Key Takeaways

• Landscapers, including lawn care specialists, tree service providers, and designers, face risks such as property damage, bodily injury, and equipment loss.
• Comprehensive insurance is essential to safeguard their businesses against these potential liabilities.
• Key coverages include general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto insurance.
• Additional specialized protection can be tailored based on the specific services offered.

If you’re in the landscaping business, you want to make sure you protect every aspect of your livelihood, from your equipment and materials to your employees and, naturally, yourself.

That’s true whether you’re running a small two-man operation out of your garage or own a large-scale landscaping business with a team of employees and a fleet of equipment.

Protecting your business is so very important. That’s why you need a good insurance policy that protects you every step of the way, with affordable premiums and all the benefits you require.

Why Insurance For Landscapers Is Important

One reason having landscaping insurance is so important is that landscaping is a job that poses some risks. Damaged equipment, injuries on the job and weather-related issues are all problems that landscapers face on the regular.

Repairing and replacing damaged equipment isn’t cheap, and neither are medical bills. Having an insurance policy helps protect you and your finances from the unexpected.

Many insurance plans for landscaping businesses are custom-designed to meet the needs of the business.

The drafting of your plan will take into consideration details such as the size of your business, your coverage area, the materials and equipment you use, the services you provide, the size of your staff, and what your individual coverage needs are, based on all of this information.

Other factors they may consider include the location of your business, your annual income/revenue, payroll costs, property value of your business, the types of vehicles you use, the value of said vehicles and materials/equipment, and more. It sounds like a lot, but all of these details give them a larger idea of what type of coverage you need.

For instance, a larger scale company that provides a whole host of services will have a much different coverage plan than a smaller company that only does mowing and light gardening. An agent will go over the details of coverage with you to help you get the best insurance plan for you.

They will also take into consideration your claims history. So if you’ve had issues before, whether legal or otherwise, the insurance agent will take that into consideration when planning your coverage.

What types of landscaping businesses need insurance? In short, all of them.

But if you’re on the fence about whether or not your business really needs a policy, call an agent to chat and find out more information.

Types of Landscapers

The following are common types of landscapers:

• Lawn Care Services/Maintenance – Mowers, landscapers, weeding and some gardening;
• Tree Pruning/Removal Services – Branch and stump removal, tree removal, pruning, limb maintenance, and more. This is a job that contains a high risk of injury, so having insurance in place is very important;
• Excavation/Grading – Excavation and ground grading to create level ground, digging, creating a drainage system, etc;
• Hardscape Design – This includes landscaping that works with rocks, boulders and other types of heavy outdoor items using heavy-duty equipment.

All of these business types fall under the category of “landscaping” and should have a basic landscaping insurance policy in place to help protect against the unexpected.

These plans not only take care of expenses in the case of injury or damage to equipment, but can pay legal fees in the event of a lawsuit or legal issue with a client, will handle lost wages/expenses in the event of a natural disaster, and more, depending on the type of coverage you choose.

While every plan differs, there are a few basic types of landscaping insurance. Your policy will likely fall into one of these categories based on your needs.

General Liability

The most common form of insurance for landscaping businesses includes basic coverages such as bodily injury, property damage, and other types of liability.

This is the most basic type and the one that you should always have (some clients may even require you do so). If you have general liability in place, you can then expand upon it with more detailed coverage.

Commercial Umbrella Liability

This type of insurance is an “add-on” to general liability insurance. Many companies use this to add on a bit of extra coverage to an existing liability policy.

These are helpful in the case of legal issues or injury as they can pay the extra money needed to cover a settlement or pay medical bills.

Adding this extra bit of coverage to a policy is a very good backup protection to have, and often they aren’t that expensive.

Commercial Property Insurance

This insurance protects your actual physical business (so the warehouse/office/building you work out of), as well as the materials, tools, equipment and vehicles housed within.

This is a good idea for any business regardless of industry, as it protects against natural disasters and accidents such as fire, flooding and in most cases, even theft.

