Landscaping Insurance: Best Companies, Cost and Coverage
Landscapers need general liability and commercial auto insurance. Most will need more coverage.
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Landscaping insurance can protect your business financially from lawsuits and other unforeseen costs. Landscapers typically need the following policies:
- General liability insurance. This coverage pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others.
- Commercial auto insurance. This covers damage to your work vehicle and costs related to accidents while driving for work.
- Workers’ compensation. Get this to pay for costs stemming from injuries or illnesses employees get on the job.
- Commercial property insurance. This covers your building and its contents in case of theft, vandalism or other disasters.
- Tools and equipment coverage. Get this to pay for damage or theft of your equipment while in transit or at job sites. Property insurance only covers them while in your business property.
Many landscapers need additional coverage. Here’s more on the best companies and how to shop.
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Best insurance companies for landscapers
NerdWallet's editorial team chooses the best business insurance for landscapers based on:
- Relative number of complaints to state insurance regulators.
- A company’s financial strength, which indicates its ability to pay claims.
- How easy it is to get a quote and buy a policy online.
- Whether the provider offers policies tailored for landscapers.
Here are some strong companies that serve landscaping professionals.
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The Hartford
Best for customized landscaper policy
The Hartford offers insurance packages for landscapers that can cover a broad range of needs. Beyond the typical options, The Hartford sells herbicide and pesticide insurance for landscapers. You can also get coverage for snowplow accidents. That may be useful if your landscaping business switches to snow removal in the winter. The Hartford lets you start a quote online, but you have to connect with an agent to buy a policy. Read our review of The Hartford.
Nationwide
Best for a business owner's policy
Though it doesn’t specialize in landscaping, Nationwide is worth a look. Its business owner’s policy comes with equipment breakdown insurance, which is rare. Nationwide offers a suite of additional policies to cover most landscaping business needs.
You’ll have to talk to an agent to buy a policy, though that’s ideal with a non-customized policy. It lets you ensure all the coverage fits your business. Read our review of Nationwide.
Ergo Next
Best for fast, straightforward coverage
You can get a quote and buy a policy from Ergo Next online, making it an easy option if you need insurance quickly. It sells three landscaper policy bundles with different coverage limits.
All bundles include commercial auto, property, workers’ comp, general liability and tools and equipment coverage. Depending on your state, you may work with Ergo Next or a different insurer after you buy the policies. Read our review of Ergo Next.
Hortica
Best for industry knowledge
Hortica is an insurance agent. Since it doesn't underwrite insurance policies, we don't give it a star rating.
If you’d like the personal touch of an agent who knows your industry, check out Hortica. It’s an agency that specializes in horticultural industry insurance, including landscaping, and can tailor a policy to your business needs.
Hortica only sells policies from the Sentry Insurance Group. Our editorial team hasn’t fully reviewed Senty. But it is financially strong, and Hortica’s primary underwriting company (Florists Mutual) received no NAIC complaints in 2024 or 2025. Read more on the Hortica website.
What is landscaping insurance?
Landscaping insurance protects you financially from common risks your business faces. Especially if you’re working with heavy equipment, chemicals and sharp tools, your risks are high.
Some scenarios landscaping insurance could help pay for include:
- Your lawnmower flings a rock through a window.
- An employee cuts their hand badly on a blade and is unable to work for a week.
- You rear-end someone on the way to a job in your work truck.
- Someone stole your tools and lawnmower from your storage shed overnight.
- Your office headquarters burns down after a lightning strike.
- A client claims your landscaping work did not match what you promised in the contract.
- A client’s neighbor claims your pesticides sickened their child and sues.
What types of insurance do landscapers need?
Landscaping is dangerous, and just one policy won’t cover your risks. You’ll likely need multiple policies.
General liability insurance
General liability pays out if clients or others claim your business caused bodily injuries, property damage or reputational harm. It doesn’t pay for injuries to you or employees, nor damage to your own property.
Say your client trips over your extension cord and breaks a wrist. Or maybe you knock out their window with your weed whacker. In both cases, general liability insurance would cover the costs of the incident and any legal fees to defend you.
General liability insurance also covers advertising injury claims such as libel or slander. For instance, if your employee made an ad disparaging your competitor, and they sued, the coverage would kick in.
