utility line clearing, for example, the state may require that you carry a specific minimum amount of insurance coverage. Commercial tree work customers often have detailed insurance requirements for all contractors. For residential work, homeowners will want to know you are adequately covered in the event there is an incident due to your work. It is best to have more insurance than you feel is needed because, in the unfortunate event a claim occurs, you won’t risk the business you’ve spent years building.

The cost of tree care insurance varies from company to company. The cost is dependent on a variety of factors, including:

• the size of your business,
• the assets you want to protect,
• the area you work in, and
• the type and scope of work you perform.

For example, tree care insurance costs may be higher if your tree care company generally performs more risky work or uses heavy equipment (such as cranes or lifts). In these cases, your premium will likely be higher due to the increased risk (exposure) of your work.

The most common tree service insurance claims seen by insurance companies include:

• property damage,
• injuries to others caused by tree work,
• commercial vehicle accidents, and
• workers’ compensation claims from work-related injuries.

The most common accidents tree care professionals encounter in their work include:

• falling from heights,
• struck-bys, or
• equipment related injuries (chainsaws, climbing gear, cranes, etc.).

In more severe cases, some utility line clearance companies have been charged with multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter as a direct result of wildfires caused by faulty equipment and improper vegetation management.

Becoming or employing a Certified Arborist establishes your business as being a top tier professional tree service company. Additionally, arborist certification can help you acquire desirable contracts that are not open to general tree care professionals.

While a Certified Arborist distinction does not directly influence your tree care insurance rates, it does establish a culture of safety and risk management which will help reduce your claims.

Certified Arborists are also required to have both general liability and workers’ compensation coverage in order to perform any tree care-related work.

In the event of a tree care related incident caused by your work, the first step is to document the incident in as much detail as possible. Make note of the following:

• who was involved,
• the work being done when the incident occurred, and
• any injuries or damage that occurred.

Next, contact your tree care insurance carrier to report the incident and provide them with as much detail as necessary. As a TreePro client, you’ll be able to use our expert claims center to help you manage your claims and ensure your business continues operating without interruption.

TreePro offers every client the premier service they need to keep their operations running. We provide you with the coverage and protection you want and expect from your tree care insurance. In addition, TreePro helps you reduce claims by providing access to our world-class risk management services, expert claims assistance, and more.

With over 30+ years of industry experience, TreePro knows exactly what tree care professionals need out of their insurance coverage.

Experience Modification Rate (EMR), also known as eMod or mod rate, is a critical component of an employer’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums.  What influences an Experience Modification Rate? Your tree care company’s losses over the prior year are examined in order to determine potential future losses. An insurance underwriter then uses this information to price out your arborist insurance premium. 

The tree care industry has the highest annual risk of any sector in the green industry. Work-related accidents, damages, and injuries are a common occurrence in the tree care industry simply due to the nature of the work being performed. Professional tree service companies should always carry the proper tree care insurance to protect themselves from these incidents. All it takes is one incident to ultimately destroy even the largest tree care businesses if they don’t have the proper insurance coverage.

• See the details and examples of the types of risks faced by tree care professionals that can hurt your business >>

There are many lines of insurance coverage that your tree service company will benefit from. So how do you choose the types of insurance coverage that are right for you?

To help you make the best decision, check out these details and examples of the various types of tree service insurance you should consider to help protect your business.

A quick summary of the most essential types of coverage is below.

• At a minimum, general liability coverage is the most essential type of tree care insurance an arborist should have for their day to day operations. General liability coverage will protect your business in the event you or your employees cause any property damage or bodily injury while working.
• Workers’ Compensation coverage is required for all tree care businesses, but the terms of this requirement vary on a state by state basis.
• If your tree care business has a vehicle fleet, you should consider a commercial auto policy to cover you in the event of any vehicle accidents or damage to your fleet.
• Commercial property insurance will help cover your business location (whether home-based or a physical office), as well as your tree care equipment, tools, etc.
• An inland marine policy will protect any of the tree care equipment you are transporting to and from jobsites.
• In some cases an excess liability policy may be required if you’re required to have coverage limits that excess your standard general liability policy.

The amount of insurance you carry is largely driven by the type of work you do. If you mainly do utility line clearing, for example, the state may require that you carry a specific minimum amount of insurance coverage. Commercial tree work customers often have detailed insurance requirements for all contractors. For residential work, homeowners will want to know you are adequately covered in the event there is an incident due to your work. It is best to have more insurance than you feel is needed because, in the unfortunate event a claim occurs, you won’t risk the business you’ve spent years building.

The cost of tree care insurance varies from company to company. The cost is dependent on a variety of factors, including:

• the size of your business,
• the assets you want to protect,
• the area you work in, and
• the type and scope of work you perform.

For example, tree care insurance costs may be higher if your tree care company generally performs more risky work or uses heavy equipment (such as cranes or lifts). In these cases, your premium will likely be higher due to the increased risk (exposure) of your work.

The most common tree service insurance claims seen by insurance companies include:

• property damage,
• injuries to others caused by tree work,
• commercial vehicle accidents, and
• workers’ compensation claims from work-related injuries.

The most common accidents tree care professionals encounter in their work include:

• falling from heights,
• struck-bys, or
• equipment related injuries (chainsaws, climbing gear, cranes, etc.).

In more severe cases, some utility line clearance companies have been charged with multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter as a direct result of wildfires caused by faulty equipment and improper vegetation management.

Becoming or employing a Certified Arborist establishes your business as being a top tier professional tree service company. Additionally, arborist certification can help you acquire desirable contracts that are not open to general tree care professionals.

While a Certified Arborist distinction does not directly influence your tree care insurance rates, it does establish a culture of safety and risk management which will help reduce your claims.

Certified Arborists are also required to have both general liability and workers’ compensation coverage in order to perform any tree care-related work.

In the event of a tree care related incident caused by your work, the first step is to document the incident in as much detail as possible. Make note of the following:

• who was involved,
• the work being done when the incident occurred, and
• any injuries or damage that occurred.

Next, contact your tree care insurance carrier to report the incident and provide them with as much detail as necessary. As a TreePro client, you’ll be able to use our expert claims center to help you manage your claims and ensure your business continues operating without interruption.

TreePro offers every client the premier service they need to keep their operations running. We provide you with the coverage and protection you want and expect from your tree care insurance. In addition, TreePro helps you reduce claims by providing access to our world-class risk management services, expert claims assistance, and more.

With over 30+ years of industry experience, TreePro knows exactly what tree care professionals need out of their insurance coverage.

Experience Modification Rate (EMR), also known as eMod or mod rate, is a critical component of an employer’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums.  What influences an Experience Modification Rate? Your tree care company’s losses over the prior year are examined in order to determine potential future losses. An insurance underwriter then uses this information to price out your arborist insurance premium.