Coverage map
Match the exposure to the policy designed to address it
The descriptions below summarize common functions. Actual coverage depends on the forms, classifications, schedules, endorsements, exclusions, limits, deductibles, and facts of a loss.
| Coverage | What it may address | Important review points |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Covered customer or public bodily injury, property damage, and completed-operations claims | Services, territory, subcontractors, pollution, professional services, property in your care, and contract endorsements |
| Workers’ compensation | Covered medical, wage-loss, disability, and death benefits for employees | State law, payroll, duties, classifications, owners, seasonal workers, subcontractors, and employers liability |
| Commercial auto | Liability and selected physical damage involving scheduled business vehicles | Drivers, symbols, radius, garaging, trailers, hired autos, non-owned autos, limits, and deductibles |
| Inland marine | Scheduled or blanket tools and equipment while moving between the shop and jobsites | Values, schedules, theft, mysterious disappearance, rental equipment, valuation, coinsurance, and deductible |
| Commercial property | Covered physical damage to a shop, office, contents, inventory, and property at scheduled premises | Replacement values, construction, roof, utilities, security, catastrophe causes, and business income |
| Pollution liability | Certain covered releases involving chemicals, fuel, contaminated soil, or application activities | Substances, application, storage, transport, cleanup, third-party claims, retroactive date, and exclusions |
| Umbrella or excess | Additional limits over scheduled underlying liability policies | Underlying requirements, follow-form differences, exclusions, retained limits, and covered operations |
| Employment practices | Certain covered employment allegations such as discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination | Definition of claim, defense, wage exclusions, prior acts, third-party coverage, and reporting terms |
| Cyber and crime | Covered data incidents, cybercrime, funds transfer, employee dishonesty, or theft | Security controls, social engineering, money limits, computer fraud, records, vendors, and response services |
Core policies
The foundation for many landscaping companies
General liability
Protects against specified third-party claims but normally does not cover employee injuries, vehicle accidents, or damage to the company’s own equipment.
Workers’ compensation
Addresses covered employee injuries and occupational illnesses. Requirements and exemptions vary across states and business structures.
Commercial auto
Landscaping trucks and vans often tow trailers, carry equipment, and move crews. The policy should reflect ownership, use, drivers, and towing.
Tools and equipment
Mobile property may spend most of its time away from a fixed building, making a carefully structured inland marine schedule important.
Property and income
A shop fire, theft, storm, or other covered loss can damage stored equipment and interrupt dispatching or operations.
Umbrella liability
A severe vehicle, employee, or third-party claim may exceed a primary limit. Umbrella eligibility depends on underlying policies and operations.
Mobile equipment
Build an accurate schedule before a loss
Record the year, make, model, serial number, value, ownership, and storage location for mowers, loaders, trenchers, mini excavators, stump grinders, chippers, attachments, generators, tools, and trailers. Identify property that is rented, leased, borrowed, or financed.
Review whether the policy uses replacement cost or actual cash value, how unscheduled property is treated, whether theft from an unlocked vehicle or open trailer is restricted, and how newly acquired equipment must be reported.
Specialized operations
Services that may need endorsements or separate coverage
Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer
Standard pollution exclusions may restrict coverage. Review application, overspray, drift, runoff, transport, storage, cleanup, and licensing exposures.
Landscape design
Pure design, consulting, specifications, or professional recommendations may create allegations that are not ordinary bodily injury or property damage claims.
Tree services
Climbing, cranes, bucket trucks, wood chippers, large limbs, and electrical-line exposure can require separate classifications and specialized underwriting.
Hardscape and construction
Excavation, retaining walls, pavers, drainage, grading, and project-based work may change liability, workers’ compensation, equipment, and contract requirements.
Snow and ice management
Plowing, salting, deicing, weather response, vehicle use, and contractual responsibility for premises conditions should be specifically disclosed.
Care, custody, or control
Plants, materials, customer property, rented equipment, or property being worked on may be limited by exclusions and require tailored endorsements.
Avoid preventable gaps
Questions to ask during a coverage review
- Are all legal entities, states, locations, and services disclosed?
- Do liability classifications include installation, irrigation, hardscaping, tree work, chemicals, or snow services?
- Are employee payroll and duties assigned to the correct workers’ compensation classifications?
- Are every vehicle, driver, trailer, and required hired or non-owned exposure included?
- Does the equipment schedule reflect current replacement values and serial numbers?
- How are theft, rented equipment, newly acquired property, and property left at jobsites treated?
- Do pollution exclusions affect chemical application, fuel, runoff, or contaminated soil?
- Are customer-required additional insured, waiver, and primary endorsements actually issued?
- Do the umbrella and underlying policies cover the same operations and entities?
- What events must be reported immediately, and to which carrier?
Common questions
Landscaping insurance coverage FAQ
Can a business owners policy cover a landscaping company?
Some landscaping operations may qualify for a packaged property and liability policy, while others require separate policies because of size, services, vehicles, equipment, chemicals, tree work, claims, or carrier appetite.
Are tools covered inside a company truck?
Not automatically. Commercial auto physical damage generally protects the insured vehicle, not every tool or piece of equipment carried inside. Inland marine coverage may be needed.
Does workers’ compensation cover the owner?
Owner inclusion and exclusion depend on state law, entity type, carrier rules, and elections made on the policy. Confirm the intended treatment before binding.
Is pollution liability necessary for routine lawn care?
It depends on the products used, application activities, storage, transport, contracts, and the standard policy’s exclusions. Chemical application should always be disclosed.
Can one policy cover work in several states?
Possibly, but the insurer must accept the territory and each policy must be structured for the applicable states. Workers’ compensation requires particular attention to listed states and other-states provisions.
Coverage note: No chart can replace the issued policy. Terms, conditions, limits, deductibles, classifications, schedules, endorsements, and exclusions control. Availability varies by state and carrier.
Start a conversation
Review landscaping coverage options
Tell us which services, crews, vehicles, and equipment you need to protect. A Merimack agent can follow up about available options.
- No obligation to purchase
- Coverage depends on carrier and state availability
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