Landscapers Insurance Ontario

Who Needs Landscaper Insurance in Ontario?

If you own a lawn care business, you're accustomed to the many risks that are associated with your line of work. Not only do landscaping businesses operate heavy machinery on a day-to-day basis, but you also work outdoors, with chemicals such as herbicide, and deal with heavy trees and bushes.

If you provide landscaping services to commercial or residential clients, it's important that you choose to obtain landscaping insurance. Not only will landscaping insurance protect you against the possibly devastating effects of an accident, but it will also help protect you financially should you be found liable in a lawsuit brought against you, or responsible for paying medical fees. If you work in the following disciplines, you should have landscaping insurance:

• Landscapers
• Groundskeepers
• Gardeners
• Arborists
• Irrigation technicians
• Field technicians
• Well drilling contractors
• Tree removal professionals

While the type of business insurance you need will vary depending on the nature of your business, whether you work alone or if you have employees, and the size of your business, the only way to be truly protected against a range of perils is with the right landscaping insurance policy. At Morison Insurance, our team is dedicated to finding our clients the best possible insurance coverage—so you can breathe easy knowing your landscaping business is protected even when disaster strikes.

What Does Landscape Contractors Insurance Cover?

Landscaping insurance protects your business from a range of risks that could be the result of an accident, theft, loss or bodily injury. Consider for a moment that an accident has happened. Say one of your new employees accidentally damages your client’s deck during a landscaping job, or maybe an employee is injured while at work. Do you have enough capital to afford the subsequent damages, legal fees and medical bills?

If you're like most landscapers, the answer is probably no. Most business owners don't have enough extra capital to pay out-of-pocket when disaster strikes, which is why it is so very important you have a thorough insurance policy that covers all possible perils you may encounter at work.

Protect yourself, your employees and clients with landscaping insurance. At Morison Insurance, we can tailor your landscaping insurance policy so that it perfectly suits your needs. There are a number of coverages available to you.

Commercial General Liability Insurance for Landscapers

Also referred to as CGL, commercial general liability insurance is a basic form of coverage that protects you from day-to-day risks that might happen while you're at work. Namely, this includes coverage against bodily injury to a third party and accidental property damage. For example, if you're working in a residential backyard and a neighbour pops by to see what you're doing but trips on a set of tools and hurts themselves, you could be found liable. Commercial general liability subsequently covers medical bills and legal expenses—regardless of a lawsuit's outcome.

Commercial Auto Insurance for Landscapers

If you use a work vehicle to get to and from jobs, and you transport your tools and equipment when you travel, you need commercial auto insurance. This coverage protects you against collision damages, liability damages and theft. You'll also be protected in the event you need to pay out for medical expenses due to an accident. It's important to note that commercial auto insurance will not cover the theft of tools or equipment from a vehicle.

Professional Liability Insurance for Landscapers

Commonly referred to as errors and omissions insurance, this type of coverage protects you in the event you face a lawsuit due to alleged negligence, failure to deliver promised or expected services, breach of contract, misconduct and bad advice. For instance, say you provided drawings for a rockwall and the drawing are inaccurate and cause a loss, professional liability insurance protects you from legal fees and subsequent damages, including financial settlements.

Tools and Equipment Coverage for Landscapers

Tools and equipment insurance protects your equipment and tools from damage and loss. This policy protects both tools you own, and tools that are in your care. However, it's important to note that tools and equipment coverage only protects items that are stored on your premises. It does not protect against theft while equipment is in transit or on a worksite, meaning its important to prevent theft of your tools and equipment while on the job. This can also offer contractors equipment floaters to cover tools and equipment that is offsite. 

Pollution Liability Insurance for Landscapers

This coverage protects you against liabilities resulting from environmental hazards such as contamination, bodily injury or property damage caused by pollution. Examples of this could be a lung infection or respiratory issues, or mould infestation. If your landscaping company regularly deals with pesticides and fertilizers, it's imperative that you invest in pollution liability.

Commercial Property Insurance for Landscapers

If you have an office or workshop associated with your business—including a garage or shed if you work from home—you need commercial property insurance. This policy protects against damage from a fire, vandalism or loss due to theft. Without commercial property insurance, you might face serious financial losses, and it could take your business a significant time to recover.

Equipment Breakdown Insurance for Landscapers

Landscapers tend to have very expensive and specific equipment. When that equipment breaks down suddenly, you may have to cancel jobs and lose work until you're able to afford a replacement. Even then, buying new equipment could be financially crippling. Yet, with equipment breakdown insurance, you can ensure your landscaping business is protected. This policy will help cover the repair and replacement costs of your mechanical equipment.

Cyber Insurance for Landscapers

As someone who works outside most of the time, you may not think you need cyber insurance. But if you use a computer system at any point during your business operations, you should have this coverage. It protects your landscaping business' software in the event you're hacked—this includes protecting important financial or client information.

