Getting Ready for Insurance Obtaining the right coverage requires a strong portfolio and robust hiring practices Insurance in the tree care industry can be a moving target, with costs linked to industry trends and practices. Here’s why it’s important to put your best foot forward when shopping around. By Julie Ann Howlett
Insurance is a highly detailed and ex- pensive industry that can leave many tree care business owners scratching their heads about how to best protect their business and employees. Because tree care work involves heavy machinery and technical work, it re- quires specialized insurance to cover a range of situations. These can include job site accidents, personal injury, ve- hicle and machine accidents, cyber at- tacks, pollution, professional liability, and more. “The stakes are higher because it’s with more massive equipment,” says Thomas Doherty, senior vice president of specialty programs at NIP Group , which provides insurance, underwrit- ing, and risk management services for tree care companies. When shopping for insurance, it can be hard to imagine and prepare for the right worst-case scenario. With in- surance costs related to risk, tree care insurance can be expensive. What’s more, these costs can fluctuate accord- ing to trends and safety practices with- in the tree care industry. Ultimately, the best way to keep insur- ance costs down is for business owners to show they prioritize workplace safety. No one likes to wade through confus- ing insurance policies, nor does anyone want to choose a policy only to worry whether it truly meets their needs. Navigating insurance intricacies and learning to speak the language is an important first step to keep your em- ployees and business safe.
one of the businesses where — and it does happen weekly — where someone could lose their life performing the task,” says Mark Shipp, practice leader for Hub Arbor Insurance Group . “Real- ly, what you must understand is what is the true appetite for your business? Do [insurance providers] really under- stand what you are doing?”
WHY INSURANCE MATTERS It bears repeating that tree care work is among the most dangerous kind there is in the U.S. While construction had the most workplace deaths in 2021, the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunt- ing industry (which includes tree care work) experienced the highest death rate, according to the National Safety Council .
“Tree care is a volatile business. It’s
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