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Does anyone have insurance for a tree surgery van in London for under £1000? Last year I paid £807 fully comprehensive. The renewal quote is £1680. Even allowing for 10% inflation that's a 90% increase.

So, I’ve got a customer who, long story short wouldn’t pay the remainder of a bill that was due in May. When we threatened small claims court, he accused our staff of damaging a self driven lawn mower. the issue, he claims, is that by not leaving at least 2 inches of a stump, the lawn mower can drive over the stumps, therefore damaging the lawnmower. We were never made aware of any requirements for the lawnmower at any stage. Does anybody have any experience in dealing with dodgy claims from even dodgier customers

Alright you lot? I'm just renewing my Professional Indemnity insurance and spotted a clause referring to sub-contractor agreements. Basically they are only insured if I have a written agreement with them. Do any of you hairy arsed apes have these with your subbies? And if so did you have the agreements drawn up by a legal professional or did you scribble something down on the back of a chain box?

So I'm about to renew my Arb insurance policy, and planning to try ringing around for the best quote. So far I've got the following to try;- Trust Arborisk Treesurgeoninsurance Lycetts Arbcover Towergateinsurance Any that I've missed off the list? Thanks guys Simon

We've just had our renewal quote through. It's up about £400 on last year to around £2600. Just wondering A) is this is roughly in line with other people for the increase as well as the overall amount. And B) who other people use for insurance Regards, Andrew

Hi all, I currently work 5 days a week for a company as an arb surveyor/consultant. I am looking to earn some extra cash by carrying out some local surveys and providing reports on weekends for mostly risk assessments and tree management reports. I may end up doing some small BS5837 and subsidence reports but will mostly do these through work due to the complexity and other reasons. Are there any liability/insurance etc. issues I need to sort before I can get started? I am fully qualified with several years experience. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

I fear that I may be opening a can of worms here, and putting myself up for some abuse;- but I'm stuck anyway so here goes! So I've recently found myself in a sticky situation. I called up my Insurance Brokers, (one of the big, well known Arb insurance specialists), to renew my Public Liability policy. As I've done annually for the last 8 years I think, with no problem. This time they questioned the fact that I don't also have Employers Liability and then proceeded to give me a very hard sell, and I would say actually tried to bully me into taking it. I firmly refused as it's not worth it for me so they eventually said that they could not even give me the original Public Liability insurance. Their argument is that according to the HSE it is against the law to climb without a second climber on site, so the Public Liability would be invalid anyway if I was working alone. And if I am doing it "properly" and using a sub-contractor then I need the Employers Insurance to cover them. Some background. I'm a Sole Trader, doing a mix of tree surgery, general gardening and landscaping work. I occasionally have other people to help me out on bigger jobs but it's only a few times a year and always either my brother doing it for the crack or a mate for some beer money, so all very casual. Also, I only do this over the summer as I have a completely different job during the winter. I was paying about £350 for the P.L., if I was to have the E.L. as well it would be double that per year. It really wouldn't be worth it financially given my circumstances, the amount I earn from the tree surgery work. There's a few issues here, one obviously is the whole lone working thing. I didn't really want to get into a debate on the rights and wrongs of this here, it's been covered quite a lot already on Arbtalk. I recognise that it is a risk of course, but it's one that I am willing to take for now given the relatively small amount of climbing work that I do. As long as I am not endangering others then I believe that it's my risk to take. If I am using anyone else to help me then it can be their choice, I will be open about the fact that I have no E.L. insurance. The other issue is that of being correctly insured for all work that I do. Working without Public Liability is very much NOT what I want to do. I have always tried to "do things properly", in as much as being fully insured and having all my kit up-to-scratch w.r.t. Loler regs. I'd been with that insurance company for a number of years, they'd never asked too many questions and never pushed the E.L. on me. I don't know why they are suddenly insisting, I asked if the law had changed or something but they said no. I've not yet tried any of the other companies around but I'm concerned that they are going to take the same approach and say both policies or nothing at all. If that happens then I'll have a few options, none of them at all attractive. a) Lower myself to the ranks of the cowboys and work with no insurance b) Give up the climbing work altogether, (I could get P.L. but it would be limited to 5mtrs effectively meaning no climbing) c) Bite the bullet and take out the annual E.L. as well but that would mean very little profit from my tree work I'm now in a right quandary about what to do. Has anyone else been faced with a similar situation? Are there any companies that anyone knows of that will provide P.L. without E.L.? Or, if I could get the E.L. on an ad hoc basis that would be ideal. It makes no sense to pay for a whole year of cover if I'm only going to need it for a few occasions. If I could get the cover as needed on a daily basis I could be all "above board" with a clear conscience, without wasting lots of money. I'm sure this is an impossible dream unfortunately. Is it indeed strictly the case that it is against the law to climb without a second climber on site? I get the impression that it's a bit of a grey area. Cheers guys and gals.

