Photo: istockphoto.com

Lawn care businesses continue to be a popular business endeavors across the country. While some are run by companies with many employees, others are operated by self-employed small-business owners who seek to provide the best lawn care services to their community. Owning a lawn care business comes with potential risk for injuries, damaged equipment, damage to client properties, and other perils that could take a large toll on the business’s revenue. That’s why it’s important for owners to carry the best insurance for lawn care businesses. By doing so, they can protect their business interests in the event they or an employee gets hurt, their equipment is stolen, or they damage a client’s property.

1. BEST OVERALL: NEXT Insurance
2. RUNNER-UP: Thimble Insurance
3. BEST COVERAGE LIMITS: The Hartford
4. BEST FOR LOW RATES: Hiscox
5. ALSO CONSIDER: Progressive Commercial

Photo: istockphoto.com

What to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Insurance Companies for Lawn Care Businesses

To find the best lawn care business insurance, business owners will want to examine all aspects of the policy to ensure the coverage is sufficient to protect their assets. These include having an adequate coverage limit, affordable premiums, and an easy-to-use claims process. It’s also important for business owners to find an insurance company with a high AM Best rating that speaks to the company’s financial strength and ability to pay its claims.

Service Area

When business owners are shopping for lawn care business insurance for landscapers, the first step is to confirm the insurance company offers insurance in the area where their business is located. While many national companies do offer coverage across the country, there are instances where those companies don’t cover every part of the country. Sometimes shoppers can find out if the company offers coverage where they need it by inputting their ZIP code on the company website. Sometimes they will need to call the company to confirm. If coverage is not offered in their area, the business owner can cross the company off the list and move on to the next option.

Coverage Type

A business insurance for lawn care policy is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. There are several types of lawn care business insurance, so it’s important for shoppers to review what those types are and the coverage they provide to determine the right coverage for the business. For instance, general liability insurance for landscapers and other lawn experts protects the business against financial loss due to claims for property damage, bodily injury, medical expenses, slander, libel, and other lawsuits. Commercial property insurance protects the business and its assets from such perils as fire, windstorms, vandalism, and other designated events. Lawn care business owners will want to discuss all types of business insurance with their chosen insurer to understand what those policies cover and if they are essential to protecting their business and assets.

Coverage Amount

Business insurance claims, including for lawn care businesses, can be for substantial amounts of money. Therefore, it’s important for lawn care business owners to find a policy that offers a coverage amount sufficient to cover those claims. In addition, certain insurance coverage applies to the business’s equipment, vehicles, and other assets, so coverage amounts will need to be high enough to cover repair or replacement for those items. Shoppers will want to discuss coverage amounts with the insurance company to determine what coverage amount would best serve their business. It should be high enough that the company won’t suffer significant losses if a claim is filed.

Premiums

Premiums are the price policyholders pay to maintain insurance coverage. They may be paid monthly, bimonthly, semiannually, or annually. The premium amount depends on a number of factors. These include the type of business, where it’s located, the number (if any) of employees, the value of all business equipment, the type of coverage purchased, the amount of coverage purchased, and the policy deductible amount. Generally speaking, the more coverage purchased, the higher the premium. Also, policies with high deductibles (the amount policyholders will need to pay out of pocket when making a claim) usually have lower premiums; the reverse is true as well. Companies may qualify for discounts that can help reduce the premium amount.

Endorsements

Endorsements—also called riders—are additions, deletions, or changes to the standard coverage in a large or small lawn care business insurance policy. For instance, if the policy already includes general liability insurance for lawn care businesses, an endorsement could be added to increase the amount of coverage for general liability. This means if the standard coverage is for $50,000, the business could purchase an endorsement that increases general liability coverage to $100,000. Examples of other endorsements include those that provide coverage for high-value lawn care equipment, a specific employee or employees, or a business interruption due to a mechanical breakdown. When shopping for lawn care business insurance, business owners will want to discuss all possible endorsement options to see if any could provide custom coverage that would benefit the business.

Quote Process

Finding the best lawn care business insurance for the best price takes time and research. Part of that research includes getting a rate quote on an insurance policy. Many insurance companies offer the option to get a quote using the company’s online rate-quote tool. These tools typically ask for basic personal information such as the type of business, where it’s located, and the type and amount of coverage desired. It then generates a rate quote that is an estimated cost for the insurance policy. These quotes can change once the business owner provides more detailed information on the desired policy. Comparing rate quotes is a good way for a business owner to get an idea of how much coverage will cost and which company has the best rates. It’s best for shoppers to get at least three rate quotes when looking for business insurance for a lawn care business.

