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Understanding Landscaping Business Insurance: Costs, Coverages, Claims and Quotes
As a landscaping company owner, you face real risks each day that could damage your business if you don’t have adequate insurance – from an employee getting injured while operating heavy equipment to accidentally harming a client’s property with your tools.
In fact, general liability claims against landscapers average over $65,000, while work comp claims exceed $100,000 on average.
At The Allen Thomas Group Independent Insurance Agency, we specialize in customizing insurance coverage to properly shield landscaping contractors based on over 30 years of serving small businesses.
With landscapers comprising a large percentage of our commercial book of business, we have become experts at assessing your unique operations, advising on proper coverage levels, and procuring affordable policies through leading insurance carriers.
Here, we will examine the major insurance exposures landscaping businesses face and break down coverages we recommend carrying to protect your company’s assets and future.
We will also outline the quoting process, provide tips on keeping costs down, and explain the unmatched claims support that comes with partnering a reputable insurance advisor who understands the landscaper industry.
By the end, you’ll clearly understand:
• The largest risks your landscaping company faces requiring insurance
• Specific policies and limits landscapers need to carry
• Steps you can implement to control insurance premium expenses
• Why working with an independent agency protects your interests
To get a free insurance review and no-obligation quote customized for your unique landscaping exposures, click below.
Our knowledgeable commercial insurance advisors make sure you have the necessary coverage so you can focus on serving customers and growing your business.
What is the cost of insurance for landscapers?
The average cost of a basic insurance package for small landscaping businesses ranges from $1,500 to $4,000 annually based on revenue figures, equipment values, payroll, loss history, and state operations.
However, costs can easily exceed $15,000 annually for full-scale regional landscaping companies with multiple crews requiring ample liability limits and property policies protecting buildings, machinery and fleet vehicles.
Table of Contents
Your Top Risk Exposures Needing Landscaping Insurance Protection
As a landscaping company owner, you likely started your business because you have a passion for yard upkeep, experience with horticultural services, and a knack for lawn care design.
However, operating a landscaping business also comes with an array of risk exposures that can harm your company’s finances if claims crop up.
From property damage to cyber risks and everything in between, understanding your insurance needs is vital.
The top risk exposures your lawn care business my face include:
Equipment Damage:
Your tools, like mowers, excavators, and weed trimmers, are prone to breakdowns and collisions that can interrupt business. Repairs or replacements can be expensive without proper equipment insurance.
Contributing factors include:
– Age and maintenance of heavy machinery
– Long hours of use in tough conditions
– Operating safety protocols
General Liability Claims:
Bodily injury or property damage during project performance lead to expensive legal claims if not adequately insured. Key triggers we see include:
– Debris flung during mowing/string trimming damaging property
– Tree falling during removals onto structures
– Chemical oversprays burning plants or harming pets
Commercial Auto Incidents:
Your company vehicles face risks daily through traffic accidents harming your crew or the public and potentially interrupting operations.
Variables impacting likelihood include:
– High annual mileage
– Transporting heavy equipment
– Driver training efforts
Work Comp Injuries:
Your employees getting injured on the job from strains, insect stings, weather conditions or slips and falls can lead to expensive medical/lost wage costs. Contributing factors consist of:
– Safety protocols and training
– Proper tools and PPE supplied
– Hazard identification
Without insurance, these common claims events can damage your finances.
Carrying proper coverage allows you to continue serving customers with confidence.
Must-Have Lawn Care Insurance Policies
To shield against the risk exposures intrinsic to the landscaping trade, experts recommend carrying a mix of liability and property insurance policies to cover your business.
Below are vital coverages landscaping business owners need:
The first line of defense against third-party lawsuits, this covers legal defense costs and claim settlements if you damage customer property or harm the public due to negligence.
Standard limits start at $500k per occurrence and $1 million aggregate a year. Umbrella liability can sit above adding extra capacity.
Protects expensive landscaping equipment like mowers, excavators, and trailers from damage with customizable limits based on asset values.
This can include loss of income if repairs interrupt business. Some equipment finance companies require coverage.
Protects structures, tools, equipment, and inventory from damage or theft which can quickly run tens of thousands of dollars with standard limits of $1 million in building/contents value.
Added protection if clients allege your landscaping design recommendations led to project defects or property devaluation.