I'm moving to New Zealand to Nelson this month for at least a year, maybe more depending on what happens. I'm hoping to carry on as a self-employed climber and my cousin(a forester) want help setting up an arb team, but I imagine work will be very slow there too begin with. Does anyone have any idea of the best way to get climbing kit over(harness,helmet,boots,rope,lanyard,krabs and pulleys etc) without paying tons for an additional heavy bag in hold luggage I was thinking posting might be cheaper than a per KG airline fee but I don't know if I'd have to pay an import tax on it? Also looking for advice on travel and Personal accident insurance if anyone has any recommendations that would be hugely appreciated! If anyone has any recommendations for a good NZ tree ID book and P+D book that would also be a great help! Also with banking do I need to open an account in NZ or will my UK internet banking be alright? What tax might I need to pay if I'm only there for a year? And will NZ sim cards work in any UK phone? Thanks in advance!!!

I'm interested in becoming a Loler inspector for arb equipment. Before I undertake this i would like to know what insurance is required for inspectors and typical costs? Is the insurance part of a general arb/business insurance or separate policy? Obviously equipment can deteriorate significantly between inspections. Does anybody know of any claims made against an inspector when an inspected piece of equipment has failed and the implications? TIA David

Anyone in the reserves/TA had a big increase in PAX? I'm looking for a good alternative to cover me for tree work and army reserve work.

So moving to work in New Zealand has been a daunting but simple process and well worth it! As expected there are epic landscapes everywhere here. I've got a few small tips for anyone looking to do so to make it a bit easier: To work you need a bank account and IRD number: I opened an account at kiwi bank which is really straight forward and most of it can be done online. You need an ID and proof of address. If you're staying with friends or family you need them to give you signed a letter stating you live there with a utility bill with their address on. IRD offshore or non-resident application form. You'll need your UTR (unique taxpayers reference) number from the UK and your ID. You can complete the IRD form at the bank when you go in to open the account. They had a good look at my kit on the way in but it was all fine and worth the hours cleaning. Make sure you get rid of any signs of sawdust and anything which could be a tiny seed. I put my ropes etc in a bag on a cool wash and cleaned all krabs etc thoroughly. Tree kit is very expensive here up to 2x the price (regardless of the exchange rate) so unless you are going to be employed I'd recommend bringing pulleys karabiners and rope with you or get a friend to post stuff as a gift to avoid customs costs. Tree kit here can be bought at http://treetools.co.nz/ or https://www.metrogreen.co.nz/ I haven't found any other good sites yet. The food here is 3x the price unless you go hunting and fishing which is free! So be prepared for that. Rent is also pricey but I'm in Nelson which is apparently a sort-after location you can check prices on www.trademe.co.nz which is like ebay/gumtree with things, jobs and vehicles. I've found some small tree ID books that are OK for a quick reference but nothing comprehensive like the UKs Collins Tree ID book. I'm keeping an eye out. There's no need for insurance whilst working for another company. You are covered by ACC and the reciprocal agreement. https://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/eligibility-publicly-funded-health-services/reciprocal-health-agreements Vodaphone is the main service provider on the south island and you can buy a sim card and plan at the airport upon arrival.

Hello, I was hoping someone would be able to point me in the right direction, my partner has been working for someone for 4 years now and has all the relevant qualifications and tickets. He is hoping to try and do a bit of work for himself which he can hopefully build up into a business when he has enough custom, but he isn't very good at the business/paperwork side....... Which means I have to sort it out, I have no knowledge of business, and don't really know where to start. I have seen an accountant who has helped with some aspects but my main question is..... What kind of insurance do we need? What should it cover? Does it need to be specific? And is there a certain company to go with? I have looked at specialist insurance, small business insurance and also public liability, but I don't want to get the wrong one and end up in trouble/with a big bill, it all just seems a bit confusing and I want to make sure we have the right type of cover, I assume he will just be doing small jobs as it will only be him. Any help is appreciated thank you!!

:laugh1:I have my own Public Liability ins and have my own business. But when subbing for another tree firm to climb for them, where would I stand say if I cut down a TPO tree or squished a greenhouse?