Commercial auto insurance
Personal auto policies don’t cover vehicles used for business. Commercial auto insurance does. It pays for injuries and property damage you cause in a crash. It typically also covers damage to your own vehicles, no matter who was at fault.
Say your employee is driving to a job site when they swerve and side-swipe another vehicle. Commercial auto covers the other driver’s injuries and damage to both their car and the work vehicle. Other policies would cover your employee’s injuries and any damaged tools.
If you have trailers or bucket trucks, you may need specialized commercial auto coverage.
Workers’ compensation insurance
Workers’ comp pays for medical care, lost wages and disability benefits if an employee is injured or becomes ill on the job. Nearly every state requires workers’ compensation coverage once you hire employees. Even if you’re a sole proprietor, it’s smart to consider for a physically demanding job like landscaping. Health insurance often declines work-related medical claims.
Say your employee drops a large planter on his foot and it breaks, causing him to miss work for two weeks while he recovers. Your workers’ comp pays the medical bills and a portion of the worker’s lost income. If he needed physical or occupational therapy, workers’ compensation would help pay for that too.
Commercial property insurance
Commercial property insurance covers damage to your building and its contents, such as stored lawn mowers, computers and supplies. It typically covers damage from fire, theft, vandalism, windstorms and lightning, but not floods or earthquakes.
Commercial property insurance policies often include business interruption coverage. This helps replace lost income if you have to close temporarily due to a covered loss.
Say someone vandalizes your storage building and robs it overnight, prompting an investigation and weeklong repair job. Commercial property coverage pays for the stolen equipment and any costs to repair the damage. The business interruption insurance pays a portion of your lost income due to the delays in your work.
Tools and equipment insurance
Portable equipment like mowers, trimmers and blowers are critical to landscaping work. Tools and equipment insurance covers these items if they’re stolen, vandalized or accidentally damaged on a job site or in transit.
Say someone steals your mower and other equipment from your trailer while you’re on a lunch break. Or maybe they’re damaged in a car accident — something commercial auto doesn’t cover. Tools and equipment would pay to replace them in both scenarios.
This policy is a specialized type of inland marine insurance. If you have that coverage, you wouldn’t need tools and equipment protection also.
Larger or more expensive items may need separate coverage. The same is true if you want to guard against mechanical issues. Tools and equipment insurance doesn’t cover those or machines breaking due to wear and tear.
Business owner’s policy
A business owner's policy bundles general liability and commercial property insurance, and typically includes business interruption insurance. If you have a business property, we recommend opting for a BOP. It’s usually more affordable and easier to manage than separate policies.
Large operations with high revenue or many employees may not qualify, though. BOPs are typically for businesses with fewer than 100 employees or revenue below $5 million.
Additional business insurance for landscapers
You may want these policies depending on your specific business operations.
| Insurance policy | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Inland marine insurance | Covers job materials, tools or equipment while they’re in transit or at a job site. If installation coverage is included, this policy covers materials in transit up until installation is complete. If you do a lot of installation work and order materials to job sites, choose this over tools and equipment coverage. |
| Equipment breakdown coverage | Pays to repair or replace equipment that stops working due to a mechanical failure. If a mower, loader or other machine breaks down and needs major repairs, this can help pay. |
| Environmental or pollution liability | Covers cleanup and legal costs related to pollution claims. Landscapers who use herbicides, pesticides or spray tanks may need this. |
| This pays out if someone claims your advice or consulting caused them financial harm. If your business offers landscape design, planning or similar professional services you may need this. | |
| Provides extra liability coverage above the limits of your general liability, commercial auto or other liability policies. This can be useful for larger claims that go beyond a base policy’s limit. |
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What to watch out for in landscaping insurance
Because landscaping involves outdoor work, heavy equipment and chemicals, policies can have gaps. Pay close attention to:
- Pollution exclusions. General liability and property policies typically exclude pollution losses. Without environmental liability coverage, you could be on the hook for cleanup costs if a pesticide or herbicide spill occurs
- Equipment age limits. Tools and equipment policies may cover only items less than five years old. They also typically pay only the depreciated value of older items. You can add an endorsement to replace the items at their original cost, but those policies will be more expensive.
- Additional insureds. If you subcontract, check how easy it is to list additional insureds on your policies. If you use subcontractors, be sure to have them list you as an additional insured on their policies. This prevents you from being held responsible for damage they cause.
