What Insurance Do I Need For Felling and Groundwork?

[handymidi]

Hi what insurance do I need for Tree Felling and Groundwork? 

 

I know it will be Public Liability but are there any prerequisites? 

 

Do I need Chainsaw Qualifications or anything else to get insured? 

 

I have a Climber for bringing down trees. 

 

But I want to be insured for felling trees, ground work and clearing. 

 

Thanks 

 

[monkeybusiness]

Employers liability insurance if you have anybody at all working under your instruction (whether they are employed, subcontractor, voluntary, child-labour, slaves, mates etc). That is a legal requirement, it makes no difference if those you ‘employ’ carry their own insurance as well, you legally have to have it as the ‘employer’. 

Any other insurance/qualifications etc is down to how much you and your potential customers wish to risk. Legally you don’t need anything else - not having public liability insurance as well as employers liability will however create a significant barrier to getting almost any commercial (and a lot of private) work.
Most insurers will want to see some sort of task-relevant proof of competency (some before offering insurance, pretty-much all in the event of a potential claim).  

[Brushcutter]

13 hours ago, handymidi said:

Hi what insurance do I need for Tree Felling and Groundwork? 

 

I know it will be Public Liability but are there any prerequisites? 

 

Do I need Chainsaw Qualifications or anything else to get insured? 

 

I have a Climber for bringing down trees. 

 

But I want to be insured for felling trees, ground work and clearing. 

 

Thanks 

 

You need employers which is the only legally required insurance for the climber that works under your instructions.

 

Public liability is optional but you would be a fool not to have it. Most insurance companies will do a combined el/pl policy. Worth having tools insurance depending on how much you own. 

 

As for certs of competence I had to provide the company all my certs. And I have to hold a copy of my subbies certs just in case.

 

 

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

21 hours ago, monkeybusiness said:

Employers liability insurance if you have anybody at all working under your instruction (whether they are employed, subcontractor, voluntary, child-labour, slaves, mates etc).

Nit picking, the only exception is family member so if the child labour is your own then you don't need employers liability.

 

In all practical situations you do though, of course.