Follow us on Twitter @ArboriskUK - we are tweeting about industry issues, risk management, H&S practices and anything else that we think will be of interest to you! We use Twitter to help spread good practice and provide useful information to our followers. You can contact us for an insurance quote or for more information through our Twitter account, or in the usual ways: Email: [email protected] Tel: 0113 259 3560 www.Arborisk.co.uk

Just a quick note to wish all arbtalk members, administrators and our customers a very merry christmas and a prosperous 2013. From the Arb Team @ Trust Insurance

We are launching our brand new AOne product, designed especially for sole traders – we can tell you all about it at the show. Also for those of you that don’t already know, you can get great rates on Personal Accident Cover with us if you are already a client of ours. Plus we’ll be doing a 10% show discount on any new business & you can walk away with one of our hi-vis vests! We look forward to seeing you, even if its just for a chat! It will be nice to put a few names to faces Jessica, James & Scott Arborisk.co.uk 0113 259 3560

We would like to just say a big thank you to all our clients for their continued loyalty – our average retention rate is 98.5% which is outstanding in such a competitive price driven industry. The reason our clients say they stick with us is our quality cover at competitive prices coupled with our excellent standard of service. James, Scott & Jessica are looking forward to going to the APF Exhibition next week – do come and visit our stand - we are holding a raffle each day exclusively for our clients, prizes will be various beer/lager/cider packs The Arborisk Team Arborisk - Arborist & Tree surgeon Insurance (the average figure excludes any clients that ceased trading).

Hi, We have created a document with links for all the risk management information that may be useful for arboricultural businesses. Please click here to view the Risk Management PDF Arborisk are backed by Aviva who have a huge amount of Risk Management information. We have added everything we can think of that would be relevant, but if there is information you are looking for that isn't on this document please let me know and we will find it for you. For other useful downloads, visit our website - Arborisk.co.uk

Hi all, I noticed a few threads on here regarding questions about specific areas of marketing and thought it might be useful to offer a few marketing ideas tailored for Arb businesses. Our expertise is of course in insurance... but we have put together a marketing guide for you focussed on giving you ideas to help you retain existing and get new business. Most of the things we have suggested are ideal for you to do on days when the phone goes quiet. Click here for the marketing guide - it's a pdf so you can print it off if needed. We hope you find this useful! Jessica & the rest of the Arborisk team

We are delighted to announce the launch of Arborisk.co.uk, offering quality insurance cover for arboriculturalists at a competitive rate. Arborisk.co.uk includes £5,000,000 Public Liability cover, which can be increased to £10,000,000, and offers additional optional covers such as Employers’ Liability, Tools and Equipment and Professional Indemnity. The policy is declaration-free and warranty-free and includes a No Claims Discount. Premiums can be paid by interest-free monthly instalments and policyholders also have access to the insurer’s Risk Management Solutions website. Lynda Michel, Director of Bartlett & Company Ltd, who promote Arborisk.co.uk commented: “As the economy has changed we wanted to be able to offer a competitive scheme, both in price and flexibility of cover, backed by our high levels of service. Arborisk.co.uk has been developed using our previous experience of working with the arboriculture industry and as a result we believe we have created an incredibly attractive package.” To get a quote speak to our team on 0113 2593560 or complete our on-line application form. Often you will receive your quote on the day of your request and no proposal form is needed. www.arborisk.co.uk

Across the country, thousands of vehicle owners are finding themselves victims of catalytic converter theft. With the price of precious metals skyrocketing, thieves are stealing catalytic converters that contain enough platinum, palladium or rhodium to make it worth the risk to cut it from the underbelly of your vehicle. High clearance vehicles, like 4x4's and trucks are a specific target as its is easier for thieves to access the converter. We have put together a guide on some preventative measures to help you avoid being a target. http://www.bartlettgroup.com/download/send/113/arborisk-catalytic-converter-theft-prevention Hope you find this useful

Hi all, I'am 20 years of age and i have a Mitsubish shogun sport elegance 4x4 which i need to get insurance for. Now the most expensive being £14,000 through Tesco and the cheapest being through Adrian flux for £3,800 FOR THIRD FIRE AND THEFT, fully comp is in the £5-8000 region. I have tried most of the comparison sites and most 4x4 insurance specialists. What i was wondering is if any body knows anyway (besides getting another car) of getting a better quote than £3,800 for third fire and theft. ideally i would like fully comp if possible but at £5-8000 its very steep. is there any insurance companies any body knows of that can give me a good cheaper quote? Many thanks in advance for your time and answers

just wondering if anyone knows anything about the law regarding agri spect insurance and wot u can and carnt do I.e can i get a lorry and make it agri spec there for not needing a hgv liesence?????????? help??

Hi, I am not an arborist but I have to climb trees to check natural nest holes for nesting birds for my job at the university of Cambridge. I have just finished a cs38 climbing course at Shuttleworth college and have all my gear. However, I the harness I bought before I did the course is a New Tribe recreational harness from the states. It meets and exceeds AINSI standards, but I want to use it for my job here. Does the harness need to meet EN standards for my kind of job or is AINSI enough (since I don't use chainsaws or anything)? And if the harness needs to meet EN standards, are there any companies that can check gear to see if it meets EN standards and give you a certificate for that? Help would be much appreciated!