Claims Process

Filing a claim for a lawn care business can be time-consuming, so it’s important for business owners to find an insurance company that makes the process quick and easy. Many insurance companies offer the capability to file a business insurance claim online through the company’s website. Typically, policyholders will provide the details of the incident for the claim as well as any supporting documents such as repair estimates, police reports, and photographs. Some companies also offer the option to file a claim using the company app or by talking with an agent. Shoppers will want to talk with fellow business owners to find out what their claims experience has been with specific companies to see which ones make it easy and pay their claims quickly, without making their policyholders jump through a lot of hoops.

Deductible

The deductible is the amount the policyholder pays out of pocket when a claim is filed. For instance, if the claim is for $50,000 and the deductible is $5,000, the policyholder will pay the $5,000 and the insurance company will pay the remaining $45,000. The deductible amount varies based on a number of factors, including how much coverage is purchased and the premiums for the policy. While insurance companies may have a minimum set deductible amount for a policy, they often allow policyholders to select a higher deductible; in return, the premiums for the policy are lower. However, the reverse is also true, so shoppers will want to think about whether they could afford to pay a higher deductible when filing a claim, or whether it would be better for them to choose a lower deductible and pay more for their insurance premiums.

AM Best Rating

Policyholders choose insurance companies based on the company’s reputation for providing quality coverage and paying claims on that coverage as agreed. One way to evaluate a company’s ability to pay claims is to look at its AM Best rating. AM Best reviews information on insurance companies to determine their financial strength, and then it awards a rating to each company based on its financial strength. AM Best ratings range from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor). Ideally, business owners will want to look for companies with an AM Best rating between B+ (Good) and A++. The higher the rating, the more likely it is the company will honor its claims so business owners can depend on the coverage they purchase.

Our Top Picks

For the best insurance for a lawn care business, business owners will want to look for companies that offer coverage across the country, have high coverage amounts, and make it easy to get a rate quote and file a claim.

Photo: nextinsurance.com

Why It Made the Cut: NEXT Insurance offers coverage nationwide and in Washington, D.C., a quick claim-decision window, generous bundling discounts, and a dedicated mobile app.

Available across the country, including Washington, D.C., NEXT Insurance strives to make decisions on claims within 48 hours of receiving them. This is a quick turnaround time for this type of insurance and could be appealing to business owners who want a speedy claims process that could lead to quick payouts. Customers will want to note that even though NEXT Insurance’s AM Best rating of A- is relatively low compared with the ratings of some other insurers, this grade is still considered “Excellent.” Additionally, the company’s fast response to claims is a good indicator of the company’s financial strength.

NEXT Insurance policyholders also can receive a 10 percent discount on their small-business insurance if they bundle multiple types of coverage—general liability and workers’ compensation insurance for landscapers, for instance. In addition, they can easily manage their policy using the company’s mobile app, making it easy for policyholders to file claims, change coverage, and pay premiums.

 

Specs

• Service area: 50 states and Washington, D.C.
• Coverage amount: Up to $1 million (for general liability)
• Quote process: Online
• Claims process: Online, phone, app
• AM Best rating: A-

Pros

• Nationwide availability
• Quick 48-hour claim decisions
• Relatively high and competitive 10 percent bundling discount
• Convenient policy management via mobile app

Cons

• Relatively low A- AM Best rating

Photo: thimble.com

Why It Made the Cut: Thimble Insurance maintains a nationwide footprint, offers flexible options in terms of insurance policies, and has a mobile app tailored to the needs of small businesses.

Offering coverage to lawn care businesses throughout the country and Washington, D.C., Thimble Insurance offers policies that run for 12 months, month-to-month, or on an on-demand basis if a business owner needs lawn care insurance for 1 day. This flexibility can be very useful to lawn care business owners if their insurance needs change. Thimble Insurance does not appear to offer commercial auto coverage as an option with small-business insurance, which means lawn care businesses that maintain their own work trucks and vehicles will need to look for this type of coverage elsewhere. Also, while Thimble customers can add snow removal coverage at an additional cost, this is only available for certain residential properties, not commercial properties or multi-unit buildings.

