Landscaping Insurance in Massachusetts
Learn more about Gould Insurance’s landscaping insurance coverage offerings and get a quote from our Massachusetts agents today!
What is landscaping insurance?
Starting a landscaping business requires sizeable investments, as this work can require everything from commercial mowers to heavy-duty excavators. Such investment should be protected whenever possible, and that’s what landscaping insurance may help Massachusetts landscapers with.
Landscaping insurance policies offer tailored protections for landscapers and lawn care businesses. Policies can come with a variety of coverages, protecting against multiple risks.
Who in Massachusetts are lawn care insurance policies for?
Lawn care insurance is usually the right policy type for both lawn care services and landscaping services. Most Massachusetts businesses and individuals in this space should have coverage. Not insuring could result in devastating financial consequences if something ever happened.
Some examples of businesses that frequently purchase lawn care or landscaping policies include:
- Small lawn care businesses
- Residential landscapers
- Commercial landscapers
- Seasonal lawn care businesses
Do individuals need insurance when mowing others’ yards?
It’s generally wise to be insured when mowing someone else’s yard, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone needs to purchase a lawn care insurance policy.
If mowing another person’s yard without receiving any compensation, most people already have liability coverage through their homeowners or renters insurance policy. A homeowner’s personal property coverage would likely extend to a personal favor, such as mowing a friend’s, neighbor’s, or family member’s yard.
When money exchanges hands, however, lawn care insurance might indeed be needed. Mowing a lawn for pay, even if a friend’s or neighbor’s lawn, is less likely to be covered by homeowners personal liability coverage. A lawn care policy is often needed in these situations.
If a lawn care policy is needed, an agent who knows lawn care insurance well should be able to find an affordable and protective option.
What types of coverages do landscaping policies provide?
Landscaping policies usually offer a combination of property and liability coverages. Property coverages mainly protect assets against loss or damage, and liability coverages mainly protect against various lawsuits.
Some property coverages that landscapers may want to look for in these policies are:
- Commercial Building Coverage: Could cover an office building, garage, or storage facility owned by a landscaping or lawn care business.
- Commercial Contents Coverage: Could cover landscaping and lawn care equipment at an owned facility. Might extend to lifts, chippers, mowers, trimmers, spreaders, and also seeds and plants.
- Inland Marine Coverage: Could cover landscaping equipment, treatments, seeds, and plants as they’re taken to/from customer locations.
- Equipment Breakdown Coverage: Could cover essential landscaping equipment, possibly including lifts, chippers, lifts, and commercial mowers, if they break.
Some liability coverages that landscapers may want in their policy include:
- General Liability Coverage: May insure against common accidents (not auto accidents) for which a landscaping or lawn care business is held responsible.
- Errors and Omissions Coverage: May insure against mistakes that are made while advising customers on the planning or management of their landscaping (E&O coverage).
- Product Liability Coverage: May insure against illnesses, injuries, and property damage resulting from pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and other treatments.
- Environmental Liability Coverage: May insure against environmental damage caused by spills, leaks, or over-application of treatments.
- Commercial Auto Coverage: May insure against accidents and other incidents involving landscapers’ commercial trucks and vans.
- Commercial Umbrella Coverage: May provide additional insurance against costly liability lawsuits.
Can landscaping policies cover snow plowing services?
Many landscaping policies can be adapted to include coverage for snow plowing during winter. It’s important to make sure that policy does cover both landscaping and snow plowing activities, though.
Landscapers who also snow plow should work with a knowledgeable agent. An agent who understands landscaping policies will know what provisions to look for.
Are architectural landscaping services covered by a landscaping policy?
Coverage for architectural landscaping services varies by policy. Some policies may cover these services well, while others might not have enough E&O coverage. This, too, is something that a knowledgeable agent can assist with.
Where can Massachusetts businesses find landscaping insurance?
For help insuring a Massachusetts landscaping or lawn care business, contact the independent insurance agents at Gould Insurance. Our agents will help you find a landscaping insurance policy that’ll keep your business protected well.