Other Protection for Your Landscaping Company

Depending on your business operation and insurance needs, you might be interested in protecting your business further with a few add-on policies such as disability insurance and life insurance. Talk to your broker to get the right advice about your insurance.

Important Notes:

• If you operate your landscaping business from home and store equipment in a garage or shed, then home insurance will not protect you in the event of a theft or loss. You may need commercial property insurance to safeguard your investments.
• If you have employees, you need workers' compensation insurance. What many business owners don't know is that this coverage can be supplied by the government. Workers' compensation insurance helps protect your employees in case they are injured at work.

Why Do Landscaping and Lawn Mowing Services Need Insurance?

In a nutshell, insurance protects you, your company, your employees and your clients in the event of an emergency. Without adequate protection, you would have to recoup any losses, settle financial disputes, pay for legal fees and cover medical bills out-of-pocket. This can put serious financial strain on even the most savvy landscaping business owner.

How are My Landscaping Tools Covered?

Depending on your landscaping insurance policy, your tools can be protected from loss, theft and damage. Since different policies protect your tools differently—such as commercial auto insurance, which does not provide coverage for equipment even while in your vehicle —it's important to talk to an insurance agent and ensure your equipment is adequately covered regardless of where or when it is damaged.

What Impacts Landscaper Insurance Rates?

There are a number of factors that can impact landscaping insurance rates, including:

• How much revenue you will make in the upcoming year.
• Your past claims history.
• The size of your business.
• Value of tools and equipment.
• The years of experience you possess. For instance, the less experience you have, the higher your premiums are likely to be.
• Whether you were insured in the past. If you have been operating your landscaping business, but were not properly insured, then you could have a hard time finding future insurance.

Why Do Landscaping and Lawn Care Businesses Need General Liability Coverage?

General liability insurance protects you against two important perils: third-party bodily injury and property damage. Either could result in devastating financial losses for your business, so it's integral that you have general liability coverage. For example, say one of your new employees is operating an excavator and backs it up into your client's home. This could cause serious damage, and you're liable for the repairs. Not to mention, you could wind up with a lawsuit on your hands. Protect yourself with the right insurance.

Do I Need Auto Insurance if I Use My Personal Truck for Landscaping Work?

You will most likely need commercial auto insurance. Even if you have auto insurance for personal use, while using your vehicle in a professional capacity, there is a chance you may not be covered if something happens. For instance, if you keep equipment in your vehicle that gets stolen, and you only use that equipment for work, it may not be covered under your personal auto insurance.

What Should I Consider Before Purchasing Landscaping Insurance?

Before you purchase landscaping insurance, you should get your proverbial ducks in a row. It's important to be aware of the full picture as much as possible. That means assembling the right paperwork and information, so you're able to get a quote efficiently.  This should include:

• Annual revenue estimates
• Payroll estimates
• Information on any previous insurance claims

What Other Information Do I Need to Purchase Landscaping Insurance?

In addition to the right paperwork, you should be prepared to answer a series of questions posed by your dedicated insurance broker. These questions will help us understand what coverage is best for you, based on your landscaping business' unique needs. A few questions you can expect your Morison Insurance agent to ask include:

• Do you do any work in industrial, manufacturing or airport sites?
• When did you obtain your trade license, certification and accreditation?
• Is this your full-time or part-time job?
• Do you subcontract work? If so, what percent of your overall operations are subcontracted out?
• Do you have contracts in place with your sub-contractors?
• Do you request proof of insurance from your sub-contractors?
• Do you have insurance now?
• Have you been cancelled/declined/non-renewed in the past five years?
• Have you had any claims in the past five years?
• What are your gross annual revenues?
• Do you perform any fertilizer or pesticide spraying?
• Do you perform any other operations? If yes, what percent of your overall operations?
• Do you perform any tree removal operations?
• Do you own any greenhouses?

Do I Need Landscaping Business Insurance if My Clients Have Homeowner Insurance?

Yes. Your client's homeowners insurance will not protect you in the event of an emergency. Even if you damage your client's property accidentally, they may wish to sue you rather than go through their own insurance—which will only serve to increase their premiums. It's also best to protect yourself as much as possible, and that is where landscapers insurance comes in.

Why Choose Morison Insurance To Get Landscaping Insurance?

At Morison Insurance, we're proud to say we're a family-owned and operated business, and we treat all our clients with that same family-oriented mindset. Our team is truly invested in finding the best coverage for your landscaping business' needs. Working with you, we seek to provide you with peace of mind. Our goal is to ensure you feel confident in your coverage, so you can focus on growing your business rather than worrying about what the future might hold.

To inquire about landscaping insurance and get in touch with our expert brokers, give our team a call at 1-800-463-8074. You can also inquire about a quote online.