# How much is insurance?



## Peter.s (Mar 12, 2014)

I know i am going to get henpecked for asking this but dose this seam about rite?
I do mostly freelance climbing but am thinking of starting my own company and am still in the "figuring out how much this will cost me" stage.
I have a chipper&truck and all the gear ill need to do 98% of the tree's in my area North NJ but I was wondering if this sounds about rite for a 1 crew company.
I got a quote from http://www.treeserviceinsurance.com/ for $1,150.00 per month and thats just liability forget about equipment or employey comp.

so I was wondering what insurance runs a month (or year) for you guys...

let the henpecking commence...
pete


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## VA-Sawyer (Mar 12, 2014)

I don't pay that much in a year!


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 12, 2014)

It varies greatly state to state. Get several quotes.


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## treeclimber101 (Mar 12, 2014)

Yea that's a bit crazy . I pay about 12/1300 a month for comp , liability and 3 trucks with full coverage I am in camden county south jersey .


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## CUCV (Mar 12, 2014)

That's crazy high, get other quotes. What did you say for years of experience?


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## ACATS (Mar 13, 2014)

$850 for 2 mil liability per year in Ontario Canada.


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## epicklein22 (Mar 13, 2014)

Peter.s said:


> I know i am going to get henpecked for asking this but dose this seam about rite?
> I do mostly freelance climbing but am thinking of starting my own company and am still in the "figuring out how much this will cost me" stage.
> I have a chipper&truck and all the gear ill need to do 98% of the tree's in my area North NJ but I was wondering if this sounds about rite for a 1 crew company.
> I got a quote from http://www.treeserviceinsurance.com/ for $1,150.00 per month and thats just liability forget about equipment or employey comp.
> ...



I think you need to look at that quote again. I use them for insurance and it's about that much for 1 million dollars in liability for a whole year....


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 13, 2014)

Reading your guys insurance numbers makes me hate New York even more.


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## DMD (Mar 13, 2014)

I just got a quote for a similar size operation in FL and it was right at a grand for 12 months. I'm betting your quote was for a whole year.


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## kyle goddard (Mar 13, 2014)

When i ran my business in myerstown pa a few years ago it was 666.50. Thats was just for liability. If i can recall correctly,. I believe that was for 2 million. I told the agent ive been doing this since i was 9 years old working with my father. There was never a claim, . Any damage that occurred was paid out of pocket. 
Most damage i ever did was rip a gutter off a house. I also clipped the corner of a building at warnersvill st hospital. Thank god my brother in-law was a self employed roofer.


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## kyle goddard (Mar 13, 2014)

It was an old storage building. If it was on the main campus i would have dismantled it.


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## Peter.s (Mar 13, 2014)

I was told by the guy I used to work for that he pays $900 a month from a local insurance guy so I assumed the quote was per month.
I went back to the Email they sent me it just went over the figures - premium itself is $650 and they tack another $450 on in charges.
Im going to stop by the local guy I insure my farm truck thru and another place nearby and see what they have to say.

Probably any damage that may acure ide pay out of pocket but I would like everything to be on the up and up legally.


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## climbhightree (Mar 13, 2014)

I paid almost $16,000 last year for insurance. But that is workers comp (for one employee, through the State), liability (1 mill per occurrence, 1 mill umbrella), and agency fees.


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## Peter.s (Mar 15, 2014)

did some more checking in and its $1,150 for the year - MUCH better.
still gonna go to some local guys but this makes things look alot better 

thanks for the feedback - pete


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## 2treeornot2tree (Mar 16, 2014)

I pay around 7k a year for everything. That includes 2 big trucks, 2 pickups, a car, 3 trailers, workers comp, and all my equipment is insured.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk


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## climbhightree (Mar 16, 2014)

2treeornot2tree said:


> I pay around 7k a year for everything. That includes 2 big trucks, 2 pickups, a car, 3 trailers, workers comp, and all my equipment is insured.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk



Who do you have your insurance through? That is half what I pay. 

I've looked at other brokers etc, and haven't found that much better rates. Plus, it seems like the only place I can get workers comp is through the state (because I am too small for private insurance companies). 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk


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## treeman75 (Mar 16, 2014)

I have my bucket, logloader, chip truck and pickup with full coverage. Then I have policies on my mini, chipper and dump trailer incase they get stolen and have my saws and gear insured too. I have 2mil in GL and it is just under 8k a year for all of it. My WC is 17.34%


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## arborjockey (Mar 17, 2014)

Just me in this one man, mobile tree service. 
120.00 a month for a million in coverage. 
No machinery on the job and no employees. 
If either are needed the policy price gos up. 
And no commercial property work. 
Otherwise I tell them I have health insurance and good luck fixing the the stuff I break.....suckers.


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## miko0618 (Mar 20, 2014)

$200 a month for liability and auto.


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## rymancm (Mar 20, 2014)

$1,000/year liability. That is what everyone pays around here in New Hampshire.


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 20, 2014)

Is NY the only place where liability ins is based on gross sales? How are you guys paying set rates? Would that same $1000 cover you if you expand to more than one crew?


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## treeman75 (Mar 20, 2014)

The company I had before would audit me every year and go off of my sales. Two years ago my new agent just asked me some questions and that was about it. I have used it twice. Once was when my climbing gear and tools got stolen out of the truck, that was around 3500. That was on a policy that I have for tools and saws that the auto wont cover. I have my saws, tools and other gear insured for 10k. The other claim was on my GL this past fall when I had a low pressure line go and sprayed hydraulic fluid on a house. I tried to take care of it without a claim but they wanted me to turn it in thinking they were going to cash in on it. The insurance company sent out a cleaning company to clean it. The bad deal on that was the HO is a teacher at my kids school so I gave them a good deal on it. When I was done they didnt want to pay me because of the oil mess. My agent was the one that got me paid saying that it had to be a paid job to turn in a claim, she had a check for me when I pick up my boys. If it wasnt for him I dont think they would of paid. So, no more discounts!


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## FanOFatherNash (Mar 28, 2014)

Peter.s said:


> I know i am going to get henpecked for asking this but dose this seam about rite?
> I do mostly freelance climbing but am thinking of starting my own company and am still in the "figuring out how much this will cost me" stage.
> I have a chipper&truck and all the gear ill need to do 98% of the tree's in my area North NJ but I was wondering if this sounds about rite for a 1 crew company.
> I got a quote from http://www.treeserviceinsurance.com/ for $1,150.00 per month and thats just liability forget about equipment or employey comp.
> ...


800 a year for 2 million of gen liab. 
i am in michigan


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## Affordabletree (Mar 28, 2014)

I have 2 million in coverage, full coverage insurance on my chip truck, chipper, personal truck, commuting car, stump grinder and trailer as well as a policy that covers all my climbing gear and saws for $400 a month. Through West Bend Insurance in michigan.


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## Groundman One (Mar 28, 2014)

$600 for $1 million liability.

Was $500 the year before, and went up $100 in a year even though we made no claims.


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