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What insurance does a landscaping business need?

Most landscaping companies start with general liability, commercial auto, equipment coverage and, once they hire, workers' comp. Chemical application coverage, bonds and an umbrella come next as your services and contracts grow.

What insurance does a landscaping business need?

The short answer: general liability when your crew damages someone's property or hurts someone, commercial auto for your trucks and trailers, equipment coverage for mowers and machines, and workers' comp once you have employees. That's the core most owners need on day one, and many clients and licensing agencies expect it.

From there, your services decide the rest. Applying fertilizer or weed control changes how carriers view your liability. Design-build work brings design-error exposure. Public contracts bring bonds, and HOAs and property managers often ask for higher limits than a basic policy carries. The groups below follow that order. Get a quote for your landscaping business →

The core four

General liability

Third-party property damage and injuries, including problems that appear after the job is done. General liability for landscapers

Workers' comp

Required in most states once you hire, including seasonal and part-time crew. Workers' comp for landscapers

Commercial auto and trailers

Crew trucks, dump trucks and towed trailers, plus employees driving their own vehicles. Commercial auto for landscapers

Equipment and tools

Mowers, skid steers, sprayers and enclosed trailers against theft and damage. Landscaping equipment insurance

Specialty coverage

Pesticide and herbicide application

For lawn care companies that spray or spread: drift, misapplication and exposure claims, plus the insurance some applicator licenses require. Pesticide applicator insurance

As your company grows

Umbrella

Higher liability limits for HOA, commercial and municipal contracts. Umbrella for landscapers

License and permit bonds

Surety bonds some states and cities require to license landscape work or issue permits. License and permit bonds

Performance and maintenance bonds

Bid, performance, payment and plant-warranty bonds for public and large private jobs. Performance and maintenance bonds

Professional liability

For design-build firms whose plans, grading or irrigation design could be blamed for a loss. Professional liability for designers

Also worth a look

Business owner's policy

Liability bundled with your shop, yard, materials and business income for smaller companies. Business owner's policy

Cyber liability

Data breaches, ransomware and payment fraud that start in the office. Cyber liability

Snow plow liability

How carriers look at winter plowing if you offer it on the side. Snow plow liability

Coverage by type of work

Lawn care and mowing

Commercial grounds

Installation and hardscape

Lawn and turf treatment

Frequently asked questions

What's the minimum insurance a new landscaping business should carry?

Most start with general liability and commercial auto, and add equipment coverage once the mowers and trailer are worth protecting. Workers' comp usually becomes required with your first employee. Your state license or your first commercial client may set specific minimums.

Does general liability cover my own equipment?

No. General liability covers damage to other people's property and injuries to others. Your mowers, skid steer and trailer need equipment (inland marine) coverage or a property policy.

Do I need separate coverage for fertilizer and weed control?

Often, yes. Many liability policies limit pollution-type claims, and carriers handle chemical application in different ways. If you treat lawns, ask how your policy handles it before you need to.

When do I need an umbrella policy?

Usually when a contract asks for liability limits higher than your base policies, which is common with HOAs, commercial property managers and public work. An umbrella can also add protection over your auto and employer's liability.

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