Insurance for Arb. Student.

[Slicx]

Hi,

 

I am on a practical year as part of my Degree and will be working as a self-employed sub-contractor for one or more Tree Surgeons.

 

I need public liability insurance, and would like to hear any recomendations regarding the company/policy that you may have.

 

I'll be working as a groundsman for the most part, as the only tickets I have are CS30 and Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue. I imagine this will affect the cost of the insurance as I am very unlikey to be climbing.

 

Also, will I need £1m or £2m cover?

 

Many thanks for any advice you can offer.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Slicx

[Adam]

i have just left college and have cs 30,31,38,39 and chipper . i got insured through a company called city insurance for £5million cover. it costs me £440 for the year. hope this helps.

[Marc]

Hi,

 

I am on a practical year as part of my Degree and will be working as a self-employed sub-contractor for one or more Tree Surgeons.

 

I need public liability insurance, and would like to hear any recomendations regarding the company/policy that you may have.

 

I'll be working as a groundsman for the most part, as the only tickets I have are CS30 and Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue. I imagine this will affect the cost of the insurance as I am very unlikey to be climbing.

 

Also, will I need £1m or £2m cover?

 

Many thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

 

Having pli does look good to the tax man and is essential if your doing your "own" tree work, in all honesty though i'd say save your money invest it elsewhere for your first year, if your working for someone else you can work off their pli even if your s/e.

I didn't have my own pli for years, only recently have i got it as i do the occasional tree work myself.

 

If you really want it then i'd reccomend Trust it'll cost you £525 for 5mill cover with some indemnity with no height restrictions for a year, very quick and easy to set-up as well. Although i'm not sure where you stand as you don't have all your basic competency tickets??

Which leads me to my first point save your money and get your tickets and then some experience first!

Edited July 15, 2009 by Marc

[Rupe]

Where do I start!!!!!

 

Are you going to be a sub contractor?? Answer is no you are not!!

 

You are goign to be sefl employed working for various companies with those companies, so you will be covered by there insurance.

 

A sub contractor is a totally differnet thing so forget that.

 

You don't need insurance, you're still a student for god sake. Unless you are takign on you rown jobs why would you be insured? If you are the gorundie on a job for someone else and a branch goes through the garage and desptroys the aston martin, is that going ot be your fault? Of course not, its however is doing the job, not the climber or the groundie but the company who supplied the quote for the work.

 

I've got a good window you can throw 400 quid out if you want!

[Rupe]

This has been brought up before, but payign insurance so that it look good to the tax man? WTF!! Insuracne is supposed to be for insurance!

[Marc]

This has been brought up before, but payign insurance so that it look good to the tax man? WTF!! Insuracne is supposed to be for insurance!

 

Yes i know what you mean Rupe its not just there to look good, there is also vicarious liabilty to consider. I may be covered by the company i am working for at the time or whoever supplied the qoute, only what if I make the costly mistake and the company tries to pursue me saying i disregarded there spec didn't carry out work to best practice etc etc. Having my own pli covers me in these instances and for my own private work, and even though 85% of my work is for one company having my own insurance does make me look more independant to the tax man.

[Peter]

This has been brought up before, but payign insurance so that it look good to the tax man? WTF!! Insuracne is supposed to be for insurance!

 

How does the tax man know you have your own pl insurance anyway?

 

Even if he did know it wouldnt make the slightest difference, if you work regular hours for a company hmrc will say you should be PAYE, no arguments.

[Rupe]

If the company that uses you does not think that you follow there spec or use best practice then they should stop using you. Ultimatly if you make a mistake it will be their fault for making the decision to get you in for the job. There insurance covers this, mine covers me to use self employed people, if they are crap, hungover or whatever then that is my poor judgement. I can't then go after them in the event of an accident. Plus the groundie is under contant instruction anyway.

 

MAybe in the event of a job being carried out by a SE climber and a SE groundie with no company employed person or the boss on site then that might cause problems but again that would be negligence on the part of the company owner.

 

Don't forget we are NOT talkign about sub contracting. That is totally different.

 

We discussed this before and the two best reason for having insurance as a SE climber were. 1. to look good for the tax man WTF!! and 2. to help the companies you work for to get contracts WTF again!

 

If no 2 is an issue then get the company you are working for to pay your insurance.

 

As far as the tax man is concerned, I agree that we have to make it look like we are sub-contracting and insurance would help, but if you are working for enough different people and maybe doign some easy private work aswell then that should cover it. Word your invoice as job done, not days worked. Its the tax mans job to get your tax, not check if your insured.

 

If you are woking for mostly one company then you shouldn't be self employed and wasting money on insurance won't change that. 85% for one comany is too much for self employed status, you should be employed.

[Rupe]

MArc, if you do 85% work for one company but you have PL insuracnce cos you do some private work yourself, you would need EL insurance too to cover theguy you get in to help you on your private jobs? No?

[Rupe]

How does the tax man know you have your own pl insurance anyway?

 

Even if he did know it wouldnt make the slightest difference, if you work regular hours for a company hmrc will say you should be PAYE, no arguments.

 

 

In the first point Peter, he would only know if you were investigated and the query of your actuall SE status came up, then you could show a certificate and that would help you. Investigations are random or if they are suspicious. Generally if you are payign tax and they don't investigate you then they would never know or care about insurance.

 

SEcondly. I agree!