What is landscaping insurance?
Landscaping work comes with certain risks. Accidents can leave a business liable, property can be damaged, and any number of other things can happen. Landscaping insurance can help Pennsylvania landscaping businesses shield themselves from a variety of risks.
Landscaping insurance offers tailored protections for businesses in the landscaping and lawn care space. Policies normally come with multiple property and liability protections that can be customized.
Which Pennsylvania businesses need to have lawn care insurance?
Most offering landscaping and/or lawncare services should have lawn care insurance. This generally includes individuals, small businesses, and statewide companies that do this work in Pennsylvania. For example, all of the following may want coverage:
- Individual who mows lawns as a full-time job or part-time gig
- Small business that does landscaping and/or lawn care in the area
- Company that does large-scale and specialized landscaping
- Seasonal businesses offering landscaping and/or lawn care
What coverages are included in lawn care insurance policies?
Lawn care insurance policies normally offer both property coverages and liability coverages. The former primarily insurers assets that a landscaper owns, while the latter primarily covers accidents which the landscaper might be liable.
Some common property coverages that these policies often can come with are:
- Commercial Building Coverage: Typically covers an office building, garage, or storage facility owned by a lawn care business or landscaper.
- Commercial Contents Coverage: Typically covers chippers, lifts, mowers, trimmers, spreaders, plants, seeds, electronics, and other items when they’re at a landscaper’s location.
- Inland Marine Coverage: Typically covers equipment, plants, and treatments when they’re moved between a landscaper’s location and customer locations.
- Equipment Breakdown Coverage: Typically covers vital equipment, like chippers, lifts, and commercial lawnmowers, if they break down.
Some liability coverages that are often available include:
- General Liability Coverage: Might cover common accidents (excluding auto accidents) for which a landscaper or lawn care business is held responsible.
- Errors and Omissions Coverage (E&O): Might cover mistakes made while advising customers on the installation or management of their landscaping features.
- Product Liability Coverage: Might cover injuries, illnesses, and property damage resulting from the use of pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and other treatments.
- Environmental Liability Coverage: Might cover environmental damage resulting from spills, leaks, and over-application of treatments.
- Commercial Auto Coverage: Might cover landscapers’ commercial trucks and vans, typically protecting against accidents and other incidents.
- Commercial Umbrella Coverage: Might provide additional coverage for expensive liability lawsuits.
Are lawn care businesses required to get workers compensation?
Per state law, Pennsylvania businesses with employees generally need to have workers compensation. The coverage normally helps employees manage lost income and medical expenses following a workplace injury or illness.
Lawn care businesses that have employees usually need to get workers compensation, which might be purchased within a lawn policy or apart from one. Individuals who mow lawns, and don’t have employees, likely don’t need the coverage.
Can lawn care policies include coverage for snow plowing during winter?
Many lawn care insurance policies can be set up to also cover snow removal, but it’s important to make sure a policy has the right terms. An insurance agent who’s specialized in lawn care policies can assist with covering both landscaping and snow removal.
Can lawn care policies include coverage for architectural landscaping?
Some landscaping policies may offer coverage for architectural landscaping services, but others may not. Whether architectural services are covered depends largely on a policy’s errors and omissions coverage. A knowledgeable agent can check a particular policy’s E&O coverage, to determine whether it properly covers architectural landscaping services.
How much do landscapers pay for insurance?
The premiums for landscaping policies vary based on factors like the type of services provided, equipment used, and the size and location of the business. Despite the varying factors, these policies are generally affordable. Requesting quotes with an independent insurance agent is an easy way to find out how much a business would have to pay.
Where can businesses find landscaping insurance?
For help finding landscaping insurance in Pennsylvania, contact the independent insurance agents at The Miller Financial Group. Our agents will make sure you find a policy that keeps your lawn care or landscaping business protected well.
