Tree Service Insurance
General liability, workers’ comp, equipment and commercial auto for tree services and arborists across the West, from a licensed broker who knows how tree work gets underwritten. Same-day certificates of insurance. Call (949) 868-7350.
What Insurance Does a Tree Service Need?
Most tree services need general liability written for tree work, workers’ comp for anyone climbing, cutting or running the chipper, equipment coverage for chippers, stump grinders and bucket trucks, and commercial auto for the trucks that haul crews and wood. Property managers, HOAs and cities usually require $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate in liability, plus additional insured wording.
One tree that drops the wrong way can take out a roof, a car and a power line in a single afternoon. Many “landscaping” policies quietly exclude tree removal, cap the height you can work at, or leave out the house you’re working over, and tree services often find out only after a claim is denied. The Hard Hat Insurance team, the construction division of Bearstar Insurance Services, places tree care companies with carriers that actually write tree work and reads the exclusions before you sign, whether you run a pruning crew, handle storm removals, or clear lots and grind stumps.
Commercial General Liability
Tree Service General Liability
General liability pays when your work damages someone else’s property or injures someone who isn’t your employee. For tree services, the most common claims are limbs or trunks landing on houses, cars and fences; downed power or cable lines; damaged lawns, driveways and septic systems from heavy equipment; and passers-by hurt in the drop zone.
No tree-removal exclusion and no height limit.
Additional insured and waiver of subrogation for property managers, HOAs and cities.
Surety Bonds
License & Permit Bonds
Several states and many cities require a license or permit bond for tree work, including California’s C-49 contractor bond and Oregon’s CCB and LCB bonds. We can often issue bonds the same day, with a quick quote and no long application.
Bad credit programs available.
License, permit and right-of-way bonds.
Tree trimming and removal are among the most expensive workers’ comp classifications anywhere, because falls, chainsaw cuts and chipper injuries are common and serious. Reporting ground crew, climbers and office staff correctly is the biggest lever on your premium. In California, tree contractors with a C-49 license must carry workers’ comp even with no employees, and in Washington coverage is only available through L&I.
Pay-as-you-go options available (helps cash flow).
Waivers of subrogation for commercial and municipal contracts.
Workers' Compensation
What We Cover
Commercial Auto
Bucket Trucks & Chip Trucks
Covers your bucket trucks, chip trucks, pickups and trailers, plus the drivers you hire. A personal policy usually won’t cover a truck pulling a chipper or a stump grinder.
Contractor’s Equipment
Equipment & Tools (Inland Marine)
Covers chippers, stump grinders, mini skids, saws and climbing gear against theft, fire and damage, on the job or in transit. General liability does not cover your own equipment.
Scheduled or blanket coverage.
Rented and leased equipment coverage.
Excess Liability (Umbrella): For municipal, utility and commercial contracts that require higher limits.
Care, Custody & Control: Covers damage to the property you were hired to work on.
Pesticide & Herbicide: Coverage if you treat trees or stumps.
And More
Tree Service Insurance by State
Oregon: Tree removal, pruning, guying and stump removal require a CCB or Landscape Contractors Board (LCB) license, each with its own bond and insurance minimums. See Oregon tree service insurance.
Washington: Tree services doing contracting work register with L&I and keep a bond and liability insurance on file. Workers’ comp comes only from L&I. See Washington tree service insurance.
California: Tree work requires a CSLB C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor license (it replaced the old C-61/D-49 in 2024), a $25,000 license bond, and workers’ comp even if you have no employees.
Nevada: NSCB guidance says tree trimming and removal don’t require a contractor license, but planting does. Treating trees for hire requires a pest control license from the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
Arizona: Tree and landscape maintenance is generally exempt from ROC licensing, but installation work of $1,000 or more, or work that needs a permit, may require an ROC license.
Texas: No statewide tree service license. Some cities require registration or permits for tree work.
Colorado: No statewide tree service license, but many cities license tree services, including Colorado Springs.
Main line: (949) 868-7350
Jesus Galvan, licensed insurance broker in OR, WA, CA, NV, AZ, TX and CO. Se habla español.
Need a COI Today?
Property managers, HOAs and cities usually ask tree services for $1M/$2M GL with additional insured, waiver of subrogation and proof of workers’ comp. Send us the contract requirements and we’ll confirm your policy meets them before you sign.
5 Tree Service Exclusions That Can Leave You Uninsured
1. Tree removal exclusion
Common on landscaping policies. Covers trimming but excludes felling and removal, which is where most tree claims come from.
2. Height limitation
Excludes work above a set height, often 15 to 25 feet. A problem for any climbing or bucket work.
3. Care, custody and control exclusion
Excludes damage to the property you were hired to work on, like the house a limb lands on during the job.
4. Utility line and crane exclusions
Some policies exclude damage to power and cable lines, or any job that uses a crane.
5. Subcontractor and action-over exclusions
Some policies require every sub to carry their own insurance naming you as additional insured, or a claim on that job may be denied. We review these provisions before you sign and tell you plainly what’s covered and what it would cost to fix.
Tree Service Insurance FAQ
What insurance does a tree service need?
General liability written for tree work, workers’ comp for your crew, equipment coverage for chippers and grinders, and commercial auto for your trucks. Many contracts also require an umbrella.
Does general liability cover a tree falling on a house?
It can, if the policy has no tree-removal exclusion and no care, custody and control exclusion for the property you’re working on. Those two exclusions are the most common reasons tree claims are denied.
Do arborists need workers’ comp if they work alone?
It depends on your state. California C-49 contractors must carry it even with no employees, and Washington coverage comes only through L&I. In most other states, a sole owner with no employees can be exempt, but you need coverage as soon as you pay anyone, and many property managers require it anyway.
Do I need a license to do tree work?
It depends on the state and the work. California requires a C-49 license and Oregon a CCB or LCB license, while Nevada and Arizona generally don’t require a contractor license for trimming. Cities often add their own rules.
Can I get insurance if I’ve had claims or I’m a new business?
Usually, yes. We work with specialty carriers that write new tree services and companies with prior claims, though pricing and terms vary.
Contact
Call
info@hardhatinsurance.net
Hard Hat Insurance is a specialized marketing division of Bearstar Insurance Services.
Insurance services provided by Bearstar Insurance Services.
Jesus Galvan is a licensed insurance broker in CA, NV, TX, AZ, OR, CO, and WA.
License numbers available upon request. Coverage availability varies by state.
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