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What is tree service insurance?
Cutting and trimming trees comes with inherent risk of injury, and there are many other property and liability perils that arborists could face. To protect against the various risks that arborists working in Texas face, there’s tree service insurance.
Tree service insurance is a specific form of commercial insurance for arborists and their businesses. Policies typically come with multiple property and liability coverages that get bundled together.
Who in Texas needs arborist insurance?
Any Texas business providing tree care should consider arborist insurance. Policies may be needed when trimming branches, removing trees, grinding stumps or caring for municipal landscape.
Moreover, policies are purchased by part-time arborists, full-time arborists, local businesses, and statewide and regional companies. Having coverage is important regardless of business size.
What types of coverages do arborist insurance policies offer?
Arborist insurance policies typically incorporate a combination of property and liability coverages. Property coverages primarily safeguard assets owned by the business, while liability coverages generally protect against potential legal action.
The property coverages that these policies make available often include:
Possible Coverages Available
- Commercial Building Coverage: Usually protects an owned office, garage or storage facility.
- Commercial Contents Coverage: Usually protects chippers, loppers, trimmers, rigging and climbing gear, safety gear, hand tools and more when at a main location.
- Inland Marine Coverage: Usually protects the aforementioned equipment as it’s driven to and from job sites.
- Equipment Breakdown Coverage: Usually protects essential large equipment in the event of a sudden breakdown that requires repair.
The liability coverages that are often available include:
- General Liability Coverage: Usually covers common incidents leading to injury of a third party, such as a customer.
- Product Liability Coverage: Usually covers injuries and illnesses resulting from the use or sale of an arborist’s products.
- Errors and Omissions Coverage (E&O): Usually covers incorrect advice provided by an arborist or their employee.
- Commercial Umbrella Coverage: Usually provides an extra level of liability protection against high-cost lawsuits.
Commercial auto coverage, which is usually required for work vehicles, is typically available through arborist policies.
Commercial Building
Commercial Contents
Inland Marine
Equipment Breakdown
General Liability
Product Liability
Errors and Omissions
Commercial Umbrella
Do arborists need workers compensation insurance?
Texas state law generally requires that all public and private employers, including tree service businesses with employees, carry workers compensation coverage. The coverage is required as an important protection against workplace injuries that employees could sustain.
Thus, tree services businesses that have paid employees usually need workers compensation coverage. Solo arborists and those that hire independent contractors may not need this coverage.
When it’s needed, an insurance agent who assists with arborist policies will also be able to help with workers compensation coverage.
How much does insuring a tree service business cost?
The premiums charged for tree service policies vary, as they’re based on a multitude of factors. Just a few factors that commonly affect cost are:
- Main location of the tree service business
- Region serviced by the business
- Specific tree care services offered
- Equipment and tools used
- Vehicles owned and used
- Any recent insurance claims activity
An easy way to compare how much different insurance companies will charge in a particular situation is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent agents aren’t connected to any one insurer, so they can request and compare custom quotes from several companies.
How can arborists find tree service insurance?
For assistance insuring a tree service business that’s located in Texas, reach out to the independent agents at McKnight Insurance. We’ll work with you to assess your business’s specific coverage needs, and then compare several customized tree service insurance policies that have the required coverages. We’ll make sure you end up with the best available policy for your business.
McKnight Insurance Services Independent Agency in Mansfield Texas
Get in touch with one of our team members for questions or quotes!
