Friday, March 22, 2024
HomeHow To Get Insurance For Lawn Care Business

How To Get Insurance For Lawn Care Business

- Advertisment -

How To Buy Lawn Care Insurance

Do You Need an LLC and Insurance To Start A Lawn Care Business

No matter how much landscaping industry experience you have or how careful you are, accidents can happen. Damaged customer property, stolen equipment, and customer injuries are just a few examples of the risks you face every time you take on a new job.

Prioritize researching and purchasing the right lawn care insurance to protect your business.

Building Vs Buying A Lawn Care Company

As with any sort of business, you can choose to start from scratch or you can buy an already developed business. If you want to build something but you dont want to start from the ground up, there are some unique opportunities that you could take advantage of in the world of lawn care.

As we mentioned before, lawn care, landscaping and gardening are three unique services. Pool services and pressure cleaning are also separate services that fall into the same general category.

Since there is a high demand for convenience in any industry, you could buy multiple small businesses that each focus on a different service in the realm of property maintenance. You can then repackage the services and sell them to existing clients as a bundle.

Of course, this requires quite a bit of capital, but it helps you through the hardest part of starting a lawn care business, which is building a list of loyal clients.

Which path you take will depend on your vision, goals and access to resources. There is no right or wrong way to start a lawn care businessand it is nice to know that there are several different options available.

What Are Some Of The Risks For Lawn Care Businesses

Just like other industries, lawn care companies are not without risks and potential liabilities. Below are some of the unique risks applicable for lawn care businesses.

Commercial Auto Insurance

  • Your personal auto policy will not cover an incident involving your commercial vehicle.
  • If youre involved in an accident while doing business, Commercial Auto will provide coverage.

General Liability

  • Operating your lawnmower and accidentally damaging someones home will mean expenses to repair the damaged property.
  • If one of your customers is injured or property is damaged by your equipment, General Liability will provide coverage.

Workers Compensation

  • One of your employees accidentally injured his leg while cutting grass, this policy will help pay for medical and rehabilitation expenses.
  • It also protects you from negligence lawsuits due to work-related injuries.

Property Insurance

  • If your store is damaged by fire, Property Insurance helps recover damages and losses.
  • After a storm your equipment and tools were damaged, this policy may also provide coverage to replace them.

You May Like: What Is The Best Cordless Lawn Edger

General Liability Insurance For Lawn Care Companies

All businesses, regardless of industry, face risks that should be covered by insurance. The most common and comprehensive type of policy business owners invest in is general liability insurance.

Some of the risks general liability insurance covers are:

  • Bodily injury
  • Legal defense and judgment
  • Personal and advertising injury

While businesses arent legally required to carry general liability insurance, operating without it is extremely risky. If your business is sued, you could end up facing fees totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars . Having a sufficient general liability insurance policy in place to help compensate for these damages is the only way to prevent this type of event from devastating your business.

Get a Free Quote for Your Business

Business insurance is massively important to all businesses, whether large or small. Getting a quote will help you understand which coverages are right for your business and how much it will cost.

Best Small Insurance Companies

Is Lawn Care Insurance Required By Law

10 Pros And Cons of Starting a Lawn Care Business  A 2020 ...

It depends on the area in which your business operates because certain coverages are state dependent. For example, commercial auto insurance is required in all states as long as you will be operating vehicles to transport your goods or equipment. Alternatively, if you have employees working for your company, most states require Workers Compensation, but coverage may be optional for those running a one-man business.

Discussing your needs with your trusted insurance agent can help explain the various policies required for each state. Although requirements vary depending on location, there are policies that even if not required by law, will still give your lawn care business the protection it needs one good example is general liability insurance.

Read Also: How To Fix Dead Patches In Lawn

How Much Will My Lawn Care Business Insurance Cost

The insurance costs for your lawn care business will depend on several factors:

  • The value of the property you are insuring
  • The coverage levels you select
  • The number of employees at your company
  • Your service area
  • Your financial history

To find the best policies at the most reasonable rates, turn to our experts at Evans, Ewan & Brady Insurance Agency. For over 90 years, we have been finding our customers great deals on insurance policies.

Call 512-869-1511 today or contact us online to request a free quote for your lawn care business insurance coverage in Austin, TX.

Send them our way!

How Much Does Landscaping Liability Insurance Cost

How much does business insurance coverage for landscapers cost? Here are some factors that might impact the cost of your insurance policy:

  • The annual profit of your landscaping business
  • The number of employees or subcontractors you hire
  • Whether or not you offer tree or stump removal
  • If you own trucks or other work vehicles
  • The deductibles and coverage limits you choose
  • The insurance agency you choose to work with

You can expect to pay an average of $29$59 a month for general liability insurance alone. The addition of other policies will increase the overall cost of insurance for landscaping businesses.

