Endorsement

An endorsement is how your insurance policy gets customized beyond its base form. Think of the policy as a template and endorsements as the edits that tailor it to your specific situation. For tree service companies, endorsements are critical because the base GL or auto policy often does not perfectly fit the risks of tree work.

Common endorsements requested or required in the tree service industry include: additional insured endorsements (adding clients to your policy), waiver of subrogation endorsements, primary and noncontributory endorsements, and blanket additional insured endorsements. On the coverage-expansion side, you might add an endorsement for hired and non-owned auto liability, or an endorsement adding pollution coverage for herbicide application.

Endorsements can also restrict coverage. A carrier might attach an exclusion endorsement for work performed above a certain height, for crane operations, or for work within a specified distance of power lines. Always read every endorsement attached to your policy — not just the ones you requested. Carriers sometimes add restrictive endorsements at renewal without clearly flagging them.

Some endorsements are free, while others carry additional premium. An additional insured endorsement might be $25-$50 per entity, while a blanket additional insured endorsement is typically included at no extra cost on contractor-grade policies. Waiver of subrogation endorsements and primary and noncontributory endorsements usually carry small charges in the range of $50-$150 each.