Using the company’s mobile app, policyholders can adjust the terms of their monthly and on-demand insurance plans, adding or removing coverage as needed. They can even pause their coverage for up to 30 days if they don’t need to continue coverage for a period of time.

 

Specs

• Service area: 50 states and Washington, D.C.
• Coverage amount: $300,000 to $1 million (for general liability)
• Quote process: Online
• Claims process: Online, app
• AM Best rating: A

Pros

• Nationwide availability
• Flexible range of policy durations
• Policies can be modified, paused, or canceled at any time
• Convenient policy management via mobile app

Cons

• No commercial auto coverage
• Snow removal coverage not available for commercial properties or multi-unit buildings

Photo: thehartford.com

Why It Made the Cut: The Hartford offers high coverage limits on general liability coverage, as well as the 24/7 availability of claim support teams and a high A+ rating from AM Best.

Boasting an AM Best rating of A+, The Hartford offers general liability coverage for up to $2 million, which is a relatively high limit for this type of coverage. Having a higher general liability coverage limit could be incredibly valuable in the event an employee accidentally causes significant property damage to a customer’s home while on the job, or if a customer is injured as a result of the business’s negligence—for instance, if an employee leaves out equipment that a customer trips over, resulting in a broken bone. It’s important for business owners to note that this coverage can be costly, and as such, The Hartford’s rates may be on the high side for small-business insurance.

While same-day coverage isn’t available, a policy with The Hartford may be worth the wait given the company’s 24/7 phone access to claims representatives who can help answer questions, check on the status of a claim, or help with any other aspect of the claims process.

 

Specs

• Service area: 48 states and Washington, D.C. (not available in Alaska or Hawaii)
• Coverage amount: $300,000 to $2 million (for general liability)
• Quote process: Online, phone, agent
• Claims process: Online, phone, agent
• AM Best rating: A+

Pros

• High $2 million general liability coverage limit available
• 24/7 claim support over the phone
• Relatively high A+ AM Best rating

Cons

• Relatively high insurance premiums
• Same-day coverage unavailable

Photo: hiscox.com

Why It Made the Cut: Hiscox offers fairly low rates for coverage, a quick-and-easy online enrollment process, and a variety of free online tools and resources that small-business owners can use.

With Hiscox’s online enrollment process, lawn care business owners can get a quote and buy a policy in just a couple of minutes, depending on how complex their coverage needs are. This quick-and-easy process may be appealing to business owners who have straightforward coverage requirements. However, while Hiscox rates tend to be on the low end, the company’s requirement for business owners to make an up-front payment equal to roughly three times the monthly rate could be a tough ask for many small lawn care businesses.

Also, in some cases, policyholders may find that they need to wait up to 20 days to receive a decision on a filed insurance claim. However, for business owners who do choose Hiscox, the company has a variety of online resources to help out small-business owners who are just starting out or would like some assistance managing their affairs.

 

Specs

• Service area: 49 states and Washington, D.C. (not available in Alaska)
• Coverage amount: $300,000 to $1 million (for general liability)
• Quote process: Online, phone
• Claims process: Online, phone, mail
• AM Best rating: A

Pros

• Relatively low insurance premiums
• Quick and streamlined online enrollment
• Helpful small-business tools and resources available

Cons

• 3 months’ worth of payments due up front
• Relatively long 10- to 20-day claim-decision window

Photo: progressivecommercial.com

Why It Made the Cut: Progressive Commercial offers many commercial auto discounts to policyholders, including a discount on personal auto coverage for customers who bundle both, plus a high AM Best rating.

While Progressive Commercial offers online quotes, getting a price for the insurance they need could be challenging for business owners. Quotes cannot be customized without speaking to an agent. When getting an online quote, small-business owners are required to pick one type of coverage—general liability, for instance—and price out that particular coverage option. Customers who need multiple types of coverage—commercial auto, workers’ comp, etc.—will need to get online quotes for each one individually.

Those who do purchase policies can take advantage of Progressive Commercial’s somewhat unique discount on its personal auto insurance by bundling their commercial vehicle policy with their personal vehicle policy. The company also offers a wide variety of discounts on commercial auto coverage that could further reduce premiums. Additionally, the company’s A+ AM Best rating can provide confidence to customers that claims will be paid as agreed.

