General liability, workers' compensation (class code 0106 — one of the highest WC rates in California), commercial auto, equipment coverage, and excess liability for D-49 and C-27 contractors. Specialist carriers that actually understand arborist risk.
Tree service carries WC class code 0106 — one of the highest experience-rated codes in California. Most generalist brokers won't touch it, or quote rates that price you out of contracts. We work with specialist carriers that understand chainsaw hazards, aerial lift operations, struck-by exposure, and proximity-to-power-line risk every day.
From sole-operator arborists to multi-crew tree companies — every line of coverage your D-49 or C-27 business requires.
Commercial general liability for tree pruning, removal, stump grinding, and land clearing. Completed-operations coverage protects against property damage claims that arise after the crew leaves. ISA Certified Arborist operations, ANSI Z133 safety-standard compliance noted on your certificate. Limits from $1M/$2M to $2M/$4M.
WC class code 0106 (tree pruning, trimming, and removal) carries the highest base rates in California — aerial lift operations, chainsaw use, falling-limb struck-by hazards, and Cal/OSHA line-clearance rules all drive the exposure. We place with specialist carriers experienced in arborist WC, and work to get your e-mod factored correctly so you're not overpaying for payroll classification.
Commercial auto for chippers, dump trucks, bucket trucks, flatbeds, cranes, and pickup fleets. Hired and non-owned auto for crews who use personal vehicles on the job. Trailer coverage. We write single-unit owner-operators and multi-vehicle fleets across California.
Scheduled equipment floaters for wood chippers, chainsaws, stump grinders, bucket trucks, aerial lifts, cranes, log loaders, and skid steers. Covers theft from job sites and damage in transit — standard commercial auto and GL policies exclude most equipment. Agreed-value and replacement-cost options.
Umbrella and excess liability from $1M to $10M over your GL and auto. Required by many municipalities, utility companies, and property managers for line-clearance and large-tree removal contracts. We structure umbrella layers that follow form over your primary GL and hired/non-owned auto.
Contractor's pollution liability for herbicide and pesticide application, stump treatment, and soil-injection operations. Covers third-party bodily injury and property damage from chemical drift or run-off — excluded under standard GL. Required by CalPEPR for pesticide applicator licenses. Also covers fuel/oil spills from equipment on job sites.
An independent California brokerage that specializes in tree service risk — not a generalist agency that occasionally writes a tree crew between auto and homeowners policies.
Tree pruning and removal (code 0106) is one of the highest-rated WC classifications in California. We know which carriers write it competitively, how to present your safety program and e-mod history, and how Cal/OSHA line-clearance rules affect your premium.
We verify CSLB license type (D-49 Tree Service, C-27 Landscaping) before we quote and make sure your GL and WC certificates reflect the correct classifications. Municipalities and HOAs require this — we get it right the first time.
Line-clearance tree trimming for utilities is a separate classification with additional Cal/OSHA requirements (General Industry Standard 2946). We know which carriers cover this exposure and how to structure the certificate for utility company contracts.
You call about a city contract or HOA job that starts tomorrow — we get the certificate out the same day. Most tree service contractors can't afford to lose a contract waiting three days for a broker to return calls. We move when you need us to.
A straightforward three-step process — no 47-question form before you talk to a licensed advisor who actually knows tree service.
A quick conversation: CSLB license type, annual payroll, number of employees, equipment you run, and whether you do any line-clearance or utility work. Takes about five minutes.
We quote your GL, WC, and auto across carriers that understand arborist risk. You get clear comparisons — not just a premium number, but what's actually covered and what's excluded, in plain English.
Choose the coverage that fits, we bind, and your certificate of insurance is issued same day. Ongoing service from the same advisor — renewals, additional insureds, and claims support.
Representative of the California tree service operations we insure — from sole-operator arborists to multi-crew companies with line-clearance contracts.
10-employee D-49 contractor with prior WC claims. Previous broker couldn't place it. Placed WC code 0106 with a specialist carrier after presenting the owner's ANSI Z133-compliant safety program.
Eight-vehicle fleet including bucket trucks and a crane. Structured GL with completed-ops, commercial auto fleet, and a $2M umbrella for utility company contracts.
Four chippers and two stump grinders stolen from a job site. Placed an inland marine equipment floater covering theft, transit damage, and equipment breakdown. Previous policy had a $25K sublimit.
