Tree Service & Arborist Business Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a tree service & arborist business business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for tree trimming, removal, and arboricultural operations. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the applicant's actual work mix.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workers' Compensation | The signature exposure for this class. Tree trimmers and pruners have a documented fatality rate roughly 30x the national all-industry average per BLS/TCIA analysis — falls, chainsaw contact, and struck-by injuries from falling limbs are common and severe. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers third-party property damage from falling limbs, rigging failure, or a dropped section of tree — the most frequent claim type in this trade. | Core | |
| Commercial Auto Liability | Covers trucks, chip trucks, and towed chippers/stump grinders moving between job sites. | Core | |
| Inland Marine / Equipment Floater | Covers chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, and rigging equipment against theft or damage away from a fixed location. | Prevalent | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Extends limits above GL/auto/employers liability — often required for storm/emergency response contracts and municipal or utility work. | Prevalent | |
| Professional Liability (E&O) — Consulting/Risk Assessment | Applies specifically to tree risk assessment or consulting work where the applicant does not perform the physical labor — a materially different exposure (advice-based, not physical) from active climbing/removal. | Situational | |
| Pollution Liability | Situational for applicants applying pesticides, herbicides, or plant health care chemicals as part of operations. | Situational | |
| Employers Liability / Stop-Gap | Required in monopolistic workers' compensation states (ND, OH, WA, WY) since standard WC does not include employers liability coverage there. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The exposure most likely to be underpriced for this class is treating all tree work as one risk. Utility line-clearance work falls under a separate OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.269) with its own qualification and minimum-approach-distance requirements — an applicant doing any work near energized power lines carries meaningfully higher severity than one doing only residential trimming and removal away from utilities, and that distinction should shape both the underwriting questions asked and the premium charged, not be folded into a single generic "tree service" classification.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your tree service & arborist business coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Tree Service & Arborist Business Insurance · Tree Service & Arborist Business Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a tree service & arborist business business need?
The core coverages for a tree service & arborist business business are Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Commercial Auto Liability. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my tree service & arborist business coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.