Don’t Miss: Does Grass Fertilizer Go Bad

The Basics Of The Lawn

As you know, lawn maintenance is a seasonal business, with downtime during the winter in about two-thirds of the country. Depending on your area and climate, the prime growing months run from about April to early October. You’ll need to market your services aggressively in the spring so you’ll have enough clients to carry you through the summer. Then, in the fall, you should be winterizing lawns, raking leaves and collecting past-due accounts. Still have energy left to spare? Then during the winter, you can offer services like snow plowing. If you decide to take a well-deserved break instead, you’ll have to make sure in advance that you’ve budgeted wisely throughout the year and have sufficient funds to carry you through those income-free months.

The typical startup lawn care business services 20 to 30 residential clients a week and offers up to three types of services: mowing, fertilizing and chemical application. For the purpose of the lawn care part of this book, we’ll focus on mowing and fertilizing, since chemical applications are a whole industry unto themselves. It’s also a closely regulated industry that requires practitioners to earn certifications that permit them to handle these hazardous compounds.

Most lawn care service owners prefer to start out with basic mowing and add other services as they become more experienced and acquire more equipment.

Do You Need Insurance For A Ride On Mower

The most important Insurance tip for your lawn care business

For the majority of people, a ride on lawnmower will only be used on private land, much like quad bikes, golf carts and childrens electric cars, so there is no need for them to be insured. He was unable to claim compensation as the vehicle had no insurance, being used as an agricultural vehicle on private land.

Recommended Reading: How Much Peat Moss For Lawn

Do I Need Lawn Care Insurance

7 min read

Every lawn care business owner obviously wants to see their business run smoothly and effectively. However, unforeseen lawn business accidents and damages are inevitable, yet many remain uninsured. Do you need insurance for a lawn care business? When you are in the lawn care business, you should absolutely consider purchasing general liability insurance for your lawn care business. In fact, some cities may even require it. The following are things to consider when looking for/buying insurance for your business.

Insurance costs for a lawn care business are dependent upon the size of the business.

Use An Online Marketplace

Online marketplaces allow you to take a hands-on approach to the shopping process. You can enter information about your business and your coverage needs, and then compare quotes from multiple providers at the same time.

Many of these marketplaces offer access to customer support representatives who can answer your questions, discuss your insurance needs and help you compare your options.

Good choice for you if:

Possible downsides:

  • You want to streamline the shopping process.

  • The quotes you receive will be limited to the insurance providers that the marketplace partners with.

  • You dont want to contact multiple providers for quotes.

  • Communication between insurance providers and marketplaces may not always be seamless.

  • You want the option of receiving personalized assistance from an expert as you go through the shopping process.

  • Even if you purchase insurance through a marketplace, you may have to work outside its system to file claims or manage parts of your policy.

Don’t Miss: How To Kill Wild Violet Weeds In Lawn

Basic Lawn Care Business Insurance Coverage

Even if you have a small lawn care business, our experts at Evans, Ewan & Brady recommend the following insurance policies as a bare minimum to provide the best levels of coverage:

  • Professional liability: This policy protects against lawsuits that arise from injuries or property damage accidentally caused by you or an employee, except in cases of negligence.
  • General liability insurance: This coverage protects your assets against general liability issues, such as injuries, contractual liability, property damage, copyright infringement, and more.
  • Contractors insurance: Protects your job site tools and assets against loss, protects against job-site injuries, and helps your company qualify for bids.
  • Commercial property insurance: This policy protects job equipment, tools, signage, office space, and other commercial property against losses that include fire, vandalism, and theft.
  • Workers compensation: This policy reimburses workers for a portion of the costs associated with an injury on the job.
  • Commercial auto insurance: Protects fleet vehicles and personal vehicles that are used for your business against accidents and losses.

Would you like to know if these polices are the best choice for your lawn care business? Call 512-869-1511 or reach out to us online to speak with our insurance experts in the Austin area today.

Why Start A Lawn Care Business

How to Buy Lawn Care Business Insurance

When it comes to lawn care and yard work, people either love it or hate it. Whats great is that the people who hate it create an awesome business opportunity for those who love it!

There are different reasons that drive people to start lawn care businesses.

Some see the demand for trustworthy lawn care providers and they hop on the opportunity. Others have spent years working in the lawn care industry or landscaping business, and are ready to start an operation of their own. Some are inspired to open up shop by their appreciation for a job that requires a little bit of elbow grease.

No matter what your driving force is, the important thing is that you are passionate about serving others in your community. Also, lawn care businesses can be extremely profitable, even in the first year, once you build a loyal clientele.