Provides legal defense and damages.
This is especially prudent for landscape architects and designers.
Vital for covering collision repairs or theft of your company vehicles. Also covers medical payments and legal liability if your drivers harm others in an at-fault accident.
Required minimum limits depend on your state.
With reliance on computers for billing, cloud data storage, and online banking/payments, data breaches and hacking incidents make this key niche coverage to carry. Can be added to BOP policies.
Covers lost wages and medical bills for employees injured on the job, with annual premium costs ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 based on company payroll and industry risk class.
Additional liability limits above general liability and auto policies, typically $1-5 million, to provide further asset protection from large claims at relatively low annual premium costs starting around $1,500 annually.
Variables Impacting Your Insurance Premiums
As a landscaping company owner, your goal is keeping overhead costs like insurance premiums affordable so you retain profitability.
At the same time, adequate limits safeguard your enterprise so understanding what carrier underwriters evaluate when rating your business is key.
Variables impacting your insurance costs consist of:
- Value of insured equipment, vehicles and liability limits sought – The higher your limits, the pricier premiums become since more risk is transferred to the insurer. Finding optimal balance is crucial through a personalized insurance review. Equipment breakdown coverage and flexibility in structuring your policies to meet unique landscaper needs at competitive pricing.
- Years in business and experience level of owners – Newer enterprises generally pay higher premiums given limited loss run history for underwriters to base renewal pricing on. We leverage our agency’s longstanding relationships with top insurers to secure the best rates possible despite this hurdle for newer landscaping contractors.
- Safety record keeping and protocols – Companies focusing on hazard mitigation through modern equipment with updated safety features, stringent protocols enforced through accountability, and extensive training see insurance costs contained over time as loss run data looks cleaner to underwriters tied to discounts. We advise clients on safety best practices derived from studying industry loss trends.
- Geographic service region differences – Operating as a landscaper in certain states or jurisdictions means variable legal environments pertaining to liability claims and lawsuits. Pricing differences per location are common even within the same state. We benchmark competitors regularly to advise on pricing advantage areas worth focusing growth efforts on from an insurance cost containment standpoint.
The easiest way to get an accurate assessment of potential insurance costs for your unique landscaping company is to request quotes from our agency leveraging our carrier relationships.
Comparing options will outline what meets your risk tolerance preferences’ protection and budget needs.
Controlling Increasing Insurance Cost Through Progressive Safety Efforts
Maintaining a positive underwriting loss run history and leveraging discounts through proactive safety initiatives pays dividends for landscapers through lower insurance premiums in our experience.
Some cost-saving protocols to consider include:
Thorough Equipment Inspections & Maintenance
Routinely inspecting machinery for deficiencies and sticking to engine hour based preventative maintenance schedules extends longevity so fewer repairs arise. It also ensures safe operation.
Creating equipment specific calendars detailing needs saves money over the long term. We can email you a sample template.
Accountability to Safety Protocols Through Supervision
Consistently enforcing PPE requirements, safe equipment use standards, job briefing mandates before starting work on client sites each day and afternoon tailgate talks detailing near misses witnessed saves claims down the line.
But follow through is a must – ensuring crew leaders and foremen actively supervise staff and subcontractors maintains awareness.
Early Claim Reporting Process Training
When incidents occur despite best efforts, immediately connecting affected parties with proper medical care, documenting circumstances thoroughly in writing, capturing ample photographs of damage, and calling claims teams expedites effective claim investigation and resolution so delays don’t amplify severity.
We coach landscaper clients on documentation procedures for streamlined claims handling with insurer partners upon policy purchase.
Ongoing Education Channels
Leveraging short weekly or monthly toolbox talks covering various risk topics from hazardous material handling best practices to proper use of various specialty equipment provides continuous learning opportunities for the team so safety top of mind.
Our risk management experts routinely publish technical briefs on emerging risk topics for landscapers we happily share with clients looking to enhance operational excellence through education.
Investing in upgrading old equipment with modern safeguarding features, improving yard/shop layouts to enhance workflow, and standardizing procedures using checklists/protocols based on incident pattern analysis also impact loss trends positively over time.
Every dollar spent on safety saves $4 long term is the old adage insurance companies stand behind – we fully embrace the ethos.
