Stein Tree Service Discusses Why Your Contractor Should be Insured

People often ask if we are insured. Why is it such a big deal whether your certified arborist or tree care professional should be insured? If someone is working at your house or on your property, you as the owner of the property are the one who is ultimately responsible for the safety of any “guests” who come onto your property, even if they are uninvited. If someone walks onto your yard and slips and falls, YOU are responsible for their injuries.

When we work for a commercial enterprise we are labeled as a subcontractor. The “contractor” or owner makes sure we are have liability and workers compensation because the business owner knows that they would be liable for bodily injury, injured employees, or property damage if something happened during routine tree work because of an accident caused by us. If we are insured, the burden is taken from the contractor. Our business insurance protects the commercial enterprise from injury or property damage liability.

Most homeowners are unaware that they are “contractors” as well. If they allow someone on their property then they are the ones responsible, so homeowners need proof of insurance (such as a certificate of insurance) from everyone who works for them, including painters, roofers, certified arborists/tree service professionals, electricians, and other general contractors.

Real Stories that Prove Your General Contractors or Tree Care Professional Should be Insured

Working for a tree care company is a dangerous job that must be respected by those practicing. Tree trimming, removing a tree, as well as other tree care industry tasks can result in tree falls or other injuries. When you hire a tree professional, you feel that he should be able to come in and do his job correctly and safely, but sometimes the situation ends badly.

Here are two real case scenarios that actually happened to people who tried to save a few bucks rather than hire an insured company professional:

1. A homeowner hired a painting contractor to paint the inside of his home. A worker fell off a ladder and broke his back and was paralyzed. The worker sued his boss who had no insurance. When he was unable to collect damages from his boss he sued the homeowner. The homeowner was found to be negligent for hiring an uninsured contractor and therefore was liable for the worker’s injuries.
2. A homeowner hired an uninsured fly-by-night tree service company with no general liability insurance to prune a tree in their back yard. The company dropped a large limb onto the high voltage wire, which caused a power surge that fried all the electrical appliances of their neighbors up the street. The neighbors sued the contractor, but all he had was a pickup and some hand tools. They then had no choice but to sue their neighbor for the damage to their appliances. This cost the homeowner tens of thousands of dollars to repair the damages.

So yes, Stein Tree Service’s Certified Arborists and plant health care professionals are fully insured–to both protect our business and employees and to protect your business or home! Be proactive and investigate: always keep in mind that any contractor, and certainly a tree care professional should be insured.

Call Stein Tree Service for Licensed and Insured Certified Arborists in Wilmington

We have over 35 years of experience serving residents and businesses in Wilmington, Newark and surrounding areas in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. For skilled tree care services you can count on by licensed insured professionals, contact Stein Tree today at 610-723-8072.

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