Tree climbing insurance

[capetrees]

I'm in MA and I need to up my insurance. Currently, I have insurance to remove trees from the ground and branch trimming. I get into the trees constantly, have been climbing since I could walk (literally), have all the climbing gear and safety gear and have a few larger jobs to bid on this spring where I know the homeowners will be asking for full coverage. Is there anyone that can put me in a direction where to go to get good rates on climbing insurance. I have health insurance through my wife where she works and as mentioned, landscaping laibaility insurance but I think its time to bump it up. I'm reluctant to talk to random insurance agencies that don't speciallize in this because they always seem so sceptical. Also, what rates do you guys pay annually as a guide?

Thanks

 

[Slvrmple72]

There are no good rates on tree care insurance when you start you have to pay. They start with your arm and end with your leg Find an insurance broker to shop for you and make sure that you have clearly defined terms for what your policy will or will not cover. Read it over carefully, seek the help of a lawyer if necessary. The policy you will pay for should be able to cover you for everything you are doing involving tree care and removal, equipment, crew, etc..Do not let them song and dance you! Present yourself professionally and with documented training for yourself and your employees in equipment use, safety training,first aid, proficency assessments, and be willing and able to present business records of all the years you have been performing tree care and removal. From the sound of your post it sounds like you are getting ready to grow your business and see the need to do it safely. It is just like car and homeowners coverage, you need to shop around but the cheapest price isnt always the best deal in town! Just like homeowners who want their trees cut down for free and wind up with a real mess on their hands, you get what you pay for!

 

[tree md]

I just started calling agencies out of the phone book and did my own shopping. The first agency I called did not insure tree services but the older lady I talked to had been in the insurance business a long time and gave me a list of numbers for agents that she knew insured tree services. I went down the list and price shopped. I also found out how fast they could have the policy underwritten as I needed to be covered within 2 weeks because I had a commercial job to bid on. Not a lot of agencies covering tree services here but I was lucky enough to find an agent that sold me a policy for a pretty reasonable rate and had it underwritten before the deadline on my commercial bid. Kind of funny, my agent's other job is a firefighter and he sometimes works with another firefighter, who he also insures, for his part time tree service. I paid around $1100 for the year but I am small time and don't work with a bucket truck.