Public Liability Insurance For Tree Surgeons: Who is it For and How Does it Work?
Any tree surgery work carries an inherent risk, so you need to have the correct insurance in place. Having specialist public liability insurance will make sure you’re fully protected for every job you complete. So, what is tree surgeon public liability insurance?
Public liability insurance for tree surgeons protects individuals and small businesses against the risk of liability claims. If a member of the public claims against you for personal or property damage then good public liability should help with the costs of legal defense and possible compensation.
Read on for a more detailed explanation of what public liability for tree surgeons is, how it works and how much it costs.
What is Public Liability Insurance for Tree Surgeons?
Public liability insurance is the most common type of insurance for tree surgeons. It protects tree surgeons and businesses in the event of a claim made by a third party. If there is a claim, this insurance should pay out any compensation required and cover the cost of your legal defence.
How Does Public Liability Insurance For Tree Surgeons Work?
Public liability insurance is the most common type of insurance for tree surgeons and works by protecting tree surgeons and businesses in the event of a claim made by a third party. If there is a claim, this insurance will pay out any compensation required and cover the cost of your legal defence. They will pay out regardless of whether you or your tree surgery business is found to be responsible. Typically a dedicated claims team provided by the insurance provider will handle the claim.
Who Needs Tree Surgeon Public Liability Insurance?
Public liability insurance for tree surgeons provides cover for both individuals and multi-staffed companies, including:
- Sole traders
- Freelancers or self-employed tree surgeons
- Small tree surgery businesses
- Startups
- Limited companies
If you employ staff or labour-only sub-contractors, you are also legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. This covers the employer if they are found to be responsible for their employee’s injury, accident or illness.
Common Types of Claims for Tree Surgeon Public Liability Insurance
Some common scenarios which tree surgeon public liability insurance can protect you against:
- A branch that you are removing falls and damages a client’s or nearby property.
- A piece of equipment is dropped and lands on a nearby car, causing significant damage.
- A member of the public trips over some machinery that has been left on the pavement and is injured.
How Much is Public Liability Insurance for Tree Surgeons?
Most insurance companies will base your public liability insurance quote on your projected turnover for the year and the kind of work that you do, such as climbing or groundwork. A bigger turnover and riskier jobs will result in higher insurance premiums. Other factors that can factor into the cost of your insurance include:
- The amount of cover you need. This can range from £1 to £10 million. Be aware that commercial clients might require a higher level of cover.
- The amount of work you do and the frequency.
- If you’ve made any previous claims.
- If you require added extras, such as tools and equipment cover or personal accident protection.
Why Do Tree Surgeons Need Public Liability Insurance?
It’s essential you are protected if something goes wrong. Much of the equipment used is heavy and inherently dangerous which can cause safety issues for your client or members of the public. Additionally, the process of felling or maintaining trees means that there can be a high risk of damaging something nearby.
Here are some of the key benefits of taking out specialist tree surgeon public liability insurance:
- It gives you peace of mind that you are covered in the event of an injury or damage claim made against you.
- This insurance will cover your legal fees and any compensation, so there will be no financial difficulties for you or your company.
- Some policies also cover your tools and equipment and give you the option of adding personal accident cover which protects you if you’re injured while working or elsewhere.
What Other Types of Insurance Coverage Do I Need as a Tree Surgeon?
In addition to public liability insurance, there are a range of other insurances designed specifically to protect tree surgeons from the inherent risks associated with the arboricultural field. Here are the other types of insurance you should consider:
- Employer’s Liability Insurance: This is a legal requirement if you employ any members of staff as part of your tree surgery business. Employers’ liability insurance protects the business if there is an injury at work.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance: This protects you if you are accused of professional negligence, including giving incorrect advice or breaching confidentiality. This cover is especially important if you offer professional consulting services.
- Personal Accident Cover: Anyone working in tree care should consider taking out this insurance. Not taking this insurance could have major financial consequences. Personal accident cover will pay out if you are injured and provide you a weekly benefit if you cannot work.
- Tools and Equipment Cover: Tree surgery tools, equipment and machinery can be expensive so it’s important that it’s fully protected in case it’s damaged, lost or stolen.
Additional insurances also include:
- Interruption of Business Insurance: Should your equipment be stolen and you are unable to carry out work for several days or weeks this insurance can help cover costs during this time.
- Key Person Insurance Cover: Ideally any key person within the company should be covered by this insurance should you lose a valuable member of the team due to sickness or injury this insurance aims to help cover additional costs.
Find A New Tree Surgeon Role with Arbjobs
Finding a new tree surgeon role can be as challenging as finding the correct tree surgeon insurance. At Arbjobs, we understand that looking for a new tree surgeon position isn’t easy. This is why we created a job board dedicated to helping tree surgeons and arborists find jobs in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, and worldwide.
We cater for both employers and job-seekers. If you are looking for a new arboricultural position, sign up for a Free Jobseekers Account and get access to hundreds of hiring arboricultural firms. Alternatively, sign up for Free Job Alerts to get regular updates about tree surgeon opportunities.
If you are an employer looking for a new staff member, you can register for a company account with Arbjobs. We’ll put you in touch with the 9,000+ users on our site looking for their dream tree surgeon position.
Public Liability Insurance For Tree Surgeons FAQs
Is Public Liability Insurance for Tree Surgeons a Legal Requirement?
Although public liability insurance isn’t a legal requirement for tree surgeons, it should be an essential cover that every tree surgeon or arboricultural business invests in. It will protect you or your business if you are sued for injury or damage, ensuring no financial repercussions for your firm’s future. Be aware that if you employ staff, it is a legal requirement to have employers' liability insurance.
Are My Tools and Equipment Protected with Public Liability Insurance for Tree Surgeons?
Tools and equipment cover is not included as standard with tree surgeon public liability insurance. However, most insurance providers allow you to add extra cover for your equipment, tools and plant, including climbing equipment, chainsaws and chippers. Some policies will even cover other business equipment, such as laptops and mobile phones. This cover protects you against the loss, damage or theft of your equipment to give you added peace of mind.
For more information about tree surgery jobs, check out our blogs.