How much does landscaping insurance cost?
General liability insurance for landscapers costs a median of $1,400 per year, according to data provided to NerdWallet by online brokerage Coverdash. Workers compensation costs a median of $4,000 per year.
Your business insurance costs depend on where you operate, number of employees, your annual revenue and the equipment and vehicles you have. These numbers are a good benchmark for small to medium sized landscaping companies, but larger businesses face more risk and need more insurance. Costs are likely to be higher in those cases.
How to shop for landscaping insurance
Comparing quotes from multiple providers helps get the coverage you need at a fair price. Follow these steps.
1. Identify the coverages you need
List the services your business offers, such as mowing, design, tree trimming, chemical application. Then list the risks associated with each and use it to prioritize the policies you need.
For example, if you provide consulting or design, consider professional liability coverage. If you install sod, xeriscaping or irrigation, you’ll want inland marine instead of tools and equipment coverage.
2. Gather your key details
Having some key information ready speeds up the quoting process. Before you shop, collect the following:
- Revenue.
- Payroll & number of employees.
- Years in business.
- Number and type of vehicles.
- Detailed lists of your tools and equipment.
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), or if you’re a sole proprietor, your Social Security Number (SSN).
3. Get quotes from multiple insurers
There are three common ways to shop to ensure you’re getting a good deal for the coverage you need.
Work with an agent or broker. A knowledgeable agent can walk you through coverage options and exclusions. Agents typically earn commission, while brokers may charge fees, and both can only provide quotes from their networks. However, they can answer questions and help tailor your policies and so may be a good idea for landscapers with complex insurance needs.
Contact insurers directly. If you want to shop only with specific companies — for example, specialists like Hortica or well-known insurers — you can contact them individually for quotes. This option can take more time but you’ll get to decide who you compare quotes from.
Use an online marketplace. Online brokerages like Coverdash let you compare quotes from multiple insurers and typically you can buy a policy in minutes. However, you could end up with policies from different companies and may not be able to ask detailed questions before buying.
4. Compare limits, exclusions and companies
Once you have quotes, review the liability limits, or maximum payouts, in each policy. Look at what’s not covered — for example, pollution or older equipment — and decide whether you need endorsements or additional policies.
You can also check up on the company by reading independent reviews or those on a site like the Better Business Bureau. Research complaint data at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
5. Buy the policies and review them annually
After you choose your policies and are confident in the insurer, you’re ready to buy. Review your coverage, limits and exclusions every year. Also review your coverage whenever your business changes significantly, such as adding staff, buying new vehicles, or offering new services. This ensures you stay protected as your landscaping business grows.
Methodology
Business insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet rewards business insurance companies for reliability and good service. We calculate star ratings based on scores in about a dozen categories. These include:
- Each company's financial strength.
- How many complaints customers made relative to its market share.
- How easy it is to get coverage.
- How accessible customer service is.
Learn more about how we rate small-business insurance companies.
Our editorial team routinely fact-checks and updates these data points. We also adjust our scoring on an ongoing basis. This helps our star ratings reflect changing industry norms. For instance, in 2026, we began evaluating how easy insurers make it to add an additional insured.
Our ratings are a guide. But insurance policy details and prices can vary widely. We encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes.NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Insurer complaints methodology
One key factor in our star ratings is how many complaints insurance companies get. Here's how we arrive at that score.
Disappointed customers can file a complaint with their state's insurance department. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) collects, analyzes and groups complaints by business line and insurance company every year. A business line is a specific type of coverage, like workers’ comp.
Then, the NAIC calculates a complaint ratio for each company. It divides the company's share of complaints by its share of total premiums for each line of business. It then adds these ratio values to their official complaint index.
- A complaint ratio of 1 means a company received about the expected number of complaints relative to its size.
- A ratio of 2 means it received twice as many complaints as expected.
- A ratio of 0 means it received half as many complaints as expected.
NerdWallet obtains the raw NAIC data every year. We aggregate results at the company level and fact-check these results. Then we calculate a three-year average of each insurer's complaint ratio and convert it to a score for our star ratings.
Business insurance star ratings consider complaints about two lines of business: commercial liability and commercial property. We analyze complaint data on commercial auto and workers' comp policies too. But we don't currently incorporate these into our ratings since they're less universal.
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