Public Liability Insurance for Tree Surgeons

Public liability insurance for tree surgeons is meant to pay claims if your work injures someone or damages property that is not yours, such as a limb swinging into a neighbour’s conservatory or a felled section crushing a parked car. Because the work involves height, chainsaws and heavy timber close to homes and roads, clients and councils may ask for higher limits and evidence of training. If you employ a ground crew, employers’ liability is a separate cover that the law requires most employers to hold.

What can go wrong in tree surgery work?

Tree work brings real risks of serious injury and property damage. HSE says the key causes of accidents are chainsaws, falls from height and being struck by falling timber or trees, and that over the past 10 years 24 tree surgeons and arborists have been killed during tree work and nearly 1,400 injured. Claims from third parties tend to come from:

• a branch or section swinging or falling onto a roof, conservatory, greenhouse, fence or car;
• timber or debris striking a member of the public on a path or road next to the site;
• a tree or limb brought down onto overhead cables or phone lines;
• chippers or stump grinders throwing debris, or damaging lawns, drives and buried services;
• work on a protected tree without consent, which can result in enforcement against you or your client;
• disturbing an active bird’s nest during the breeding season.

Example. A tree surgeon is dismantling a large sycamore in a back garden, lowering sections on a rope. A section is heavier than expected, the lowering line runs and the section swings into the neighbour’s conservatory, breaking two roof panels and a glass table underneath. The neighbour claims for the repairs. That third party claim is the kind public liability is meant for. Damage to the lowering rope and rigging kit would be a matter for any equipment cover, and depends on the policy wording.

Which covers fit a tree surgery business?

Cover	What it is for	When to consider it
Public liability	Injury to third parties or damage to their property caused by your work, subject to the policy wording	For any tree surgeon working on other people’s property or near the public
Employers’ liability	Claims from employees for injury or disease caused by their work	As soon as you employ a climber or groundworker. GOV.UK says cover must be for at least £5 million from an authorised insurer
Tools, plant and equipment	Theft of or damage to chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders and climbing kit, owned or hired	If losing your kit would stop work or leave you paying a hire company
Professional indemnity	Claims that your survey, report or advice was wrong	If you produce tree surveys, safety inspections or reports for planning or mortgage purposes

Our guide to what public liability insurance is covers the main policy, and our page on professional indemnity insurance explains when advice and surveys need separate cover. Given the size of the property and injury claims tree work can cause, our page on how much public liability insurance you need is worth reading before you choose a limit.

Do I need employers’ liability insurance for my ground crew?

GOV.UK says you must get employers’ liability insurance as soon as you become an employer, from an authorised insurer, with cover of at least £5 million. You can be fined £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured, and £1,000 if you do not display your certificate where employees can access it. The only exemptions GOV.UK lists are employing a close family member or someone based outside England, Scotland and Wales. GOV.UK also says the rules differ for freelancers and contractors, which applies to climbers who work for several firms on a day rate. Read our guide to employers’ liability requirements.

Which safety rules will an insurer ask about?

Insurers ask about training and equipment because they relate directly to the most serious claims.

• Chainsaw training. HSE says that by law chainsaw operators must have received adequate training relevant to the type of work they undertake, and must wear appropriate chainsaw protective clothing whenever they use a chainsaw.
• Climbing and rigging equipment. HSE says lifting operations in arboriculture must be properly planned, supervised and carried out safely. The main climbing rope and associated equipment must be inspected every day by a competent person, a written weekly record should be kept for items under high wear such as ropes, and a reliable means of rescue must be available.
• Work at height. HSE says around 16% of reported tree work accidents involve falling from height, and that work must be properly planned, including for emergencies and rescue.

What legal rules protect trees and wildlife?

Breaking these rules can lead to prosecution of the person doing the work, not only the owner, and you should not assume any insurance will pay a fine.

• Tree Preservation Orders. GOV.UK says cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilfully damaging a protected tree needs the local planning authority’s written consent. Anyone who carries out, or causes or permits, such work can be guilty of an offence, with a fine of up to £20,000 in the magistrates’ court or an unlimited fine in the Crown Court.
• Conservation areas. Certain work on trees in a conservation area needs 6 weeks’ notice to the authority. The same penalties apply as for breaching an Order.
• Dead and dangerous trees. Work on a dead protected tree needs 5 working days’ prior written notice unless it is urgent. Where a tree presents an immediate risk of serious harm, urgent work can go ahead with written notice as soon as practicable.
• Nesting birds. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence, in England and Wales, to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.

Check the local authority’s records before you quote and keep a copy of any consent with the job file.

What may clients, councils and contractors ask for?

• Homeowners may ask to see your public liability certificate and evidence of chainsaw training.
• Councils, schools and estates may ask for public liability and employers’ liability at stated limits, risk assessments, method statements and training records.
• Utility and highway contractors may ask for higher limits and specific qualifications for work near roads or overhead lines.
• Landscapers and builders who subcontract tree work to you may ask for your certificates before you start. Our page on public liability for landscapers covers their side of the job.

What drives the price of cover for a tree surgeon?

We do not give typical figures. The price depends on your business, and the main factors are:

• the split between climbing, felling, pruning, stump grinding and hedge work;
• maximum working height and whether you use MEWPs or cranes;
• work near roads, railways, overhead lines or buildings;
• the size of the team, and the qualifications they hold;
• whether you produce surveys or reports;
• your turnover, wageroll, limit of indemnity and excess;
• your claims history.

What should I have ready when asking for a quote?

1. Your trading name, business structure and years of experience.
2. A description of your work and the share of each type.
3. Training and qualifications held by each climber and groundworker.
4. Your expected turnover and wageroll for the next 12 months.
5. A list of equipment with values, and any hired plant.
6. The limits your clients ask for.
7. Any past claims or incidents.

Before a contract of insurance is entered into, the law requires the insured to make a fair presentation of the risk to the insurer. When you are ready, ask us for a quote or call 01795 841 310, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and we will look for cover.

Frequently asked questions

Does public liability cover damage to the client’s own garden?

It depends on the policy wording. Damage to the property you are working on can be treated differently from damage to neighbouring property. Our page on damage to client property explains the difference.

Will insurance pay a fine for cutting a protected tree?

Do not rely on it. Fines are a criminal penalty, and you should check the Tree Preservation Order and conservation area position before every job.

Do I need professional indemnity for tree surveys?

If a client, planner or lender relies on your survey or report, professional indemnity is worth discussing, because public liability is aimed at injury and property damage rather than financial loss from advice.

Will an insurer ask about my team’s chainsaw training?

Expect to be asked. HSE says chainsaw operators must by law have adequate training relevant to the work, so have records for each person ready.

What should I check before cutting a hedge in spring?

Check for active nests before you start. Intentionally damaging or destroying a wild bird’s nest that is in use or being built is an offence in England and Wales.

Sources

• HSE: Tree surgeon
• HSE: Chainsaw operator
• HSE: Arboriculture
• HSE: Height
• GOV.UK: Tree preservation orders and trees in conservation areas
• legislation.gov.uk: 1
• GOV.UK: Employers liability insurance
• legislation.gov.uk: 3

Reviewed by Christine Anderson, Broker, Solar Protect. Last reviewed 10 November 2026. Solar Protect is the trading name of Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This page is general information, not personal advice.