Insurance

[Goose]

Quick question for the pros and the wanna-be-pros (that's me). What type of insurance do you guys carry and who are the good and the bad of the insurance provider game? Are your providers someone you deal with directly or do you go through an agent?

Any information on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[ropensaddle]

Agent, I have the million aggregate it cost more but if accident occurs
may just save you as lawyers get involved! I am not wealthy and it hurts
to pay as I pay in full yearly so don't have to worry about monthly when
times are slow! The only one I have used is Mj kelly and I never had a
claim but goes up if you make money they will audit and if you make a
certain amount they want more. The more you are in business the more
people you end up supporting and that gets a little under my skin. I wish
I had enough mulah to be self insured but then they would drop the rates
to try to keep you. Be ready for all kinds of salesmen to call you trying to
sell you stuff I used to be polite but now I will put them on hold and go
back to work do it a few times and they stop calling. Having your own
biz is sweet and sour so be prepared to work long hours that seem to be
for profiting others and gov!

 

[clearance]

I am upfront with everyone I do work for, I tell them I have compensation insurance for myself but no liability insurance. I make it real clear, some ask "what if something happens, like if you drop a tree on my house'? I say "I'll just get in my truck and drive away". There you go, the people get tense for the first couple of trees but then they start to calm down. I am doing falling shows on peoples property here, a terrible pine beetle epidemic, and something is getting the spruce trees now as well. Today I must have outright fell at least 40-50 trees, all 50-110' spruce or pines, I put ropes in about 10 of them. From what I understand here, for insurance for a tree service, falling is a no-no, trees have to be cut down in pieces, no more than 20' pieces. Where's the fun in that?

 

[Slvrmple72]

I am upfront with everyone I do work for, I tell them I have compensation insurance for myself but no liability insurance. I make it real clear, some ask "what if something happens, like if you drop a tree on my house'? I say "I'll just get in my truck and drive away". There you go, the people get tense for the first couple of trees but then they start to calm down. I am doing falling shows on peoples property here, a terrible pine beetle epidemic, and something is getting the spruce trees now as well. Today I must have outright fell at least 40-50 trees, all 50-110' spruce or pines, I put ropes in about 10 of them. From what I understand here, for insurance for a tree service, falling is a no-no, trees have to be cut down in pieces, no more than 20' pieces. Where's the fun in that?

Clearance, have you had people choose not to use you when you let them know you do not have liability coverage?

 

[clearance]

Clearance, have you had people choose not to use you when you let them know you do not have liability coverage?

A couple, mostly my work is word of mouth or often I am cutting down trees, people watch me and later they ask me. Like I say, I am upfront with everyone, it has to be that way.

 

[rguseman]

I am upfront with everyone I do work for, I tell them I have compensation insurance for myself but no liability insurance. I make it real clear, some ask "what if something happens, like if you drop a tree on my house'? I say "I'll just get in my truck and drive away". There you go, the people get tense for the first couple of trees but then they start to calm down. I am doing falling shows on peoples property here, a terrible pine beetle epidemic, and something is getting the spruce trees now as well. Today I must have outright fell at least 40-50 trees, all 50-110' spruce or pines, I put ropes in about 10 of them. From what I understand here, for insurance for a tree service, falling is a no-no, trees have to be cut down in pieces, no more than 20' pieces. Where's the fun in that?

You are either crazy or quite the gambler. I am sure you are very good at what you do but what are you going to do if the unthinkable happens and you do drop a tree on someone's house or on someone? I am sure you are aware of the fact that the insurance company that pays to fix the damage will come after you and whatever property they can slap a lien on to get their money back. I am not writing this to rip on your decision, after all this is America and people can run their business the way they choose. However, I am just curious as to why someone would risk everything they have worked for just avoid paying an insurance premium.

 

[rguseman]

Quick question for the pros and the wanna-be-pros (that's me). What type of insurance do you guys carry and who are the good and the bad of the insurance provider game? Are your providers someone you deal with directly or do you go through an agent?

