The Average Cost Of Tree Care Insurance

Tree care companies do the dangerous work of maintaining tall trees around your yard. They prune large branches, cut trees back from power lines and even fell trees that are dead or damaged. However, if there is an accident on your property you can be held responsible if the tree care company didn't have insurance. Adequate tree care insurance should cover many different items.

General Liability

This kind of insurance insures that if the tree care company in question makes a mistake or damages something, the insurance will cover it. It also covers injuries to workers or others. This amount of insurance coverage should be between $500,000 to $2 million. For that amount of coverage, the average cost nationwide is between $3,000 and $6,000 a year.

Accident Insurance

Accident insurance is slightly different than general liability. It covers any property damage done to your home or car caused by the tree care company. This insurance should include coverage of at least $500,000 to $1 million to cover the cost of your home repairs. This insurance would kick in if the general liability didn't cover everything. The average cost of accident insurance for this much coverage is between $3,000 and $6,000 a year.

Commercial Auto Insurance

The tree care company needs to have its commercial vehicle insured so you don't have to shell out any money if a branch falls on their truck while they're working on your home. The amount should be between $50,000 to $200,000 to cover any damages. The average cost of commercial auto insurance is between $2,000 and $5,000 a year.

Workers Compensation

Even with the general liability insurance, if the tree care company doesn't have worker's compensation, you could have to pay for a worker hurt on your property. Make sure the company is insured up to at least $1 million for worker's compensation. The average cost for this amount of coverage is about $5,000 to $6,000 a year.

Homeowner's Insurance

While this isn't insurance held by the tree care company, before you have the trees around your home looked at, you should make sure your homeowner's insurance is up to date. Be sure there is a clause for accidents from tree removal that would cover the cost of your home. The average cost of homeowner's insurance nationwide is between $700 and $800 a year.