Does Public Liability Cover Tree Removal Damage? What Arborists and Tree Loppers Need to Know
Updated: Oct 2
A rigging point gives way and a section of trunk comes down through a client's carport. A felled gum lands a metre further than planned and flattens the neighbour's fence. The stump grinder catches a water pipe nobody knew was there.
The first question most tree businesses ask is simple: Will my public liability cover this?
What Public Liability Covers on Tree Jobs
Public liability responds when your work causes damage to someone else's property or injury to someone who isn't your employee, and you're legally liable for it.
On tree jobs, that typically includes:
A limb or trunk section falling onto a client's house, shed, pool or car
A felled tree damaging a neighbour's fence, roof or garden
Debris thrown from a chipper hitting a parked car or a passer-by
A member of the public injured by falling timber near the work zone
Damage to footpaths, kerbs or council property during a street-side job
In these cases, public liability generally pays for the repairs or compensation, plus legal costs if the claim is disputed. You'll usually pay an excess.
Where Cover Commonly Stops
This is where tree businesses get caught out. The details vary between insurers, but these are the most common gaps.
1. The Tree You're Working On
Public liability covers damage to other property, not the thing you're working on. If a client claims you damaged a tree you were pruning, or ruined a tree they wanted kept, that's generally not covered. The same applies to the specific part of a property you're working on, such as a section of fence you've removed for access.
2. Property in Your Care, Custody or Control
Many policies exclude damage to property you're looking after or have control of at the time. If you move a client's trailer, outdoor furniture or pot plants out of the way and damage them, cover can depend on the wording. Some insurers offer an extension for this, so it's worth asking.
3. Fixing Your Own Work
Public liability doesn't pay to redo your own work. If a stump is ground poorly or a pruning job is done badly, the cost of fixing it sits with you. What can be covered is the resultant damage, meaning damage your faulty work causes to other property. Our guide on What Is Resultant Damage and Why Does It Matter for Tradies? explains this in more detail.
4. Height and Powerline Restrictions
Some public liability policies, particularly general trade policies not written for arborists, limit or exclude:
Work above a set height
Work within a certain distance of energised powerlines
Work from elevated work platforms or cranes
In urban Brisbane, where large trees often sit close to overhead lines, a powerline exclusion can rule out a big share of your jobs. If your policy wasn't written for tree work, check this first.
5. Underground Services
Damage to water, gas, power and telecommunications lines is one of the most common stump grinding claims. Some insurers apply a higher excess or a sublimit to underground services damage, and some require you to have checked service locations through Before You Dig Australia before work starts. If you can't show you checked, the claim may be harder.
6. Trees That Fail After You've Left
If a tree you pruned, assessed or declared safe later falls and causes damage, the claim may be treated as arising from your advice rather than your physical work. Public liability policies usually exclude professional advice. If you write arborist reports or risk assessments, Professional Indemnity Insurance is what fills this gap.
7. Your Trucks and Utes
Damage caused by a registered vehicle being driven, such as reversing a chipper truck into a client's letterbox, is generally a motor insurance matter, not public liability. Some policies do cover registered vehicles while they're being used as a tool of trade on site, but this varies. Make sure your Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance and public liability fit together without a gap.
8. Asbestos
Almost every public liability policy excludes asbestos. If a tree falls onto an old fibro shed or garage and disturbs asbestos, the clean-up and any related claims are likely to fall outside cover. On older Brisbane properties, check outbuildings before you plan your drop zone.
9. Contracts You Sign
Council, body corporate and commercial contracts often include indemnity clauses that make you responsible for more than you'd normally be liable for at law. Public liability policies commonly exclude liability you've taken on purely under contract. Read the insurance and indemnity clauses before you sign, and send them to your broker if anything looks unusual.
10. Subcontractors
If a subcontract climber causes damage, the claim may come back to you as the business that engaged them. Many insurers expect subcontractors to hold their own public liability, and some won't cover you for uninsured subbies at all. Always collect a certificate of currency before a subbie starts work.
What Happens When Something Goes Wrong
If a job goes wrong:
Make the site safe and check whether anyone is injured.
Take photos and video of the damage, the tree, your rigging setup and the surrounding area.
Don't admit fault or promise to pay. Saying sorry is fine, but agreeing to cover costs can affect your claim.
Note names and contact details of the client, neighbours and any witnesses.
Contact your broker as soon as possible, ideally the same day.
Our step-by-step guide on How to Lodge a Public Liability Claim in Queensland covers the process in full.
Questions to Ask About Your Current Policy
Pull out your policy wording or ask your broker:
Was this policy written for tree work, or for general trades?
Are there height limits, and do they match how high I work?
Is work near powerlines excluded or restricted?
Is there a sublimit or extra excess for underground services?
Does it cover damage to property in my care, custody or control?
Am I covered when using my trucks as a tool of trade on site?
What's my position if I use subcontractors?
Do I need professional indemnity for the reports and advice I give?
If you can't get clear answers to these, it's worth having your cover reviewed.
Get Cover Written for Tree Work
Public liability is the most important cover a tree business holds, but only if it's set up for the work you actually do. Monarch arranges arborist and tree lopper insurance across Brisbane and South East Queensland, including public liability written specifically for climbing, felling, stump grinding and machinery work.
Monarch Insurance Brokers works with arborists and tree services businesses across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Southeast Queensland. If you want to make sure your cover actually reflects the work you do and not just the cheapest policy available, get in touch with Tim for a free policy review.
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This article is general information only and does not constitute financial product advice. Your circumstances may differ — speak to a licensed broker for advice tailored to your situation.
