Landscaping Insurance: Instant Quotes

Landscaper insurance shouldn’t be as complex as the outdoor transformations you create. At ContractorNerd, we’ve transformed how landscapers shop for insurance through our proprietary quote platform that delivers instant, tailored coverage options in minutes.

Our contractor-friendly insurer network consists exclusively of carriers who specialize in contractor risks, while our team of tech-enabled, specialized agents combines deep landscaping industry knowledge with cutting-edge tools. This approach streamlines what once took days into a digital process requiring just minutes.

Data drives our entire approach – by analyzing more than 1,000 landscaper insurance quotes, we deliver clarity on essential coverages, fair pricing expectations, and comprehensive protection strategies. Get your quotes online, compare options instantly, and purchase coverage – all through our proprietary platform designed exclusively for contractors.

This comprehensive guide breaks down essential insurance coverage for landscaping businesses at every stage of growth, including:

• General Liability Insurance (Class Code 97047) – Foundation protection with typical premiums ranging from 0.5% to 1.75% of annual revenue
• Workers’ Compensation (Class Code 0042) – Mandatory coverage for employees with rates ranging $2.00 to $4.33 per $100 of payroll
• Commercial Auto, Tools & Equipment, and Specialized Coverages – Complete protection for your growing operation

Let’s get started.

Landscaping Insurance – What Do You Need?

For landscaping businesses embarking on their journey, it’s typically advisable to start with lower insurance limits. As your company matures, accumulating more employees and vehicles, a more robust insurance coverage becomes necessary. Here’s a guideline for minimum insurance limits, segmented by annual revenue brackets:

Sole Proprietor

Starting your landscaping business? Here’s the essential insurance coverage you’ll need:

Landscaper Liability Insurance (General Liability)
This is your foundation coverage. It protects you if you accidentally damage a customer’s property or if someone gets hurt because of your work. When customers ask if you’re “licensed and insured,” this is the insurance they mean.

Tools and Equipment Coverage (Inland Marine)
Your tools are your livelihood. This coverage protects your equipment if it’s stolen, damaged, or lost—whether it’s at a job site, in your truck, or in storage.

Contractor’s Errors & Omissions (Faulty Workmanship)
If you design landscaping features like retaining walls or irrigation systems, this covers mistakes in your plans. For basic design work, you can often add affordable coverage to your general liability policy.

Commercial Auto Insurance
Need this if you have a vehicle used only for work. Important: Unlike personal auto insurance, you must specifically list any trailers on your policy to ensure they’re covered.

Growing Business (with Employees)

As you expand and hire help, you’ll need additional protection:

Workers’ Compensation
Required by law once you hire employees (not needed for subcontractors). This covers medical costs and lost wages if an employee gets injured on the job.

Commercial Property Insurance
Protects your physical business assets—your storage facility, office space, and equipment kept there.

Umbrella Insurance
Consider this extra layer of protection as your revenue and client base grow. It’s especially important if you do high-risk work like:

• Hardscaping projects
• Operating heavy equipment near buildings
• Installing sprinkler systems
• Building retaining walls
• Excavation work

These activities can lead to expensive claims that exceed your basic policy limits.

Established Business (with 5-10+ Employees)

Larger operations need comprehensive coverage:

Installation Floater
Covers materials and equipment while they’re being transported or stored at job sites before installation. Essential if you handle expensive items like outdoor tiles, water features, or custom landscaping materials.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Protects your business from employee lawsuits related to wrongful termination, discrimination, or harassment claims. As your team grows, this coverage becomes increasingly important.

Landscaper Liability Insurance – aka Landscaping General Liability Insurance

This is the foundational insurance coverage landscaping contractors must have in place. Landscapers need this insurance because your work involves risks on a daily basis – lawn tools, digging, trimming, etc. Types of claims covered include:

• Property Damage: Accidental damage to a client’s building, floors, walls, etc.
• Bodily Injury: A client, visitor or bystander getting hurt due to your work activities.
• Defective Products: Lawsuits over an installed product that turns out defective.(Add-On)
• Completed Work: Lawsuits over issues from past completed jobs. (Add-On)

Most landscaping pros should carry at least $1 million per occurrence and $2 million in total or general aggregate limits. For larger companies, limits of $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate are preferable. Premiums often range from 0.5% to 1.75% of revenue for $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate limits.

Typical Landscaper Liability Limits: Most landscaping pros should carry at least $1 million per occurrence and $2 million in total or general aggregate limits. Increasing limits from $500k to $1M marginally impacts premiums but substantially raises your protection.

Typical Landscaper Liability Premiums: Generally, 0.5% to 1.75% of annual revenue. Below are average insurance premiums from top carriers for landscaping businesses, broken down by state.

Key factors impacting your Landscaper Liability premiums:

• Revenue: Higher revenue means more work and exposure, increasing premiums
• Policy Limits: Additional coverage requirements raise costs, but can be built into service rates
• Claims History: Clean records keep premiums lower
• Location: State regulations affect premium costs
• Services: Different landscaping activities carry varying risk levels, impacting rates
• Class Codes: Different landscaping businesses use different class codes based on their work; most commonly 97047.

