Tree service insurance
Tree service insurance
One application, multiple quotes.
All in one place.
Essential Protection
From
$145.83
/month*
Could help cover accidental damage, like a broken window or a client getting injured by fallen debris.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $1M to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
Essential Protection
From
$145.83
/month*
Could help cover accidental damage, like a broken window or a client getting injured by fallen debris.
What’s included:
General Liability
Coverage limits: $1M to $2M†
Get multiple quotes in less than 10 mins
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Over 1 million customers worldwide.
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What Is Tree Service Insurance and Why Do You Need It?
Tree service insurance protects your business from dangerous risks — workers falling from high places, employees working with heavy machinery, and risks of damaging someone’s property.
Tailored business insurance for tree companies gives your business a competitive edge when you’re bidding for municipal and/or residential contracts.
What Type of Tree Service Business Insurance Do I Need?
General Liability Insurance
From
$20.75
/month*
A foundational contractor insurance coverage to help handle costs from third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.
Workers’ Comp Insurance
From
$38.91
/month*
Coverage to help take care of employees who get sick or injured on the job. Most states require this coverage for small businesses with full- or part-time employees. It also can benefit business owners who don’t have employees.
Inland Marine Insurance
From
$20.83
/month‡
Also known as inland marine insurance, this coverage can financially protect equipment and inventory that’s in transport or stored offsite.
Professional Liability
From
$25.83
/month*
Coverage for damages and legal costs due to mistakes or negligence claims.
Business insurance —
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Essential Insurance for Arborists and Tree Removers
Tree service insurance helps to protect your business, your crew, and your peace of mind, so you can focus on doing the best work you can provide for your customers.
Arborists and tree surgeons are highly skilled professionals in their fields. We recognize that safety is a top concern. Tree service insurance helps tree businesses stay prepared for anything that happens.
General Liability Insurance for Tree Service
Tree workers generally work on-site and interact with people. There’s always a chance that someone could get hurt on the job or a worker could damage someone’s property.
General liability insurance (GL) can help pay for medical expenses if a client slips and falls at your office or if your company causes damage or injury to a customer. GL will also help pay for your customers’ losses if one of your workers were to inadvertently damage their personal property — for example, a tree falling on someone’s garage.
GL also covers advertising injuries — for example, lawsuits involving your business’s ads or social media posts.
If your tree service sells a product that later harms someone — for example, firewood contaminated with chemicals that causes a home fire – arborist liability insurance may help pay.
Tree Service Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Most state laws require you to carry workers’ compensation if you have one or more employees. Laws vary by state. A workers’ compensation policy keeps you in compliance.
Workers’ compensation, also known as “work comp,” helps cover lost wages and medical expenses for workers who suffer a work-related illness or injury. The policy also makes payments to workers who become disabled from a work-related injury. In worst case scenarios, families may receive payments if an employee dies from a work-related accident.
Workers’ compensation can be helpful, even if you don’t have employees. You may receive payments to help pay your bills while you recuperate and can get back into business.
Inland Marine Insurance
Inland marine insurance is sometimes called “tools and equipment coverage.” It protects your business property and equipment that you own, rent, or lease.
Your inland marine policy helps cover equipment repairs and replacements to the policy limit — if it gets vandalized, stolen, or damaged. Your tools and equipment are also typically covered in transit — when moving them between job locations.
Inland marine insurance can help keep your equipment up and running, which may decrease downtime or will help you secure your next client.
Professional Liability
Professional liability insurance is sometimes called E&O insurance, which means errors and omissions. At its core, professional liability helps protect you if you or an employee makes a mistake in providing advice or forgets to tell a customer something important, and the customer believes they were financially harmed as a result.
A professional liability insurance policy includes coverage for libel or slander — a competitor alleges that your ad or social media post made false statements that caused them to lose money. In this case, your professional liability policy protects you by helping to pay damages, fees, and other legal costs.
What Does Tree Service Insurance Cover (and Not Cover)?
Each arborist insurance policy is designed to protect your business against certain types of losses. The right tree service insurance policies can help protect your business from the incidents that are most likely to occur. However, your particular tree service insurance policy may include exclusions which for specific situations or losses that the policy won’t cover.
Here are some common limits and exclusions in your policy to look for:
- Accidents caused by clients or vendors
- Work safety improvements
- Normal equipment maintenance
- Wages for a replacement worker
- Vehicles and transport (unless you have a commercial auto policy)
- Limits for work over a certain height — for example, higher than 10 feet
- Pre-existing damage from dead or decayed trees
- Intentional illegal acts
- Catastrophic weather damages — for example, floods and earthquakes
- Acts of war, nuclear events
Each policy is different, so you should make sure to review your particular policy for specific exclusions and limits.
Something else to consider is that if one policy doesn’t cover a certain type of loss, another policy may cover the gap. Speak with your agent or broker if you have questions.
How Much Does Tree Service Insurance Cost?
Your tree service business insurance costs depend on a number of factors:
- Revenue and payroll estimates
- The location of your business
- The specific services you offer
- And more
Here is a look at the median monthly prices** for tree service insurance for the most common policy types:
Median monthly prices**
| General Liability | $117/mo. |
| Workers’ Compensation | $132/mo |
| Inland Marine | $27/mo. |
**Data from Simply Business customers specializing as a “tree service business” who purchased at least one or a combination of general liability, workers’ compensation and contractor’s equipment and small tools policies from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. Reflected maid or tradesperson insurance price tiers may not include purchase of all available policies on this page.
Get an Estimate of Your Arborists and Tree Service Insurance Price
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Why Tree Service and Arborists Choose Simply Business
Small business insurance is what we do. Whether it’s covering you for accidents and errors, meeting workers’ compensation requirements, or financially protecting your business from the unexpected, we can help find the coverage you need for your housekeeping business.
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Tree Service Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions
What types of insurance does a tree service business need?
Tree service professionals typically need general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto insurance. Depending on the business, coverage for equipment (inland marine) and professional liability also may be helpful.
Do I need insurance if I’m a one-person operation?
Yes. Tree services carry high risks to you and others. Insurance protects your income and prevents lawsuits that might cripple your business. Also, your clients may ask for proof of insurance before hiring you, so it’s best to be prepared.
What is a certificate of insurance (COI)?
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a document that proves you are carrying active insurance coverage. Clients often request it before they’ll allow you to begin working for them.
Are subcontractors covered under my policy?
Not always. You may need to ensure subcontractors carry their own insurance or add specific coverage to your policy.
Does homeowner’s insurance cover tree removal?
Sometimes. If a tree falls and damages property, home insurance policies may pay for the damage up to a fixed amount per tree. It also may cover debris removal if it blocks the driveway or a handicap accessible ramp. Make sure to check your policy or speak with your agent to understand your coverages and limits.
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*The displayed price for each product is a monthly estimate calculated from the 10th percentile of relevant policies sold by Simply Business (e.g., General Liability data is used for General Liability estimates). This estimate uses data from relevant policy sales between January–June 2025. Final price and payment terms, which may include an initial down payment, are subject to change based on your state, selected insurance provider, and specific business details.
† Limits may vary by state and nature of your business.
‡Displayed price is based on the lowest available coverage limit for Equipment and Small Tools policies.