Landscaping insurance – what you need to know

If you own a landscaping business, you know that working in the contracting industry comes with a lot of risks. One small mistake can bring immense financial trouble – but that’s where landscaping insurance comes in.

What is landscaping insurance?

Landscaping insurance is a type of commercial insurance policy, designed to protect business owners against the unique risks of the landscaping industry. What happens if a client sues because they’re unhappy with the gardening services you provided? Or what if the fence you installed falls apart and injures a child who was playing in the backyard? Having the right landscaping insurance in place can give you peace of mind, knowing you won’t be on your own to pay out the various expenses.

Do landscapers need insurance?

While landscapers aren’t required to purchase business insurance by law, it’s always a good idea to protect yourself financially ahead of time. You wouldn’t want one small slip-up to put you out of business – here are a few examples of landscaping businesses that should operate with insurance:

• Deck installation
• Fence installation 
• Gardening
• Interlocking
• Lawn care
• Masonry
• Snow removal
• Tree removal 

Common types of landscaping business insurance 

While landscaping business insurance policies can be customized to fit the needs of your specific operations, here are a few common types of coverages to consider:

Commercial general liability insurance

Commercial general liability insurance (CGL) protects you in the event a third party holds you liable for bodily injury or property damage. Let’s say you’re removing a tree in a client’s backyard, but the tree falls and damages their home, causing them to sue. In this case, your commercial general liability policy can cover related expenses, including legal fees and awarded damages.

Professional liability insurance

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance (E&O), is designed to protect those that offer service-based businesses against claims of negligence, misrepresentation, and failure to deliver. So if your client sues you because your interlocking project is taking longer than expected, professional liability insurance ensures you won’t be paying all the related expenses out-of-pocket. 

Equipment and tools insurance

This type of coverage foots the cost to repair or replace your equipment and tools, in the event they become lost, damaged, or stolen. If a thief breaks into your garage and steals your lawn mower, you won’t only be out of an expensive lawn mower, but you may need to put a pause on all your lawn care services. Having coverage for your equipment and tools, however, means you could claim the cost of a new lawn mower from your insurance company. 

Pollution liability insurance

This type of insurance protects you in the event you’re held liable for pollution – including contaminating the environment, creating a health hazard, or damaging someone’s property. Pollution liability insurance is especially important if you work with potentially harmful pesticides or fertilizers as it can help foot the bill for legal claims and clean-up services. 

Commercial auto insurance

A commercial auto policy is designed specifically to insure business-use vehicles – your standard car insurance policy typically won’t cover claims related to your landscaping business. So if you or your employees drive around from site to site while transporting equipment, tools, or materials, make sure you have the right auto coverage in place to avoid having any potential claims denied by your carrier.

How much does landscaping insurance cost?

The cost of landscaping insurance will differ depending on the individualized needs and risks of your business. The more coverage you want, the more expensive your premiums will be. For example, a basic commercial general liability policy with a $2 million limit can cost you about $500 annually, and increasing the limit or adding other types of coverage – such as professional liability or equipment and tools insurance – will hike up the rate. To find the exact cost you could be paying, be sure to get a business insurance quote with us today.

Factors that can impact the cost of your landscaping insurance

Aside from the coverages and limits on your policy, the following factors are also used to calculate your landscaping business insurance premium:

• Type of landscaping service – Gardening for residential clients brings less risk than removing trees commercially, so your landscaping insurance premium will reflect that.
  
  
• Number of employees – The more people working for your landscaping business, the more expensive your commercial insurance policy will be.
  
  
• Industry experience – More experience in the landscaping industry means less risk, so you can expect cheaper contractor’s insurance rates.
  
  
• Insurance history – If you’ve made multiple landscaping insurance claims in the past, don’t expect your future rates to be cheap.
  
  
• Revenue – The more money you make, the more you have at stake, so expect to pay more for coverage if your landscaping service is booming.
  
  
• Location – Operating in a high-risk location, such as areas prone to crime or severe weather events, can increase the price of your business insurance coverage. 

How to best manage your landscaping business

Landscaping insurance isn’t the only thing that can make your life easier as a service-based business owner. Management software, such as Jobber, can help you keep track of your crew, jobs, and invoices in one place, so you can stay organized and streamline your landscaping operations. 

According to experts from Jobber, “Your management tools should help you do two things: prioritize customer convenience, so that your business looks as professional as any bigger player; and automate repetitive administrative tasks so that you can spend more time either growing the business, or with your loved ones.” 

“Look for business management tools that offer online booking, email and text communications, and automatic invoice reminders. These will free up your time and make your business look more professional in customers’ eyes.”

Jobber makes home service easy for everyone, from the customer’s request to the moment you get paid. 33% of people would pay a service provider 20% more for a convenient experience. Features like client notes, online booking, automatic follow-ups, and online payments help you deliver on that convenience, so you can win more jobs, be more efficient, and take back your time.

Also read

• What does general liability cover for small businesses?
• Business insurance for photographers – what you need to know
• What are the different types of business insurance?