Broker-arranged
Arborist and tree lopper insurance
Tree work is rated as one of the higher-hazard trades, and the insurance follows: public liability with height limits and tree-work endorsements, plant cover for chippers and stump grinders, motor for the trucks, and personal accident for the climber who is also the owner. Councils and principal contractors ask for the certificate before you quote. A licensed broker places it with the insurers that still write tree work.
- Public liability that doesn’t exclude height or felling
- Chippers, grinders, saws and climbing kit insured
- The licences and controls insurers ask about
What insurance does an arborist need?
Public liability that specifically covers tree felling, pruning and removal at the heights you work, with a limit councils accept (usually $10 million or $20 million); cover for chainsaws, climbing gear, chippers and stump grinders; commercial motor for trucks and trailers; personal accident or income protection for a sole operator; professional indemnity if you write arborist reports or assessments; and workers compensation once you employ. Work near powerlines, crane-assisted removals and chemical stump treatment each need declaring.
Many standard trade policies exclude work above a set height or exclude tree felling outright. The wording matters more than the price.
The covers tree businesses usually hold
| Cover | Why |
|---|---|
| Public liability | A limb through a neighbour’s roof, a dropped branch on a parked car, or a passer-by hit on the footpath. Check the height limit and that felling isn’t excluded. |
| Tools and equipment | Chainsaws, pole saws, rigging and climbing kit, stolen from the ute or damaged on site. |
| Plant and equipment | Chippers, stump grinders, mini loaders and elevating work platforms, owned or hired in. |
| Commercial motor | Tip trucks, chipper trucks and trailers, including the load. |
| Personal accident | Income for a sole operator who can’t climb after an injury. Workers compensation usually doesn’t cover the owner. |
| Professional indemnity | Arborist reports, tree risk assessments and development application advice. |
| Workers compensation | Compulsory once you employ, in every state. |
The licences and controls insurers ask about
Safe Work Australia’s guide to managing the risks of tree work (March 2023) and SafeWork NSW’s tree work code of practice set the expectations: a crew of at least two with a ground observer, a documented plan for each removal, exclusion zones, and the right access method. A boom-type elevating work platform with a boom of 11 metres or more needs a high risk work licence to operate, and a worker lifted by a crane to do tree work needs a dogging licence.
Insurers rate the same things. Expect questions on maximum working height, the proportion of felling versus pruning, EWP and crane use, work near overhead powerlines, chemical use, subcontractors, and your qualifications. Honest answers get the right wording; an undeclared crane job can void a claim.
What sets an arborist’s premium
Request arborist cover through us
Arborist insurance questions
What insurance do councils ask arborists for?
A certificate of currency for public liability, usually $10 million or $20 million, that doesn’t exclude tree felling or the heights involved, and often with the council noted as an interested party for work on council land or street trees.
Does public liability cover tree work near powerlines?
Often not, unless declared and accepted. Work near overhead lines is specialist vegetation management with its own training, and most policies exclude it by default. Tell the broker if you do it.
Is there a height limit on arborist public liability?
Usually. Insurers rate tree work in height bands and write the maximum into the policy. Working above the limit can leave a claim uncovered, so declare your actual maximum.
Do I need professional indemnity as an arborist?
If you write arborist reports, tree risk assessments or development application advice, yes. A report that misses a defect and leads to a failure is a professional claim, not a liability one.
Why is arborist insurance arranged by a broker?
Tree work is a high-hazard class with a small set of insurers and wording that varies on height, felling, powerlines and cranes. A broker places it with an insurer that writes your actual work and checks the exclusions before you rely on the certificate.
Keep reading
More industries arranged by a broker
Sources
Tree work