Commercial auto insurance for landscaping businesses

Your employees may be skilled drivers, but accidents can happen to anyone. A collision could lead to another motorist getting injured, or your landscaping truck or van being totaled.

An auto accident could cost your small business thousands of dollars, especially if someone is hurt. Compare that to the median premium of about $150 per month for landscaping businesses, and it’s easy to see why commercial auto insurance is the better deal.

Commercial auto insurance can help pay for lawsuits, property damage, and medical costs that arise from an accident involving a company vehicle. It also covers theft and vehicle damage from weather events and vandalism.

As a landscaping business owner, this policy can be tailored to fit your needs. For example, a tree service bucket truck that is used only occasionally may need less coverage than a pickup truck that transports tools on a daily basis.

Company-owned vehicles such as tree trimming trucks or a lawn care company’s fleet of vans must be covered by commercial auto insurance.

Commercial auto insurance may be required if you:

• Operate a bucket truck, chipper truck, or other machinery
• Transport tools and equipment
• Send employees on errands during work hours

State regulations determine how much coverage you need. Your commercial auto insurance must meet your state’s liability insurance requirements.

You can tailor your commercial auto insurance policy to match the needs of your sprinkler installation company, lawn mowing company, or other landscaping business. This policy typically covers:

If your landscape design firm or other landscaping business is sued over an auto accident, legal expenses can pile up fast. You may also have to pay a settlement or court-ordered judgment.

If an accident injures the driver of your landscaping business vehicle, or any passengers, your policy can cover the cost of medical care.

Collision coverage pays for damage to your truck or other work vehicle, regardless of who is at fault.

This coverage pays for damage caused by uninsured drivers.

Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision damages, including fire, theft, and vandalism.

Commercial auto insurance only covers business-owned vehicles, but sometimes employees drive their own cars for business errands. Personal auto policies almost always exclude coverage for business use.

Hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) provides liability coverage for landscaping experts who get into an accident while driving a personal vehicle to conduct company business. It also covers leased and rented vehicles.

While commercial auto insurance is a must-have for small businesses that depend on a landscaping truck or van, it does not cover risks beyond those related to your vehicle. Owners of landscaping businesses should also consider:

General liability insurance: This policy can cover expenses related to third-party bodily injuries, property damage, and advertising injuries. It's often the first policy a landscaper needs.

Business owner's policy: A BOP bundles general liability coverage with commercial property insurance to protect against the most common business risks.

Workers’ compensation insurance: Workers’ comp covers medical costs and lost wages for work injuries. It's required in almost every state for businesses that have employees.

Contractor’s tools and equipment insurance: This policy helps pay for repair or replacement of equipment and tools if they are lost, stolen, or damaged.

Cyber liability insurance: A cyber liability policy helps landscaping businesses recover from data breaches and cyberattacks that expose sensitive information.

License and permit bonds: Landscapers might need a surety bond to get a license in their state, or to do specific types of work.

Mobile equipment endorsement: A mobile equipment endorsement extends your auto insurance coverage to include “non-auto” mobile equipment, such as an excavator or other earthmoving gear, while they are being driven on a public road.

Are you ready to safeguard your landscaping vehicle with commercial auto insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.