Arborisk

What Arborisk does

Arborisk is a UK specialist insurance broker serving arborists, tree surgeons, forestry contractors, and related trade professionals. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Leeds, the company operates as a trading style of Bartlett Underwriting Limited, which sits within the Bartlett Group (with roots dating to 1940). Arborisk underwrites and distributes tailored commercial insurance policies — public liability, employers' liability, equipment cover, and related lines — with policies starting at approximately £650 and averaging around £1,700 in annual premium. As of June 2023 the firm served more than 3,500 policyholders, almost entirely small and medium-sized businesses operating in the UK tree-care and forestry sector.

The company differentiates operationally through a proprietary Risk Management Portal that delivers compliance resources, policy management, and operational tools to policyholders, and through a dedicated specialist claims team. Broker operations are supported by the Acturis technology platform, the standard UK insurance distribution infrastructure. Beyond core commercial lines, Arborisk has built adjacent revenue and stickiness through partnerships: life insurance distribution via The Insurance Surgery and a member discounts portal via Benefits Hub. A £100 cashback referral program lowers customer acquisition cost and exploits the concentrated trade community.

Arborisk generates revenue primarily through commissions on placed insurance premiums, supplemented by referral economics and ancillary fees from partner offerings. The business has earned industry recognition including Insurance Broker of the Year in 2020 and a British Insurance Award in 2025, and maintains a 96% five-star Trustpilot rating, signalling durable customer satisfaction within a narrow vertical.

Name

Arborisk

Legal name

Bartlett Underwriting Limited

Website

https://arborisk.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arborisk is a UK specialist insurance broker serving arborists, tree surgeons, and forestry professionals, offering tailored commercial policies and a proprietary Risk Management Portal under Bartlett Underwriting Limited with 3,500+ policyholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tree Care & Arborist Services (BPABADAD)

Keywords

• Arborist insurance
• Tree surgeon insurance
• Forestry insurance
• Commercial liability insurance
• Specialist insurance broker

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums: Arborisk acts as a chartered insurance broker and Lloyd's Coverholder, earning revenue through insurance policy premiums from customers. They offer multiple insurance products including Tree Surgeon Insurance, Forestry Insurance, Motor Insurance, Life Insurance (via partner), and Consultants/Trainers/Assessors Insurance. Premiums are collected either annually or via monthly instalments (which includes interest and other charges).
2. Referral Rewards: Customers can earn £100 cashback by referring friends who subsequently purchase an Arborisk liability package or motor policy. This incentivizes customer acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arborisk is a chartered insurance broker and Lloyd's Coverholder that underwrites and distributes specialist insurance products tailored to the arboriculture sector, including public liability, employers' liability, tools and equipment, personal accident, motor, life, and professional indemnity cover for tree surgeons, foresters, and arboricultural consultants. The offering is delivered through advised telephone sales and an online self-serve quoting portal powered by the Acturis platform, with an in-house claims team and an exclusive Risk Management Portal for policyholders.