Partnering With A Trusted Insurance Agency Serving Landscapers
As a small business, time is your most precious commodity. You started a landscaping company because working outdoors bringing landscapes to life aligns with your talents and interests – not to become an insurance expert.
However, choosing inadequate or overpriced coverage can harm companies if claims arise.
That’s why having a trusted independent insurance agency advisor in your corner who specializes in landscaping makes keeping your assets protected much less stressful.
Benefits we offer landscaping accounts include:
Custom-tailored coverage and specialty provisions specifically for landscapers – We annotate policies with unique language dealing with pesticide liability, temporary property access needs, equipment breakdown protections, and replacement cost claims settlements on tools/machinery so what you’re promised at policy purchase holds true when losses occur.
Proactive mid-term audits matching operations to policies – As you add new client contracts, purchase equipment, or faced risks like pandemic slowdowns, adjustments likely necessary so coverage keeps pace automatically. We prompt clients constantly to report changes so you avoid paying for deficiencies at audit time or with denied claims.
Strategic insurance placement leveraging exclusive insurer access – Through our scale and history insuring landscapers successfully, top carriers vie for our new and renewal business allowing us to put incumbent insurers striving to retain your business against hungry competitors so we source optimal terms and pricing at each renewal. Exclusive coverage enhancements result.
White glove claims assistance through every phase of losses – When accidents happen, delays and insurer pushback causes immense frustration. Having a battle-tested agency claims team interfacing adjusters directly while managing external vendors like repairs shops on your behalf avoids adversities so you keep customers happy despite setbacks.
The Allen Thomas Group’s 93% landscaper client retention rate over the past decade backs up the value clients see in working with specialists.
Protecting your business just feels easier when trusted experts proactively monitor evolving exposures on your behalf.
Our Quoting Process and Information We Will Need
To provide an accurate quote comparison between insurers detailing both coverage and pricing options for your unique landscaping exposures, we will need to collect some details about current operations, loss history, equipment used, and coverage carried out today.
The information we gather consists of:
- 5 years of loss run data from prior insurers outlining claims history
- Most recent annual revenue figures tied to landscaping services
- A listing of equipment, vehicles, and trailer ownership details like model years and values
- The breakdown of services offered to clients is mixed by percentage, such as mowing/turf care, hardscaping, landscape design, lawn treatments, holiday decor, etc.
- Number of owners/officers and total payroll associated with crews/admin staff
We never share your data without express consent and keep all client information fully confidential as required legally.
Our online portal allows document uploading for simplicity in supplying these policy rating factors.
Connecting by phone with one of our advisors also expedites the information exchange so we can answer any questions on required inputs for business insurance quotes or tailoring recommendations to your situation.
Depending on specific details and insurer requirements, additional documents may be necessary regarding drivers’ records, loss control efforts, or financials.
Rest assured, through over two decades collectively working with landscapers, we smooth quote gathering complexities on your behalf so you can focus on daily operations supporting local property owners and commercial clients.
Tailored Insurance Solutions Built For Your Lawn Care Business
We know how frustrating and complex the process of finding the right business insurance can be and how it can be difficult to get a certificate of insurance quickly.
Let us help craft a policy that works for you.
Tell us about your specific needs and we will find the right policy for you.
Review the results of our search.
We will walk you through your new policy step by step.
Our Commercial Insurance Carrier Partners
That allows us to find the best rates for your business.
Get a Free Policy Review and Landscaper Insurance Quote From The Allen Thomas Group Today
We covered major landscaping risk exposures, recommended coverages to carry, insurance premium influencing variables, safety best practices for reducing costs, and the importance of working with specialists gives you a new perspective regarding protecting your livelihood.
Landscaping remains an evergreen specialty trade as property owners continue investing to upgrade their outdoor living spaces and curb appeal.
But without proper precautions, unexpected claims incidents can severely harm enterprises.
Making sure you have the proper insurance coverage as your landscaping business grows allows you to scale in the long run.
Partnering with The Allen Thomas Group immediately provides direct access to the top insurance carriers for landscapers.
Benefit from 20+ years of collective expertise serving small business clients just like you for independent guidance you can fully trust.
To get a free quote for customized insurance that accounts for the unique risks your landscaping business faces, click below or call (440) 826-3676 now.
You will save time dealing with insurance hassles, doubts, or paying too much. That means you can get back to focusing on your business growth.