Bear to mind though, it only covers damages at the physical property, so if something is damaged elsewhere, or equipment is stolen off the truck, you may or may not receive coverage.

Commercial Auto

Vehicles that are used for landscaping purposes, to transport equipment such as mowers, clippers, tractors; to drive to and from client’s homes, etc, can be covered under a commercial auto policy.

Vehicles commonly covered under these policies include work vans/service vans, dump trucks, trucks and utility vehicles/trailers.

Business Owners’ Insurance

This policy is a hybrid between general liability coverage and a basic commercial buildings and personal property plan.

Workers’ Compensation

Having a workers’ compensation package in your insurance coverage is very smart, especially if you have employees.

In the event that they become injured on the job, workers comp will pay for their medical bills, treatment and expenses, as well as lost wages.

For professions where the risk of injury is higher, due to dangerous equipment and materials (landscaping definitely falls into this category), having a workers comp plan in place is a must.

Surety Bonds

Most landscaping businesses, as with many service companies, must be bonded and licensed in order to operate. While surety bonds are different than insurance, often they are discussed and agreed upon when you apply for your insurance policy.

If you’re unsure about these types of bonds, speak to a reputable agent who can help walk you through the process.

You will purchase the surety bond through your insurance agent. The protection offered by a surety bond can range from $10,000 to $100,000, depending on the type of coverage.

What Else?

You may be wondering about the other costs associated with insurance for your landscaping business. Luckily, most basic landscaping insurance plans are generally pretty affordable.

Most of the lower-priced plans run around $400 per year for a smaller landscaping business, but policies can go upwards of several thousand dollars for the more comprehensive coverages/large-scale businesses.

Of course, the size of your business and how many you have on staff will contribute to your premium. This is something you’ll discuss with your agent.

If you have budgetary concerns or want to ensure that the coverage meets all your needs, you should give them detailed information about your expectations.

How We Can Help

Luckily, there are many insurance companies and agents out there who offer affordable landscaping insurance coverage, and it is a good idea to compare quotes and policies from all of them.

You can easily obtain this information online or over the phone if you’re willing to provide a little bit of information about your business. If you’re looking for a reputable insurance company in New Jersey, Keller Insurance is a great choice.

Insurance agents can also speak to you about group health insurance plans for your employees. Many business owners choose to provide health insurance coverage for their staff and themselves via a group health insurance plan.

These are often a great idea and can provide coverage for people who normally wouldn’t be able to afford the best coverage.

Talk to your agent about group plans for business owners and find affordable coverage for you and your staff that include the benefits you find important, whether that’s a dental and vision plan, disability insurance, or something else.

You value your employees, so of course, you want to help them be protected, too. After all, taking care of your employees’ needs is a proven way to increase productivity and morale on the job.

Conclusion

Whether you are the owner of a small landscaping business, or have a large chain of companies, having a great insurance policy in place is so important.

Protecting your business – including its employees, equipment, merchandise, materials, and of course, yourself – is a key part of running a successful company.

If you’re looking for landscaping insurance in the New Jersey area, you’ve got plenty of reputable insurance agencies vying for your business.

Take the time to compare quotes and find the best type of insurance policy for your landscaping company, through a reliable, knowledgeable agent today. Protect your landscaping business every step of the way. You’ll be so glad you did.

FAQs

1. What types of insurance do landscapers need?

Landscapers typically need general liability insurance to cover property damage or bodily injury claims, workers’ compensation for employees, and commercial auto insurance if they use vehicles for work. Additional coverage, such as professional liability or equipment insurance, may be needed depending on the specific services offered.

2. Is tree service liability insurance required?

While not legally required, tree service liability insurance is highly recommended for tree care businesses. It protects against claims for property damage or injuries resulting from tree cutting, pruning, or removal operations, which carry higher risks compared to other landscaping services.

3. How much does insurance for landscapers cost?

The cost of insurance for landscaping businesses varies depending on the business size, location, services offered, and number of employees. On average, landscapers can expect to pay between $500 and $2,000 annually for basic coverage, with additional premiums for specialized services or equipment.