Cal/OSHA General Industry Standard 2946 line-clearance operations. Placed WC with a carrier that writes utility line-clearance and provided the certificate language the utility required.
Soil-injection and herbicide treatment operations requiring CalPEPR pesticide applicator compliance. Placed contractor's pollution liability covering chemical drift, run-off, and third-party property damage.
Dual-licensed contractor with landscaping and tree removal crews. Placed GL, WC (codes 0106 and 9102), commercial auto, equipment floater, and $5M umbrella under one program.
Our previous broker dropped us after a claim. Tamir found us workers comp with a top carrier in under a week and saved us over $7,000 on our annual premium. Tree service insurance is hard to find — this guy knows what he’s doing.
I needed a COI for a city contract in Pasadena by end of day or I’d lose the bid. Tamir picked up the phone, got it done in two hours. That kind of responsiveness is why I’ve stayed for three years.
Thrive handles our GL, workers comp, commercial auto, and equipment coverage. We went from juggling three brokers to one guy who actually understands tree service risks. Our rates went down and our coverage went up.
Tree service is classified under WC code 0106 (tree pruning, trimming, and removal) in California, one of the highest base-rate classifications in the state. The exposure is genuine: aerial lift and chainsaw operations, falling-limb struck-by injuries, proximity to energized power lines, and Cal/OSHA-specific line-clearance rules under General Industry Standard 2946 all drive the rate. Most generalist carriers avoid it entirely. The right approach is working with a broker who places with specialist WC carriers, presents your e-mod history accurately, and documents your safety program (ANSI Z133 compliance, Cal/OSHA tailgate meetings, PPE requirements) to get the best available rate.
To hold a D-49 Tree Service license from the CSLB, California requires a minimum $15,000 contractor's bond and general liability insurance. In practice, to win city, county, utility, and HOA contracts you’ll need: general liability ($1M/$2M minimum, often $2M/$4M), workers’ compensation covering all employees including subcontractors, commercial auto for any vehicles used in the business, and an umbrella or excess policy ($1M to $5M) for larger accounts. Equipment floaters and contractor’s pollution liability are often required for specific contracts. A C-27 Landscaping license carries the same bonding and insurance requirements.
Completed-operations liability covers property damage or bodily injury that occurs after your crew leaves the job site. For tree service this matters a lot: a tree that was trimmed or treated and later falls and damages a structure, a stump that wasn’t fully ground and causes a trip injury months later, or root-system damage from improper chemical treatment that shows up in a neighboring property a year after the work. General liability policies include completed-operations as part of the standard form, but the limits and exclusions vary — we make sure yours is structured correctly.
Commercial auto covers vehicles while they’re being driven on the road. It does not cover your chipper while it’s parked at a job site and gets stolen, or your chainsaw that falls off the truck. Equipment that is used on the job but isn’t a registered vehicle needs an inland marine equipment floater. Standard GL policies also exclude equipment — if a chipper is stolen from a job site, neither your auto nor your GL pays. An equipment floater covers theft, vandalism, and accidental damage both at job sites and in transit. For tree service companies with significant equipment investment (chippers run $20K–$80K, bucket trucks $50K–$150K), this is not optional.
Contractor’s pollution liability (CPL) covers bodily injury and property damage from chemical release, including herbicide drift, pesticide run-off, stump treatment chemical migration, and fuel or hydraulic fluid spills from equipment. Standard GL policies contain a broad pollution exclusion that eliminates coverage for these claims. If you apply herbicides or pesticides under a CalPEPR license, or operate equipment that could spill fuel near storm drains, CPL is the coverage that fills that gap. Many municipalities and school districts now require it on contracts. We place CPL for tree service contractors and make sure the certificate language satisfies the contract requirements.
Tree Trimming Insurance is a division of Thrive Risk Management Insurance Solutions, an independent California-licensed brokerage (CA License #6012320) based in Encino. We specialize in California contractor insurance, with particular depth in high-hazard WC classifications including arborist and tree service operations. We don’t hand you a quote portal — you talk to a licensed advisor who understands WC code 0106, D-49 and C-27 license requirements, ANSI Z133, and Cal/OSHA line-clearance rules. We move fast on COIs and back you up at renewal.
Whether you can’t find a carrier for WC code 0106, need a COI for a contract tomorrow, or want a second opinion on your renewal — one call is all it takes.