Product overview

Arborisk offers a portfolio of specialist insurance products for the arboriculture sector, with Tree Surgeon Insurance and Forestry Insurance as the core offerings. These are complemented by Motor Insurance for commercial vehicles, Life Insurance (offered through a partnership with The Insurance Surgery), and Consultants, Trainers & Assessors Insurance for arboriculture professionals. Beyond primary insurance products, Arborisk provides value-added services including a Risk Management Portal with exclusive health and safety resources, a Discounts Portal powered by Benefits Hub, and a Refer a Friend program offering cashback rewards. All products are distributed through their website, online quote system, and telephone advisory service, with in-house claims handling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tree Surgeon Insurance Comprehensive specialist cover for professional tree surgeons and arborists, including public liability (£5m standard, up to £10m), employers' liability (£10m standard), tools and equipment (new for old), personal accident, legal expenses, professional indemnity, contract works, and hired-in plant. Designed for UK tree surgery businesses from sole traders to larger firms, with no height restrictions and no admin fees.
• Forestry Insurance Specialist insurance for forestry professionals covering timber harvesting, extraction, mechanised and manual felling, vegetation clearance, and woodland management. Includes public liability, employers' liability, and optional high-value plant and machinery coverage for harvesters, forwarders, and other specialist forestry equipment, aimed at UK forestry contractors including the UK's largest independent timber harvesting providers.
• Motor Insurance Commercial vehicle insurance tailored for tree surgeons and foresters, covering pickups, 4x4s, cherrypickers, tractors, and fleet vehicles. Available with comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, and third-party only cover options, including adapted and specialist vehicles commonly used in arboriculture operations.
• Life Insurance Life and protection insurance offering for tree surgeons and foresters, delivered through partnership with The Insurance Surgery. Includes income protection, critical illness cover, life insurance, relevant life insurance, and business protection insurance, with access to exclusive rates for arborists and tailored advice where occupation might otherwise be a barrier.
• Consultants, Trainers and Assessors Insurance Specialist insurance policy for arboricultural professionals delivering expert advice, training, or assessments. Covers public liability, professional indemnity (for advice and reports), legal expenses, electronic business equipment, employers' liability, personal accident, and motor, addressing liability from professional advice, training sessions, and consultancy site visits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-day settlement for theft claims when proactive documentation is provided
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Benefits HubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Benefits Hub to provide Arborisk policyholders with exclusive access to discounts from hundreds of top retailers. Policyholders receive free access to the Arborisk Benefits Hub platform offering discounts on shopping, travel, dining, and more, plus rewards and cashback opportunities.
• The Insurance SurgerycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with The Insurance Surgery, an award-winning broker specializing in medical conditions and high-risk professions, to provide life and protection insurance to arborists. The Insurance Surgery provides tailored advice with access to exclusive rates and specializes in medical conditions where occupation might otherwise be a barrier. Arborisk acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative.
• ActuriscoreTechnology or IntegrationActuris provides the insurance platform technology powering Arborisk's online quoting and policy management system (online.arborisk.co.uk). The platform enables online quote applications, policy management, document access, and account management for Arborisk customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Adrian Flux Insurance Services: UK specialist broker for non-standard and niche risks including modified vehicles and unusual homes. Comparable to Arborisk through its niche-risk specialization, chartered-broker status, and tailored cover for hard-to-place customer segments.
• Bollington Insurance: UK independent specialist insurance broker group focused on commercial and trade clients. Comparable to Arborisk in its chartered-broker status, trade-segment focus, and emphasis on specialist advice for niche UK SMB customers.
• TH March Insurance: UK specialist insurance broker focused on the hair, beauty, and spa industries. Closely comparable to Arborisk through its vertical-specialist model: a single, narrowly defined trade served by dedicated brokers with sector-specific products, in-house claims, and tailored risk resources.
• QuestGates: UK specialist insurance broker operating in niche commercial and trade segments. Comparable to Arborisk in its chartered-broker status, vertical specialization, and emphasis on tailored cover and risk advisory for specialist UK customers.
• Constructaquote: UK online insurance broker targeting construction and trade professionals. Comparable to Arborisk in its trade-vertical specialization and online self-serve quoting model for SMB customers in skilled trades with similar liability and equipment exposures.
• Tradesure Insurance Services: UK specialist insurance broker focused on tradespeople and contractors. Direct comparable to Arborisk in target market (SMB trades), product set (liability, tools, motor), and specialist advisory sales model.

Broad incumbents

• Aston Lark: UK specialist insurance broker serving commercial and trade clients through regional offices. Comparable to Arborisk in serving trade-based SMB customers with specialist advice, but operating across multiple sectors and at larger scale.
• Howden Group: Large UK specialty insurance broker with deep presence across multiple trade and commercial niches. Broader incumbent comparable to Arborisk as a competing specialist distribution channel, but operating across many verticals rather than a single trade.
• Jensten Group: UK specialty insurance broker group operating across multiple niche verticals. Comparable to Arborisk in its UK specialist-broker positioning and trade/commercial client focus, but with broader vertical coverage and larger scale.

Emerging players

• Simply Business: UK digital-first insurance platform targeting small businesses and tradespeople with online quoting and comparison. Comparable to Arborisk in its SMB trade target market, but competes via a low-cost, digital-native experience versus Arborisk's advised specialist model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ArboriskInsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arborisk-co-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/arboriskinsurance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arborisk