Jake runs a tree service company in Issaquah with nine employees: climbers, ground crew, and an arborist who writes estimates. He owns two bucket trucks, a crane truck, a log loader, and three chippers. Most jobs are removals and trimming for homeowners, with a growing list of HOA and utility subcontracts.
An HOA management company required $3 million of liability and stop-gap before it would sign a three-year contract. Jake had $1 million of general liability, and he did not know what stop-gap was.
What he asked for
What he needed for the HOA contract.
What the review found
Stop-gap was missing. Tree work carries L&I rates far above most trades, which reflects how often climbers and ground crew get hurt. L&I pays workers' benefits, but when an injury leads to a lawsuit against the company, such as a third-party claim involving an equipment manufacturer or a property owner, L&I does not defend it. That is stop-gap employers liability, and Jake had none.
The heavy equipment was insured as regular vehicles. His bucket trucks and crane truck were on a commercial auto policy, but the booms, cranes, and aerial devices were not covered for damage while operating. The chippers and log loader were not on any policy.
No umbrella. A tree that falls on a house, a car, or a person, or a crane that tips, produces claims well above $1 million. For a company doing this work, an umbrella is not optional.
Crane use needed disclosure. Some general liability policies exclude or limit crane operations. Jake's did.
What we put in place
We moved Jake's general liability to a carrier that specializes in tree care, without a crane exclusion, and added stop-gap employers liability at $1 million.
We updated the auto policy to cover the aerial devices and crane truck correctly, and placed an inland marine contractors equipment policy for the chippers, log loader, stump grinder, saws, and climbing gear, covering theft and damage on job sites.
We placed a commercial umbrella at $3 million over the general liability, auto, and stop-gap, which met the HOA contract with room for utility subcontracts.
We also connected Jake with the carrier's safety resources. Tree care carriers price safety programs heavily: documented training, climber certifications, and daily job briefings all help.
Why it mattered
That fall, a large limb swung during a controlled removal and struck a homeowner's detached garage and the car inside. General liability paid for both. The next spring, the log loader was stolen from an HOA job site over a holiday weekend, and the equipment policy replaced it.
If you run a tree service
- Stop-gap is essential in Washington; L&I does not defend lawsuits
- Insure aerial devices and cranes while operating, not just on the road
- Put chippers, loaders, and gear on an equipment policy
- An umbrella is necessary for tree work, not a luxury
More on contractors and trades, or get a free policy review.