Don't leave everything to chance; keep yourself protected with an insurance
General liability insurance — commercial general liability (CGL) insurance — covers your landscaping business from costs resulting from third-party accidents, property damage, bodily injury, lawsuits alleging damage, and more.
If you don't have general liability insurance, you run the risk of being responsible for any costs that come with running a landscaping business. With the average cost of reputational damage being upwards of $50,000, small businesses can't afford to be insured.
To put this in perspective, let's say a customer trips over a leaf blower left out in their yard while you're wrapping up a landscaping project. The customer is injured and irate, and they sue you for their injuries. As a result, the medical bills and court fees result in thousands of dollars. What do you do in this situation?
So what could your general liability insurance policy cover? Here's a quick summary:
But what about the things general liability insurance doesn’t cover?
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.
From lawn mowers 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, too.
For example, what if an employee were to drop a heavy shovel and break their foot? Or if an employee is injured while using lawn shears? Talk about some hefty medical bills! Your workers' compensation policy will not only cover your employee's medical bills, but it can
cover other related expenses, such as time missed from work and rehabilitation expenses.
Landscapers must have adequate workers' compensation insurance. Accidents can happen even if we think we're being as careful as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2017 more than 229,000 workplace injuries due to contact with objects and equipment were so severe that they resulted in time away from work. What's more, the cost of work injuries in the U.S. that same year was $161.5 billion. That's not a typo.
Workers' compensation insurance for landscapers can cover:
Other insurance that may be needed for your landscape business
There's no question that running a landscaping business is costly, especially if you're in the early stages and purchasing equipment, vehicles, marketing, etc. However, the thought of 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, not only do you have peace of mind knowing that you and your family are covered, but you know 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.
