As a landscaper, you’re dealing with more than just inclement weather and slow seasons. From accidents with lawn care tools and machinery to unhappy customers, you need an insurance policy that has you covered.
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Environmental coverage
General liability
Commercial auto
Workers’ Compensation
Inland marine
Environmental coverage
Risk Factors
Environmental impairment exposure is significant. The application of chemicals can result in damage to air, soil, or groundwater. The landscaper must comply with all federal, state, and municipal regulations regarding the use and disposal of chemicals and waste products.
Solution
This can cover you in case you are liable to pay fines & legal expenses for polluting the environment.
General liability coverage
Risk Factors
Third-party injury and property damage are the greatest risk exposures in the lawn care business with claims and lawsuits that can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Solution
It covers bodily injury or property damage to third parties like the people or entities other than your employees or your business. Without general liability insurance, a lawsuit could bankrupt your business.
Commercial auto coverage
Risk Factors
Your commercial vehicle can be liable for other party’s injuries or property damage if you or your employee cause an accident while driving for work.
Solution
It includes liability coverage. Landscaping business owners can opt for coverage that pays for damage to their vehicles, roadside assistance, and medical bills for them and their passengers.
Workers’ compensation coverage
Risk Factors
Your workers may face several work hazards, such as sharp tools, heavy equipment, operating machinery and vehicles, and even animal bites, which make workers’ comp coverage critical for your small business.
Solution
It covers medical bills and wage replacement for employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. This coverage is necessary for many landscaping businesses because of the risks involved, plus most states require workers’ comp coverage if you have any employees.
Inland marine coverage
Risk Factors
Because transporting equipment is common in the industry, most insurers should include at least some inland marine coverage on their property policies to be on a safer side.
Solution
It covers your equipment, tools, and supplies as you move them from one job to another or while delivering your landscaping products, such as plants and trees, to a client. Policies can also cover any equipment that you store away from your primary location like a client’s shed or a garage.
What type of insurance do I need for my landscaping business?
Depending on your specific needs, there may be different policies for your landscaping business. However, below are the main policies you may want to consider for landscaping insurance coverage:
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance — general commercial liability (CGL) insurance — covers your landscaping business from costs resulting from third-party accidents, property damage, bodily injury, lawsuits alleging damage, and more.
Without general liability insurance, you face the risk of being liable for all expenses related to operating a landscaping company. Small businesses cannot afford to be insured because the average cost of reputational harm is over $50,000.
To put this into perspective, imagine that you are finishing up a landscaping project, and a client trips over a leaf blower that was left outside in their yard. The unhappy and hurt customer sues you for their injuries. The resulting medical expenses and court costs total thousands of dollars. What would you do in such a circumstance?
So what could your general liability insurance policy cover? Here's a quick summary:
Bodily injury to another person
Medical expenses
Third-party property damage
Personal and advertising injury
And more
But what about the things general liability insurance doesn't cover?
Damage to your property
Damage to your work
Motor vehicles while in business use
Intentional injury or damage
Professional services
Workers' compensation or injury to your employees
And more
Also, it's essential to ensure your equipment is covered if something is stolen or damaged. Some general liability insurance policies include some contents coverage, which is the insurance that protects you in case your tools are damaged or stolen.
Workers Compensation Insurance
From lawnmowers and weed whackers to shovels, rakes, and trowels, you likely work with many different tools and machines at any given time as a landscaper. In most states, you're legally required to carry workers' compensation insurance.
Accidents happen, so it's important to have the proper coverage to protect yourself and your employees.
What would happen, for instance, if a worker dropped a big shovel and broke their foot? Or if a worker is hurt while using a pair of lawn scissors? What expensive medical expenses! Your workers' compensation policy can also cover other connected costs like lost time at work and rehabilitation costs in addition to your employee's medical expenditures.
Workers' compensation coverage for landscapers must be adequate. Unfortunately, accidents can still occur even when we believe we are using the utmost caution. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 229,000 workplace accidents involving objects and machinery resulted in time away from work in 2017. Additionally, that year, the cost of work-related accidents in the United States was $161.5 billion. Not a typo, that.
Workers' compensation insurance for landscapers can cover the following:
Medical payments
Death benefits
Lost wages
Rehabilitation expenses
Other insurance that may be needed for your landscape business
Commercial auto insurance
Contractor's tools and equipment insurance
Property Coverage
Inland Marine Coverage
Umbrella Coverage
What are the benefits of a landscaping insurance? How will this impact my business?
Running a landscaping business is costly, especially if you're in the early stages and purchasing equipment, vehicles, marketing, etc. However, adding insurance costs to the equation can seem daunting.
The truth is that the cost of landscaping insurance is a fraction compared to what you'll spend if you get sued by a customer or an employee gets injured on the job. Plus, if insurance coverage is legally required in your state, the repercussions of not having a policy could be significant.
With landscaping insurance, you have peace of mind knowing that you and your family are covered, and your employees and customers are taken care of, too. Insured small businesses are seen as more legitimate to customers than those without insurance. A current landscaping insurance policy is a vote of confidence that's great for business.
Contact us to know more about how we can keep your landscape business protected.
Already have Landscaping Insurance? Switching is easy
It might be time to switch insurers whenever the service that your existing insurer provides doesn’t meet your needs. For example, if you have a poor claims experience or an unexplained rate increase, it might be time to consider other options
If you cancel a previous policy before a new policy is effective, you could run into some serious financial problems.
Contact us today to help you with multiple options to choose from.
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