Lawn care insurance is a necessity if you own a lawn care company or plan on starting one. Having insurance can protect you against property damage, accidents, equipment failure, lawsuits, and even worker’s compensation if you have employees. There are various different types of coverage plans that you and your business can carry to help prevent any costly accidents. That being said, the act of choosing the right plan for your needs can be a confusing task. To make it a little easier, we laid out a list of potential landscaping insurance plans that can help keep your lawn mowing business operating during and after an issue arises.
General Business Liability Insurance
Lawn care providers are typically working throughout different areas of the community that they operate in. You’ll be working on other people’s property for a significant portion of your day, and you need to be covered in case of an accident. General liability insurance provides coverage for injury, property damage, or personal injury arising from your business operations. Depending on your business setup, you may want to pair a general liability policy with other coverage plans to cover all your bases.
Inland Marine Insurance
Your tools and machinery are your lifeline. Inland marine coverage will ensure that your equipment is covered during transport to and from job sites. Even if you’re the safest driver, accidents aren’t always preventable. Since you do a lot of traveling around the city, it pays to be covered for both the sake of your business and your employees. You don’t want to get caught in a situation that results in you having to repurchase your expensive equipment.
Business Owner’s Policy
Lawsuits are costly and most small businesses don’t budget enough to cover the costs. If and when an accident occurs, you don’t know how much damage it will cause or how costly it will be. Damaged equipment or a lawsuit can financially ruin a business, so having a business owner’s insurance policy can help soften the blow and allow your business stay afloat during the hard times.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Working in the lawn care industry presents quite a few safety risks, and accidents can happen to even the most cautious of people. Worker’s compensation (commonly known as Workers’ comp) is something that every employer should carry to help protect both the livelihood of their employees and their business. An unexpected accident on the job can threaten your business if you’re not properly insured if an injured employee holds you responsible for the damages and medical fees. Worker’s comp helps cover the cost of medical bills, missed wages, and any legal fees that you may incur after the time of an accident.
Property Insurance
Property insurance is vital for lawn care providers to possess. It covers any damage or loss to structures used for business purposes. This includes such structures as your company office or storage building for your lawn care equipment. Property insurance encompasses inland marine insurance coverage by extending the scope of the coverage that an inland marine policy does.
Umbrella/Excess Liability Insurance
Maybe you work on multi-million dollar estates or other high priced real estate. In that case, your customers may require the need for higher insurance coverage. Umbrella or excess liability coverage allows companies to carry a plan with more coverage without raising the premium of their general business liability plan. The range of coverage for excess liability policies differ by needs, so you’ll want to figure out the amount of coverage that will work best for your customer’s needs.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Chances are, you transport your equipment with your own vehicle. Without it, you would lose your ability to provide, so having your vehicle covered provides a lot of upsides for your business. Carrying a commercial auto policy can help protect you against high vehicle related costs such as repairs, medical expenses, and even lawsuits that may arise from an accident on the road. Commercial auto coverage can be extended across any vehicle used in the day-to-day operation of your business, so you can rest assured that everyone will be covered when they are out and about.
Choosing Your Coverage
Whether you are a one man crew or run a few teams, insurance coverage can save you from any financial headaches that may arise. Carrying an insurance policy can also make your business more appealing to potential customers, something you may help sway your decision. Many policies work together to build a complete coverage package to suit your needs. Do note that not all insurance policies are offered in certain states or cities, so make sure to check with your local insurance provider to ensure you get the right amount of coverage for your needs.
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