Written By: Krystal Jackson, President, Barbee Jackson Insurance. Over the past 20 years Krystal and her team have insured thousands of contractors and small businesses throughout the United States. Licensed in 30+ states. Last updated: September 7, 2026.

Tennessee Tree Trimming Insurance
Tennessee is hardwood country. Mature oaks, hickories, and maples over homes from Memphis to the Tri-Cities — big canopies, heavy wood, and real height on almost every job. Add ridge and hollow terrain that puts your trucks on grades and your climbers on awkward setups, and Tennessee tree work earns its reputation as one of the hardest classes of business to insure.

At Barbee Jackson Insurance, we insure tree services in Tennessee and across 30+ states. We work the specialty markets that actually write tree work, and we build the program around how your crews actually operate.

Ice-storm season is your season — make sure your policy knows it
When ice loads the canopy in a Tennessee winter, limbs come down on houses, cars, and lines — and your phone doesn’t stop. The times a storm comes through are your best times and your most dangerous ones: compromised limbs under tension, wet wood, long hours, and sometimes a crane for the big removals. Before winter, we recommend confirming that storm and emergency work is contemplated in your policy — and if crane work is part of your storm response, discuss it with your agent first, not after the ice hits.

The Tennessee tree service program
The full breakdown of the three key factors — the height limitation hiding in some policies, workers’ comp and equipment, and the contract fine print — lives on our national Tree Trimming Insurance page. Here’s the short version for a Tennessee operation:

•           General liability — the foundation, and hard to place for tree work. Many standard markets won’t write it; the specialty markets that will are where we work. And on Tennessee hardwoods, confirm your policy’s height provisions match how high your crews actually climb — a height limitation excludes your biggest jobs first.

•           Workers’ compensation — tree service class codes carry some of the highest rates of any trade, with employers’ liability alongside. Being classed correctly for climbers versus bucket crews matters to both your price and your claims.

•           Contractor’s equipment floater (sometimes referred to as inland marine) — for chippers, stump grinders, saws, and the mounted equipment on your bucket trucks. Blanket or scheduled; typically items valued at $2,500 or more need to be scheduled (although that can vary by carrier).

•           Commercial auto — the bucket trucks and chip trucks themselves, on grades and gravel drives all over ridge country, plus hired and non-owned coverage for employees’ personal vehicles on business errands.

•           Contract requirements — HOA, municipal, and property-management work demands additional insured status for ongoing and completed operations (CG 20 10 and CG 20 37), waiver of subrogation, primary and non-contributory wording, and umbrella limits. Send us the contract before you sign.

Why Tennessee tree services work with Barbee Jackson Insurance
We’re an independent agency, licensed in 30+ states, with 400+ five-star Google reviews. We’re not tied to one carrier — we shop the markets that write tree work and match the coverage to your operation.

Frequently asked questions
My crews work high in mature hardwoods. Does that affect my policy? It can. Some tree service policies carry a height limitation — work above a stated height is excluded — and Tennessee’s big oaks and hickories will find that number fast. We recommend confirming your policy’s height provisions match how high your crews actually work. Send us your policy and we’ll check.

Is winter storm cleanup covered? Ice-storm response is some of the most profitable and most dangerous work a Tennessee tree service does, and it needs to be contemplated in your policy — including crane use for large removals. Confirm before the season, not during it. We can review your policy and tell you where you stand.

How fast can I get a certificate of insurance? Within five minutes during normal business hours unless a change is required. Call (850) 389-2001.

Get a Tennessee quote built around your operation
Tell us how high your crews work, what your equipment is worth, and whether storm work is part of the plan — and we’ll build the program to fit. Call (850) 389-2001, email services@barbeejackson.com, or request a quote below. Your Goals, Our Strategies.

Also see: Tree Trimming Insurance (national) · Landscaping & Lawn Care Insurance