Read Also: Who Sells Murray Lawn Mower Parts

How Much Money Do You Need To Start A Lawn Care Business

Starting a lawn care business requires a bit of an investment in the first year. Purchasing equipment is an absolute must and insurance is highly recommended.

For equipment, youll need a truck, trailer, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, gas cans, gasoline and some small tools. As you expand your offerings, you may need additional equipment, but this should be enough to get started.

Other Insurance A Lawn Care Business May Need

Depending on the size and scope of your lawn care business, you may want to add additional coverage, such as:

  • Life insurance: If you should pass away, this policy can provide beneficiaries such as spouses, children, or business partners with money to cover unexpected expenses and the loss of income they may experience.
  • Business interruption insurance: Can help to cover expenses in the event that your business is unexpectedly closed due to a natural disaster, an illness, or an injury.
  • Commercial umbrella policy: Provides coverage for circumstances that your other insurance policies may not.
  • Group health insurance: For companies with several employees, group health insurance can provide an affordable way to obtain medical coverage for your staff.

Make sure you have all the coverage you need to protect your lawn care business. Call Evans, Ewan & Brady today at 512-869-1511 or contact us online.

Also Check: How To Revive Brown Lawn

Use An Experienced Insurance Broker

Talk to an insurance broker who understands the lawn care and landscaping industry. That way you wont end up paying for extra coverage you dont need, or with any gaps in your cover.

Not sure of the difference between an insurance carrier, agent and broker, our blog post might help. But basically, an insurance broker works for you, the customer. That means they have your best interests at heart.

They compare insurance policies in the marketplace and choose the one that best suits the needs of your particular lawn mowing business. Thats because they have in-depth knowledge about which insurers provide the best coverage for specific risks.

Using a broker means that when it comes to choosing your lawn mowing business insurance, you dont have to do all the leg-work. They do it for you.InsuranceBee makes buying business insurance easy. We speak your language, not jargon. And we understand that every lawn care business is unique. Which means its coverage needs are, too.

You can get a quote and buy online, or speak to one of our licensed advisors. Whichever is easiest for you.

Using An Insurance Agent

Why you need insurance for your lawn care and landscaping business

An insurance agent will be a critical part of your insurance plan. Choose an agent whom you can trust. A trustworthy agent will walk with you step by step in helping you understand how much insurance is for your lawn care business. An incredible agent will advise you on when to change your policies.

If you do not have an idea of where to start, they can walk you through the calculations of the average cost of insurance for your lawn care business.

They will inform you of everything your liability insurance holds for you. Other than cost, the agent should update you on special features and how you go about claiming compensation in case you incur damages or injuries while doing business.

Also Check: Briggs And Stratton 6.75 Oil Capacity

Factors To Consider When Choosing Lawn Care Insurance

Running a lawn care business can give you a lot of satisfaction, but you will also face challenges. Working with power tools carries a risk of accidents and injuries, and theres always the chance that an unhappy customer could claim that you didnt do a good enough job. You also face the possibility of having to pay damages if you accidentally run your lawn mower into a lawn ornament or knock down a fence, so you really cant afford to forget lawn care business insurance.

Trucks And Heavy Equipment

Your lawn mower, truck and trailer will be your three biggest purchases. These three items alone can run you over $20,000. Commercial-grade lawn mowers run around $3,000. You can also expect to pay around the same amount for a trailer. When it comes to a truck to pull your equipment, you have the option to buy or lease. If you choose to buy, youre looking at between $15,000 and $20,000.

It is possible to start out with a used mower or other secondhand equipment. This could be a great way to minimize your start up costs to get the cash flowing.

Read Also: Is It Illegal To Mow Lawns For Money

Your Questions On How To Start A Lawn Care Business: Answered

It might sound like a lot but just take it step-by-step, and you can do it! If it feels a little bit overwhelming, our advice is to find experts who can help.

For example, buying insurance doesnt really sound like fun but its part of running a successful lawn care business. A liability policy helps cover costs in case of an accident and shows prospective clients youre a serious professional.

And it can be fast and easy when you work with the right team, like the experts at Simply Business.

Most of all, insurance gives you peace of mind, so you can focus on the most important thing your new lawn care business!

We wish you the best of luck starting your lawn care business. If you need more help or advice on starting and growing your lawn care service, download our FREE guide on how to start a business. Its chock full of advice on everything you need to know about starting a business, with advice including:

How to get a business licenseHow to find the best name for your businessAn in-depth guide to finding your first customersHow to make the most of online marketingAnd more!

S After Getting Business Insurance

How to Get Lawn Care Insurance

Depending on where you are in your business building process, here are some other actions you may need to take before getting started:

Read Also: What Is The Best Cordless Lawn Edger

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Popular Articles

- Advertisment -