Insurance Co

[sgreanbeans]

Does anybody use those "specialized for tree guys" Insurance Co's? I am still having problems with mine. Send me a cancellation notice and I am still paid for 2 months? Maybe some tactic to get me to pay early, I dunno, but I no likey, so I'm looking around

 

[husabud]

I tried Arbormax but got rejected because I didn't have hig enough $ sales. Farm Family is supposed to be good but since I have only been " legit" for two and a half years, thy said no too. I ended up with Travelers with a climbing endorsement of sorts added to a landscrapers liability. In the end it's like $1750 for the years for million/three million. Not too bad. Insurance companies suck! What a f'n scam!

 

[mattfr12]

Does anybody use those "specialized for tree guys" Insurance Co's? I am still having problems with mine. Send me a cancellation notice and I am still paid for 2 months? Maybe some tactic to get me to pay early, I dunno, but I no likey, so I'm looking around

Their usually pricey from what I gathered. Talk to your insurance guy that does your trucks to find an under writer. I got mine all bundled through Erie insurance. I got general liability that covers me lifting with a crane also. Ryan homes and some other places require me to carry 5 mill. Then I have a umbrella policy with stacking coverages. I had to get insured against bending a boom for when we rent and use our own Operator.

I used state auto for almost five years and just switched. Saved around 30%. Most underwriters are gonna want you to be claim free for a few years to get a decent deal. If you fit that scenario you should have no problem.

My Comp is even bundled into this, I did my year with the sate and saved a bunch on climbers through an underwriter. Through the state it was 3k per 20k in wages. Now I'm under a grand on 20k. I use Aflack for myself because I can't buy comp for myself.

 

[swyman]

I have Farm Bureau and so does another tree service in the area. The guy I bought my truck from had it to.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

I was refered to to an independent Insurance agent/broker that focuses on business coverage. He got me a policy through Lloyds of London for a pretty fair price. My only gripe is the $1000 deductible, but I guess that is becoming the new standard.
Rick

 

[2treeornot2tree]

When I started out in business, I had Erie insurance. When I bought a bucket truck, Erie told me they wont cover tree service. I called 3 different insurance agents. They said Erie does not and will not cover tree services. I now a guy around here, and he has erie and says he covered. IDK but they wont cover me.

I have donegal insurance. They are pretty good, I saved a bunch of money. From what I was told, they wont cover a company that just does tree service, but i dont know for sure. I offer a mixed bag of services, so they covered me no problem. I got a $500 deductible.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Cool, thanks for the info guys, I hate insurance co's. I called mine to ask what the deal was, they were like"don't worry about that, it is automatically sent out" I asked why "I'm not late" She said that they do it (as I thought) to remind you that if you don't pay u will be cancelled (scare tactic) I asked why they thought I wouldn't pay, she didn't have a answer. Told her that I thought it was pretty darn unprofessional and that I don't like it one bit. Told her if I get one again, I'm gone, as that makes me nervous. If I did have a claim, which I never have, that they would back-peddle because I have a cancellation notice. Maybe I am reading into it more than I should, but I don't get sending a cancellation notice to someone who is ahead?

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I have never got a cancelation notice before other then when i switched insurance companys. Bad part is that if you have a customer listed on a insurance certificate. Or a customer that required a certificate of insurance and you gave the insurance company there address and name, then when you get a cancelation notice so does the customer. I priced some of those tree insurance only companys that are online. They are out of there mind. There were like 4 times as expensive.

 

[BigWill1985]

We went through our local Nationwide agent. They subcontracted it out to Tapco. We were a start-up business, and got our insurance ($1,000,000/$2,000,000) for ~$780 per year. The agent told us that Nationwide refuses to touch anything related to tree work, but Tapco has no issues with it at all. I have had a few customers contact the agent directly to verify our insurance was good, and haven't had any issues at all.

~Will Courtier~

 

[treeman82]

I'm in The Hartford's arborist insurance program and can't say anything bad about it.

 

[mattfr12]

When I started out in business, I had Erie insurance. When I bought a bucket truck, Erie told me they wont cover tree service. I called 3 different insurance agents. They said Erie does not and will not cover tree services. I now a guy around here, and he has erie and says he covered. IDK but they wont cover me.

I have donegal insurance. They are pretty good, I saved a bunch of money. From what I was told, they wont cover a company that just does tree service, but i dont know for sure. I offer a mixed bag of services, so they covered me no problem. I got a $500 deductible.

They found me an underwriter. Its not Erie them self that will do the insuring of liability. I think they did it because it was the only way I would switch. I like only having to send my stuff to one place.

On my trucks they where close to half of state auto. For me. My old insurance guy retired. So I was moving 6 commercial vehicles and chippers bobcats. Then 2 personal. That guy was hell bent on selling it. Saved me a few thousand a year.

 

[tree md]

I go through a local broker. Every year when it's time to renew they search for the most economical underwriter for me. I've been with this broker since 2007 and they use Premium Financing Specialists Corp., out of Chicago. They have had me with two different agencies. I was with APAC for the first few years but they switched me to Wilshire Insurance Agency out of Omaha, NE when I renewed this past year. I guess they came in with a better rate. Mine is a commercial lines policy and I pay $742 for the year. But I have been in the biz for 20 years and never had a claim (knock on wood).

 

[sgreanbeans]

I go through a local broker. Every year when it's time to renew they search for the most economical underwriter for me. I've been with this broker since 2007 and they use Premium Financing Specialists Corp., out of Chicago. They have had me with two different agencies. I was with APAC for the first few years but they switched me to Wilshire Insurance Agency out of Omaha, NE when I renewed this past year. I guess they came in with a better rate. Mine is a commercial lines policy and I pay $742 for the year. But I have been in the biz for 20 years and never had a claim (knock on wood).

Man! I was getting raped!, called all that u guys listed, will let ya all know, who came in where. Thanks again!

 

[2treeornot2tree]

They found me an underwriter. Its not Erie them self that will do the insuring of liability. I think they did it because it was the only way I would switch. I like only having to send my stuff to one place.

On my trucks they where close to half of state auto. For me. My old insurance guy retired. So I was moving 6 commercial vehicles and chippers bobcats. Then 2 personal. That guy was hell bent on selling it. Saved me a few thousand a year.

You should check out donegal. I save like $900 a year when i switched to them from erie.

 

[millbilly]

You should check out donegal. I save like $900 a year when i switched to them from erie.

Are you still with donegal?

 

[Griff93]

I and another local tree guy that I work with occasionally have Scottsdale. I get it through my local Country Financial agent.

 

[blades]

Insurance as a whole is a rip off, commercial even more. Got canceled on my shop a few years back because the under writer didn't like the shop name- least that was what I was told. Just paid mine but looking for new as cost has gone sky high again- never had a claim. The ins .co are getting creative on the deductibles as well- be careful there, be sure to read all the exclusions- I know its a pain but forewarned if you do not.