May 9, 2016
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Spring is a season of refreshment and renewal – bringing sunshine, warmer weather, and the awareness of how ugly our yards and houses have become during the dreary Winter months. However, business is great for lawn care professionals, painters, and general contractors right now.
If you’re a landscaper, you’re probably inundated with phone calls right now. But keep in mind that with every project you book, you’re increasing your exposure to risk and liability claims. Working with dangerous lawn and garden chemicals, chainsaws, pole saws, tractors, edgers, and other landscaping and tree equipment can expose you to special risks.
Continue reading below to learn about the coverages small landscaping businesses typically need and how we can help you keep costs down without trimming off crucial coverage and protection for your business.
Weeding Out Risk
Landscaping accidents can cause injuries or property damage that could lead to lawsuits and financial loss. Trim the wrong tree or bush? Mistake some flowers for weeds? Hit a rock with a lawnmower?
A Business Owners Policy can provide protection against lawsuits and other financial liabilities that result from things like accidents or other mishaps. Larger landscaping and tree service operations typically require more customized coverage and a BOP can have coverages added to it to build the necessary protections.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Landscapers, builders, and other contractors often struggle to find good, reliable helpers that take pride in their work. Even your best worker isn’t invincible against injury or immune to getting sick on the job.
If your employee gets hurt on the job or while driving your vehicle, this insurance coverage will protect you from lawsuits and will cover the medical expenses necessary for your employees.
Medical Expenses Coverage
In the event that one of your employees injures someone else in an accident, this coverage can apply for medical expenses. Without it, your business may be liable for medical costs out of pocket.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Do you use your vehicle to pick up plants, supplies, or workers? Aside from your workers, your biggest asset(s) is the equipment you use to get the job done and the vehicle you use to get you there. Various types of vehicle insurance that are covered by your commercial auto policy are pickup truck insurance, truck insurance, business auto insurance, van insurance, dump truck insurance, and trailer insurance.
Inland Marine Coverage
This is the insurance coverage that protects your equipment and tools while in transit to the job, on the job or while your machines are in storage. Inland Marine Insurance is extremely valuable when you have several mowers and other lawn care tools.
Limited Pesticide/Herbicide Application Coverage
Landscaping and arboriculture business owners are careful when using dangerous chemicals but mistakes can happen. Herbicide/Pesticide Coverage is insurance that can help pay for expenses resulting from pollution by a pesticide or herbicide that your company used on a customer’s property.
Snow Plow and Snow Removal
Most landscapers provide snow plowing or snow removal during winter months and we can find you coverage for residential, light commercial and heavy-duty commercial snow plowing on your commercial auto as well as general liability policy.
Trimming Costs
It’s important to have the necessary coverages and protections in place, whether you’re a small, medium, or large business; no matter how many or how few employees you have.
In a tough economy and with even tougher competition, it’s tempting to try and trim costs wherever you can. But the businesses who stay around the longest are those who can weather the financial storms of lawsuits and other liability issues through smart business planning and good liability coverage.
The Ross Maghan Agency can help you find the right coverage for the right price at the right time. Give us a call today at (732) 566-0003 or use the contact form to the right to send us a message.
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