 

Specs

• Service area: 49 states (not available in Hawaii or Washington, D.C.)
• Coverage amount: Up to $1 million (for general liability)
• Quote process: Online, phone, agent
• Claims process: Online, phone, agent
• AM Best rating: A+

Pros

• Wide variety of commercial auto discount opportunities
• Competitive discount bundles for personal auto and commercial auto insurance policies
• Relatively high A+ AM Best rating

Cons

• No online quote customization option
• Online quotes processed separately for each coverage type

Our Verdict

We chose NEXT Insurance as Best Overall because policyholders don’t have to wait long for a decision on their claims, and they can take advantage of generous bundling discounts. We selected Thimble Insurance as Runner-Up because of the flexibility it offers in coverage that can be tailored to small businesses.

How We Chose the Best Insurance Companies for Lawn Care Businesses

When determining the best insurance companies for lawn care businesses, we looked at insurance options that would make the most sense for policyholders who own these types of businesses. To that end, we reviewed the coverage options available with each insurance provider and the rates that lawn care businesses might expect based on their business type and coverage requirements. Service area was an important consideration, as any exclusions could limit the availability of this kind of insurance. Our research also weighed the quote and claims processes, looking at the customer experience for both processes from start to finish.

Before You Choose One of the Best Insurance Companies for Lawn Care Businesses

Finding the right insurance for a lawn care business requires research into the insurance company’s policies, processes, and costs. While the information provided here is a good start, every business owner will want to conduct their own research to find the best coverage for their needs. A good starting point is the insurance company the business owner already has policies with for other needs. It’s possible their current insurance company could offer what they need. Checking with local insurance companies also may result in good coverage at rates that are better than what’s available from the national insurance companies.

Cost of Opting for One of the Best Insurance Companies for Lawn Care Businesses

Lawn care business insurance costs will depend on the type and amount of coverage a business owner chooses, though policyholders can expect a general liability policy to cost between $900 and $2,000 per year for $1 million in coverage. Every owner of a lawn care business wants to save money, and that applies to buying business insurance as well. Choosing a policy with one of the best insurance companies could result in affordable rates, but not always. It’s important for business owners to shop around and get rate quotes from several companies in order to find the best rates. When doing so, business owners will want to get those quotes on the same day on policies with the same coverage and deductible. It’s also important for them to find out what discounts are available that could further reduce those rates. This is a crucial step to finding affordable business insurance.

The Advantages of Opting for One of the Best Insurance Companies for Lawn Care Businesses

Searching for the best insurance for lawn care businesses can be a time-consuming process for business owners. But choosing a top-rated insurance company for their needs can help give business owners peace of mind that they will be protected should they be found liable for third-party property damage or injuries to others, or should their business vehicle be involved in a collision while on the way to a customer’s house. Additionally, the best insurance companies for lawn care businesses typically offer the following perks.

• Good financial strength and the ability to pay out claims as promised;
• A wide coverage area to appeal to a broad range of business owners; and
• Online quote and claims processes, which can be convenient for lawn care business owners.

FAQs

Finding the best insurance for a lawn care business can be confusing for some small-business owners. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions from shoppers who are searching for the best lawn care business insurance.

Q. What is landscaping insurance?

Business insurance for landscaping businesses is similar to other business insurance that includes general liability, commercial property coverage, and workers’ compensation coverage.

Q. How much does landscaping insurance typically cost?

Costs will vary for landscaping insurance based on a number of factors, but annual premiums between $900 and $2,000 are not uncommon for a $1 million general liability policy.

Q. Do lawn care companies also offer snow removal services?

Some lawn care companies may offer snow removal services during winter. This can help them recoup lost revenue from lawn care costs during the colder months when customers don’t need mowing or other lawn care services.

Q. Who needs landscaping insurance?

Landscaping insurance can provide essential coverage in the event equipment is stolen, employees get hurt, or a client’s property is damaged.

Q. What type of insurance do landscapers need?

Coverage needs may vary, but policies typically include general liability, commercial equipment coverage, and workers’ compensation for employees.

Q. What are the benefits of having insurance as a lawn care business?

Insurance for a lawn care business can help pay for unexpected costs that could otherwise bankrupt a business.

Sources: Fit Small Business