Arboriculture or tree work is one of the risky jobs. If you have a business dealing with tree work, you must confirm everything is fine. Make sure you have tree removal company insurance to protect your business. Here, we will tell you good information you need to know about tree service insurance.
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What’s the Point of Tree Service Insurance?
This type of insurance is important if you are dealing with tree work. Tree service insurance contributes protection against any risk relating to tree work. They can cover the damage caused by the trees, injured workers, or injured people. Also, they give you coverage if your equipment was stolen when you were doing the work.
Why Do You Need Tree Removal Company Insurance?
As stated before, tree service insurance secures you from any potential risk. Since you work as an arborist or a tree constructor, you have a high potential close to danger. Think when you are doing your job, and the branches injure yourself or other people. In that case, the insurance will give you a hand.
Even if you are the one who hires the tree service, you must consider this insurance. You have to check that the service already has tree removal company insurance. If the service does not have insurance, you might get involved with the problem. Therefore, you have to check their insurance, to ease yourself.
Top 5 Recommended Insurance for Tree Removal
The insurance companies might have different policies for their tree service insurance. You have many options for what coverage you want. However, commonly, you must have general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Here are some of the insurance you need to consider for your job.
1. General Liability Insurance
General liability is one of the important tree removal company insurance. This insurance protects you from damaged properties and injured persons because of your job. This insurance is very convenient for high-risk jobs like tree construction. So make sure that you have this insurance for your job.
General liability also gives you coverage, if someone decides to sue you. For example, when you trim a tree, the branches break someone’s property or hurt someone. Then, the person decides to sue you. Liability insurance will cover the cost of your legal defense, like the court, expert witness, or lawyer.
General liability insurance falls into two categories of policy: claim-made policy and occurrence policy. The claim-made policy gives you coverage whenever you make a claim. Occurrence policy offers coverage whenever the event happens during or after the policy is active.
2. Workers’ Compensation Insurance
This insurance is the tree removal company insurance you must have. This insurance or also known as “workers’ comp”, is a government-ordered program. The insurance provides benefits from injuries at work. The advantages can be a form of cash benefits or healthcare benefits.
In the United States, each state operates its own workers’ comp. Therefore, each state can have various mandates for this insurance. Texas, however, is the only state in the U.S. that doesn’t require employers to insure their employees.
Salaried employees are acceptable to have workers’ comp; other jobs, like independent workers or freelancers, are excluded. Having workers’ comp is not only to protect the employee. It also prevents your employee from accusing you of negligence and taking legal action.
3. Inland Marine Insurance
You also might need inland marine for your tree removal company insurance. Despite its name, this insurance refers to the equipment you use. In short, inland marine is a type of property insurance. This insurance covers any damage or loss of your equipment during your work.
This insurance mainly covers the property used during transit over locations. For example, you have to work at the place you’ll trim a tree, but your equipment gets stolen during transit. For this reason, inland marine insurance will give you coverage for your loss.
However, inland marine insurance will only cover the property inside your vehicle, not the vehicle itself. If you need to protect your automobile, you want to consider commercial auto insurance. The provider may vary in giving the benefit of this insurance.
4. Commercial Auto Insurance
This insurance protects you or your employees during work with automobile vehicles. While personal auto insurance only covers your personal car, commercial one will protect your business vehicles.
The sample case is when you go to a location to trim a tree; your car accidentally crashes into another car. Commercial auto provides protection liability for your vehicles. They also offer medical coverage to you and that person. Furthermore, they also give cash for car repair for you and that person’s car.
5. Other Types of Insurance You Might Need
There are many options to provide tree removal company insurance. Here is another insurance you might need. However, they might be beneficial for you.
- Professional Liability Insurance protects you against false accusations or malpractices during your work.
- Business Owners’ Policy (BOP) is a bundle of basic coverage you might need as a business person. It covers liability, peril, medical, and damaged property.
- Cyber Insurance gives protection against problems in the digital age, like data branches, or system hacking.
Where to Find Tree Removal Company Insurance
Some insurance companies provide tree removal company insurance. We have some recommendations for you.
1. Insureon
This insurance company provides various coverage that is very helpful for your tree work business. The company could be your best tree removal company insurance. Here are several types of insurance they offer and the average monthly premium.
● General liability insurance: $45 per month
● Commercial auto insurance: $147 per month
● Workers’ compensation insurance: $230 per month
● Business Owner’s Policy: $53 per month
● Contractor’s tool and equipment insurance: $15 per month
● Cyber insurance: $140 per month
2. Zensurance
Zensurance provides insurance for arborists or tree constructors. They also offer various coverage for your needs. The coverage includes general liability, professional liability, commercial auto, and many more. These are the list for their insurance and the average annual premium.
● General liability insurance: $450 per year
● Professional liability insurance: $250 per year
● Contractor’s tool and equipment insurance: $400 per year
Protect Your Tree Work Now!
Now you understand the importance of tree removal company insurance. Protect your job from any potential danger. Make sure that you have at least general liability, workers’ compensation, or even Business Owner’s Policy insurance. By having insurance, you are not only protecting yourself but also everyone involved.