Any information on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Your best bet is an independent agent who can give you quotes from a number of different companies. However, you should find out whether the agent or the company he/she is quoting from has written policies for arborists or tree removal companies. You want some expertise in the particular business if you can get it.

You probably should be looking for liability coverage (protection against claims for damage to someone else's property or bodily injury), property coverage (to insure your equipment and structures you own that are associated with the business for damage and/or fire.), and worker's compensation coverage if for yourself and any employees.

In my opinion, while insurance is not cheap, it is cheaper than the alternative of potentially losing your business or being personally liable for any damage you may cause.

 

[clearance]

You are either crazy or quite the gambler. I am sure you are very good at what you do but what are you going to do if the unthinkable happens and you do drop a tree on someone's house or on someone? I am sure you are aware of the fact that the insurance company that pays to fix the damage will come after you and whatever property they can slap a lien on to get their money back. I am not writing this to rip on your decision, after all this is America and people can run their business the way they choose. However, I am just curious as to why someone would risk everything they have worked for just avoid paying an insurance premium.

The insurance company is not going to do anything to me, the homeowner will be denied insurance. That how it works here anyways, the homeowner can always sue me I guess, but, like I have said, they know the score. We are not quite as litigeous (I must have spelled that wrong) as our American cousins. So the customer is the gambler, or more accurately, the player.

 

[Blinky]

I've got an Arborist specific liability policy with limits of $1M per incident and $2M aggregate. It's $860 a year to cover just myself and uninsured subcontractors. I'm a contract climber, have no employees and carry no worker's comp... which happens to be one of the biggest government ripoffs going. It's really not all that expensive to me and well worth the peace of mind. Finding an insurer was the hard part.

I'd hate to have to pay the kind of money full-on tree services have to spend on all the insurance they end up carrying.

 

[rguseman]

Blinky, I think you are spot on about insurance, with the exception of your comment regarding work comp. I think that the concept (notice I said concept) of work comp. is one of the few things government has gotten right. The concept is one of a trade off. In most states, in exchange for the employer purchasing comp. insurance and participating in the system, the employee (in most cases) is prohibited from suing the employer in civil court for their injury. The employee receives prompt compensation for their injury and the employer (and their liability carrier) stays out of civil court. The problem is the way the system is administered. It is heavily stacked in favor of the worker and against the WC carrier. Therefore, in my opinion, it encourages malingering and inflated injury claims. I am guessing that is what your comment is directed at. However, imagine if each employee that claims an injury, whether it is a broken leg or a little boo-boo was able to sue their employee in civil court and the cost and time sucked up by having to defend each one of those claims. I am guessing most employers would rather pay the WC premium.

Oh, by the way, if you have employees and you don't have comp. and an employee is injured, you better be prepared to dig deep into your wallet because most states come down on you like a 10,000lb s**t hammer.

 

[oldirty]

hey man thats a pretty big hammer.

clearance- you're alright. keep on keep'n on.





oldirty

 

[rguseman]

You should see what they haul out here in Wisconsin if they really don't like you:chainsawguy:

 

[nytreeman]

Definetely use an agent,mine,she shopped around got me the best price she could find on my liability and the insurance on my trucks and if you have a question/problem/claim at least you have someone you can talk to in person.

another plus for me is my insurance agent is smokin hot

 

[Mitchell]

pays for itself

my insurance 2mil for 138 month pays for itself as i was losing more work from people with cold feet then it costs me to insure myself. I look at it like advertising costs. Particularly, as after reading some of the 30 page document [no doubt it is written the way it is so no one will comprehend it] I feel they have given themslfs so many outs i proubly wont be covered anyways. Couple that with my 2500 deductible It is very likely i will never make a claim ever. It really is just advertising cost; I can advertise im insured.

 

[woodchux]

I've got an Arborist specific liability policy with limits of $1M per incident and $2M aggregate. It's $860 a year to cover just myself and uninsured subcontractors.

What company do you use Chip? Will you post or pm me a contact # for them? I pay around $1200 for my liability ins.

 

[nytreeman]

What company do you use Chip? Will you post or pm me a contact # for them? I pay around $1200 for my liability ins.

Yes I was wondering the same thing