Insurance for Arborists

General Liability Insurance: This policy covers third-party bodily injuries and property damage. For example, if a client trips over your equipment or a branch falls and damages a car, general liability insurance will cover the associated costs.

• Importance: Crucial for covering legal fees and medical costs resulting from accidents.
• Coverage: Legal fees, medical expenses, and settlements related to accidents involving non-employees on your premises.
• Best For: Customer bodily injuries, damaged customer property, and product liability.

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP): A BOP combines general liability insurance, commercial property insurance and business interruption insurance in a cost-effective way to protect your business from multiple risks.

• Importance: Combines essential coverages at a reduced cost.
• Coverage: General liability and commercial property insurance.
• Best For: Customer injuries, damaged customer property, and stolen or damaged equipment.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Required in most states, this insurance covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who are injured on the job. It also protects sole proprietors from injury costs that might not be covered by health insurance.

• Importance: Mandatory in most states, it protects employees and sole proprietors.
• Coverage: Medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages.
• Best For: Employee medical expenses, disability benefits, and employee injury lawsuits.

Commercial Auto Insurance: This policy covers accidents involving your business vehicles. Whether it’s property damage or bodily injuries resulting from an accident, commercial auto insurance has you covered.

• Importance: Essential for protecting vehicles used in business operations.
• Coverage: Collision repair costs, medical expenses, and liability for injuries caused to others.
• Best For: Property damage caused by your vehicle, bodily injuries in an accident, and vehicle theft or vandalism.

Contractor’s Tools and Equipment Insurance: This insurance helps pay for the repair or replacement of tools and equipment that are lost, stolen, or damaged.

• Importance: Protects your essential tools and equipment.
• Coverage: Repair or replacement costs for tools and equipment.
• Best for: Equipment less than five years old, equipment that travels to job sites, small tools.

Professional Liability Insurance (Errors and Omissions Insurance): Also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, this policy covers legal costs when a company is sued for mistakes or oversights. It's crucial for protecting against claims of negligence or failure to deliver services as promised.

• Importance: Shields your business from claims related to professional errors.
• Coverage: Legal fees, settlements, and judgments.
• Best for: Accusations of negligence, failure to finish a project on time, undelivered services.

Depending on the specific needs of your business, you might also consider:

• Umbrella Insurance: Provides additional liability coverage beyond your standard policy limits.
• Cyber Liability Insurance: Protects against data breaches and cyber-attacks, particularly important if you handle sensitive client information.
• Inland Marine Insurance: Protects tools and equipment in transit or stored off-site.