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Why do lawn care and mowing businesses need insurance?
An illness caused by pesticides, or accidental damage to a client's yard, could sink your small business. The right property and liability coverage helps you stay in business when facing legal fees and financial losses.
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Lawn care business owners can save money by comparing quotes from top insurance companies.
Fill out Insureon's easy online application to get free quotes and advice from a licensed insurance agent.
What types of insurance do lawn care businesses need?
These lawn care insurance policies cover common risks of your profession.
General liability insurance
A general liability policy covers lawsuits over accidental injuries and property damage. Bundle it with commercial property insurance for savings in a business owner's policy (BOP).
BEST FOR
- Customer bodily injury
- Damaged customer property
- Libel and slander lawsuits
Workers’ compensation insurance
Most states require workers' comp for lawn care businesses that have employees. It also protects sole proprietors from work injury medical expenses health insurance might deny.
BEST FOR
- Employee medical bills
- Disability benefits
- Legal costs
Tools and equipment insurance
This insurance policy covers a lawn care contractor’s lawn mowers, weed whackers, and other tools if they are lost, stolen, or damaged while in transit, stored off-site, or at a client's property.
BEST FOR
- Equipment less than five years old
- Mobile equipment
- Small tools
Commercial auto insurance
This insurance covers vehicles owned by a lawn care business. It helps cover legal fees and damages after an accident, along with vehicle theft, weather damage, and vandalism.
BEST FOR
- Car accidents
- Vandalism and theft
- Weather damage
Business owner's policy
A business owner's policy, or BOP, is a cost-effective way for landscaping companies to buy general liability coverage and commercial property insurance together.
BEST FOR
- Customer injuries
- Damage to a customer's personal property
- Damage to your building and its contents
License and permit bonds
Lawn care professionals often need a bond to get licensed in their state or to do certain kinds of work. A bond provides a financial guarantee that your business will comply with regulations.
BEST FOR
- State licensing requirements
- Pesticide application permits
- Land grading permits
Looking for different coverage? See more policies.
How much does insurance cost for lawn care and landscaping professionals?
A small business owner with a few workers will pay less for insurance than a large company with a dozen employees.
Factors that affect the cost of landscaping insurance include:
- Lawn care services offered, such as lawn mowing, gardening, or pesticide application
- Business equipment and business property
- Annual business revenue
- Types of small business insurance purchased
- Policy limits, deductibles, and additional insureds
How do I get lawn care business insurance?
It’s easy to get lawn care business insurance coverage and license/permit bonds if you have your company information on hand. Our insurance application will ask for basic facts about your business, such as revenue and number of employees. You can buy a policy online and get a certificate of insurance with Insureon in three easy steps:
- Complete a free online application
- Compare insurance quotes and choose policies
- Pay for your policy and download a certificate
Insureon's licensed agents work with top-rated U.S. insurers to find coverage that fits your lawn care company, whether you work independently or hire employees.
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Common questions about insurance for a lawn care business
Review answers to frequently asked questions about lawn care business insurance.
What other types of coverage do lawn care businesses need?
Lawn care professionals, including small businesses, LLCs, and independent contractors, may need extra types of insurance to cover their unique risks and liabilities.
Some lawn mowing business insurance options to consider are:
- Hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA): Lawn care employees who drive their own pickup or other vehicle to clients' properties should consider HNOA, since a personal auto insurance policy won't cover business use. This coverage provides auto liability insurance for personal, leased, and rented vehicles used by your business.
- Commercial property insurance covers your building and its contents, such as fertilizer and clippers. It protects against financial losses from fires, storms, and burglaries.
- Business personal property (BPP) coverage can be added to your general liability policy to protect business property kept at a designated location, though you may not have a building.
- Tools and equipment insurance, a form of inland marine insurance, protects your landscaping business's tools and equipment while they're in transit or at a jobsite. It covers newer items valued at less than $10,000, such as hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, and other equipment.
- Commercial umbrella insurance: An umbrella policy boosts the protection of your general liability, commercial auto, and employer's liability insurance, activating when the limit is reached on the underlying policy.
- License and permit bonds: If your state requires a landscaping license, it will likely require a surety bond, also known as a licensing bond. A bond provides a financial guarantee that you will comply with your state’s laws and the terms of any contracts you sign.
- Pesticide or herbicide applicator coverage: This general liability insurance endorsement offers liability protection for pesticides or herbicides applied by your business, which is otherwise excluded from general liability coverage.
Do lawn care businesses need to be licensed, bonded, and insured?
Ultimately, your state's laws will determine whether you need a business license, contractor's license, or other types of qualification to run a lawn care business. When registering your business, if you call your business by any name other than your own, you'll need a doing business as (DBA) license to operate legally.
Depending on the different lawn services your business offers, you might have to acquire specific permits, which could include an environmental permit for pesticide application or a construction permit for installing curbing.
Large commercial clients and government entities will sometimes mandate that your business carry a surety bond before signing a contract with your lawn care business.
Plus, being able to say your lawn care or landscaping business is licensed, bonded, and insured is a big win with customers. It shows you're reliable and can guarantee reimbursement should any issues arise.
Should I prioritize quality or cost when purchasing lawn mowing insurance?
No matter which lawn care business insurance policies you decide on, don’t cut corners just to lower premium costs. Buy the plan that offers the best protection so you don’t end up paying out of pocket for unexpected incidents.
For example, when purchasing commercial property insurance, consider a replacement value option. This would cover the cost of replacing a stolen, three-year-old lawnmower with a brand-new equivalent.
Cash value policies are generally cheaper, but reimburse you only for the lawnmower’s current value, leaving your business to foot the extra cost of replacing it with a newer model.
Similarly, you may be tempted to purchase lawn care insurance with a high deductible because the premiums are cheaper. However, if you lose an essential and particularly expensive piece of gear, a low deductible would help minimize your out-of-pocket costs.
How do I make sure my lawn care insurance policy has everything I need?
As with any business contract, carefully read your landscaping insurance policy before you sign it.
You can ask your agent for clarification about any terms you don’t understand. If your client requires a certain type of coverage in order to secure a job, your agent can also help make sure you have everything you need to meet those requirements.
Knowing exactly what your lawn care insurance does and doesn't cover will help you manage risks and better plan for emergencies down the road.