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EMERGENCY TREE REMOVAL 24/7 CLAIMS HOTLINE: 877.406.3232
  October 14, 2009
Quick Facts
  • In a recent study conducted by the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), tree care work was rated as the 5th most dangerous job in the US.
  • According to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 1 in 10,000 construction workers is likely to have a fatal accident, whereas according to statistics gathered by the TCIA, 1 in 3,000 tree care workers is likely to have a fatal accident.
  • Certain aspects of tree care work are not covered under standard General Liability insurance policies creating exposure for companies that do not have the appropriate professional liability insurance.
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Liability Exposure for Contractors when Performing Tree Removals
by Doug Malawsky

Pine on houseLast year it is estimated that the insurance industry paid approximately $4.5bn in claims related to damage caused by fallen trees and tree limbs. Weather patterns, tree preservation trends, new construction and other factors are increasing this financial exposure. In response, insurance companies are creating formal tree removal programs and demanding that only qualified, professional tree care companies perform removals for their clients. Tree work is highly specialized and there are many rules and regulations which govern how tree work is to be performed but amazingly only a small portion of emergency tree work is performed by qualified companies, those with the necessary insurance, licenses and training.

Emergency tree removals increase liability and other financial exposure for general contractors and restoration companies that perform them without the requisite know-how, equipment and insurance to perform dangerous tree work but do so in any event. The following is a representative list of some of the issues that a contractor may face:
  1. Insufficient Resources and Collateral Damage
  2. Insufficient Licensing
  3. Violations of Tree Ordinances and Local Regulations
  4. Insufficient Professional Liability Coverage
  5. Inability to Document Tree Work Correctly
  6. Use of Unprofessional Sub-contractors for Tree Work

click here to read entire article...

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