A tree service needs General Liability (for property damage when a limb or tree falls the wrong way), Workers' Compensation (priced off NCCI class 0106, Tree Pruning/Trimming), Commercial Auto, and Tools & Equipment / Inland Marine (chippers, saws, bucket trucks). Because of climber-fall and falling-limb exposure, tree work is scrutinized by carriers, and the filed 0106 loss cost ranges from about $2.45 to $13.78 per $100 of payroll in the states we track (real filed rates, table below).
Tree service is one of the higher-hazard trades — height, chainsaws, and the risk of a limb landing on a structure or vehicle. This guide covers the coverage stack, the claims carriers care about, and the real per-state workers-comp loss costs filed for NCCI class 0106. Figures below are real filed rates as published by each state's rating bureau; your premium depends on payroll, experience mod, and operations. Consult a licensed agent for your quote.
What insurance does a tree service need?
General Liability
Third-party property damage and injury — a limb or felled tree that damages a house, fence, car, or power line, or injures a bystander. This is the signature tree-service exposure; make sure felling/rigging operations are covered, not excluded.
Workers' Compensation (NCCI Class 0106)
Pays medical bills and lost wages for crew injuries — climber falls, chainsaw lacerations, chipper injuries, being struck by limbs. Class 0106 is a high-hazard WC class; its filed loss cost varies widely by state (table below).
Commercial Auto (incl. bucket trucks)
Covers trucks, bucket trucks, and towed chippers plus the equipment aboard.
Tools & Equipment · Umbrella
Inland marine for chippers, stump grinders, climbing gear, and saws (high-value, theft-prone); an umbrella for the catastrophic-claim potential when work is over homes and roads.
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Filed workers-comp loss costs — NCCI class 0106, by state
The real driver of tree-service WC cost, and data most sites do not publish: the actual filed workers-comp loss cost or administered rate for NCCI class 0106 (Tree Pruning, Repairing, Trimming & Drivers), as filed with each state's rating bureau, per $100 of payroll. Your premium is roughly this rate × payroll (÷100) × the carrier's multiplier × your experience mod — see how insurance rates are set.
| State | Filed rate / loss cost (per $100 payroll) | Filing bureau | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $13.78 | NJCRIB (administered rate) | 2026 |
| Minnesota | $11.65 | MWCIA (pure premium) | 2026 |
| Wisconsin | $6.27 | WCRB (administered rate) | 2025 |
| Connecticut | $5.81 | NCCI (advisory loss cost) | 2026 |
| Massachusetts | $5.41 | WCRIBMA (administered rate) | 2024 |
| Missouri | $4.42 | NCCI (advisory loss cost) | 2026 |
| Alabama | $4.29 | NCCI (advisory loss cost) | 2026 |
| Oregon | $3.57 | NCCI (advisory pure premium) | 2026 |
| Indiana | $2.67 | ICRB (advisory loss cost) | 2025 |
| Michigan | $2.45 | CAOM (advisory pure premium) | 2025 |
Source: workers-comp rate filings captured from each state's rating bureau. "Advisory loss cost" is the bureau-published cost before a carrier applies its multiplier; "administered rate" (NJ, WI, MA) is the manual rate. See our Insurance Rate Changes Tracker for the underlying filings. Rates per $100 of payroll; effective dates vary by filing.
Common tree service claims and risks
Tree service sub-niches
Tree trimming/pruning, tree removal (higher rigging/felling exposure), stump grinding, arborist / plant health care, and storm/emergency response. Removal and large-tree work carry more exposure than pruning. This is distinct from a nursery or tree farm (growing trees) and from landscaping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance does a tree service need?
General liability (for property damage when a limb or tree falls the wrong way), workers compensation (NCCI class 0106), commercial auto including bucket trucks, and tools & equipment (inland marine) for chippers and saws. An umbrella is common given the catastrophic-claim potential.
What is NCCI class 0106?
It is the workers-comp classification for tree pruning, repairing, and trimming — a high-hazard class. Your tree-service WC premium is priced off the filed loss cost for this class in your state.
Why does tree service workers-comp cost vary so much by state?
Because the 0106 loss cost is filed state by state. In the states we track it ranges from about $2.45 (Michigan) to $13.78 (New Jersey) per $100 of payroll — more than a 5x spread — before a carrier's multiplier and your experience mod.
Does general liability cover a tree falling on a house?
Yes if the operation is covered — that third-party property damage is the signature tree-service GL claim. Confirm your policy covers felling and rigging operations rather than excluding them, and carry enough limit for the structures you work over.
Do I need coverage for my chipper and bucket truck?
Yes. A bucket truck and towed chipper are covered under commercial auto (note towed-equipment coverage), and high-value gear like stump grinders and climbing equipment under tools & equipment (inland marine).
How is my tree-service workers-comp premium calculated?
Roughly: the filed 0106 loss cost (per $100 of payroll) × your payroll ÷ 100 × the carrier's loss-cost multiplier × your experience modifier. See our guide on how insurance rates are set.
Quick glossary — tree service insurance terms
- NCCI Class 0106
- The workers-comp classification for tree pruning, repairing, and trimming — a high-hazard class.
- Felling / rigging
- Cutting down and lowering trees or limbs; make sure GL covers these operations, not excludes them.
- Advisory loss cost
- The bureau-published cost per $100 of payroll before a carrier applies its multiplier.
- Tools & Equipment (Inland Marine)
- Coverage for chippers, grinders, saws, and climbing gear in transit, on the job, or in storage.