Landscapers Insurance – ContractorNerd’s Quotes Study

We analyzed over 800 General Liability insurance quotes from leading carriers for landscapers across different states and business sizes. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of typical general liability insurance premiums for landscapers and lawn care contractors based on our extensive market research. Each scenario assumes the following for each revenue size:

• $150K Revenue: Assumes 1 owner with ~10% subcontracting costs and 5+ years of operating without claims.
• $500K Revenue: Assumes 1 owner and 3 employees with ~10% subcontracting costs and 5+ years of operating without claims.
• $1M Revenue: Assumes 1 owner and 5 employees with ~10% subcontracting costs and 5+ years of operating without claims.

Landscaper liability insurance premiums vary significantly based on annual revenue, with costs ranging from approximately 0.5% to 1.8% of gross revenue. Our analysis reveals that landscapers across different revenue brackets can achieve substantial savings by shopping for competitive rates, with potential savings ranging from 39% to 50% off national average premiums.

For small landscaping operations generating $150,000 in annual revenue, the national average premium sits at $1,830 per year. However, favorable rates can bring this down to $1,110, representing a 39% savings. As businesses scale, the percentage of revenue dedicated to insurance generally decreases, though absolute costs increase. Mid-size operations with $500,000 in revenue face average premiums of $4,910, while larger companies approaching $1 million in revenue can expect average costs around $9,640 annually.

Revenue Level	National Average	Favorable Rate	Potential Savings	Low % of Revenue	High % of Revenue
$150,000	$1,830	$1,110	39%	0.7%	1.8%
$500,000	$4,910	$2,980	39%	0.6%	1.5%
$1,000,000	$9,640	$4,840	50%	0.5%	1.4%

State-by-State Costs

To help landscaping contractors better understand regional pricing variations, we’ve developed an in-depth resource examining landscaper insurance premiums in every state nationwide. This state-specific analysis reveals how local factors impact your actual costs and identifies opportunities for savings in your market. View our complete landscaping insurance cost guide to see detailed premium breakdowns for all 50 states, including favorable rates and potential savings by revenue level.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Landscapers

If your landscaping business employs any W2 workers, workers compensation insurance is mandatory in nearly every state. Workers’ comp insurance covers employee injuries or illnesses suffered on the job. Premiums hinge on the risk of your staff’s responsibilities, grouped into class codes by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). With over 600 codes, this helps insurers accurately categorize and price policies. Landscapers mainly use codes 0042, with rates ranging from $2.00 to $4.33 per $100 of payroll per year for each worker.

WC Limits for Landscapers: State-dependent. Workers’ comp policies typically have unlimited benefits. However, limits can vary based on state rules.

WC Rates for Landscapers: $2.00 to $4.33 per $100 of payroll

Key factors impacting landscaper workers’ comp premium:

• Class Codes: Employees are grouped by job type and risk level. More hazardous roles equal higher premiums. Landscapers mainly use code 0042.
• State: Each state governs workers’ comp regulations including benefits, claims processes, and baseline insurance rates. The cost of living and medical care also cause geographic variances in premiums.
• Experience Modifier: This figure represents your safety record. It begins at 1.0, then adjusts up or down based on your claims history. More incidents drive the modifier and premiums up.
• Payroll Amount: A key factor is gross payroll, calculated as payroll / $100 * rate * experience modifier. Higher payroll increases premiums.

If you’d like to see state specific details and try our calculator, check our guide on Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Landscaping Businesses.

Additional Insurance Landscapers Should Consider

As landscaping businesses expand their services and client base, these supplementary insurance options can provide critical protection beyond core coverage:

Tools & Equipment Insurance (Inland Marine) Safeguards your essential landscaping equipment whether it’s being transported between sites or actively used on projects. This coverage protects against theft, vandalism, and accidental damage. Annual premiums: $200-$2,000, with coverage from $5,000-$15,000+. Typical per-item limit is $5,000.

Errors & Omissions Insurance Shields your business from claims alleging professional negligence in your landscape designs or installations. Whether it’s an irrigation system that fails or plantings that don’t thrive as promised, this coverage handles legal defense and settlements. Annual premiums: $50-$500, with coverage from $10,000-$1M+.

Commercial Auto Insurance Essential coverage for any vehicle used in landscaping operations, as personal auto policies exclude business activities. Protects against liability claims and vehicle damage during work-related driving. Annual premiums: $1,500-$3,050 per vehicle. Standard coverage: $100K per person, $300K per accident, $100K property damage. Higher limits ($500K-$1M) recommended.

Surety Bonds Financial guarantees that demonstrate your commitment to completing projects according to specifications and local regulations. Many municipalities require bonds for landscaping licenses. Bonds range $5,000-$25,000, costing 1-3% based on credit:

Bond Amount	Excellent Credit	Good Credit	Bad Credit
$5,000	$100 – $150	$150 – $200	$200 – $400
$10,000	$100 – $300	$300 – $500	$500 – $1,000
$15,000	$150 – $400	$400 – $750	$750 – $1,500
$20,000	$180 – $500	$500 – $1,000	$1,000 – $2,000
$25,000	$200 – $500	$500 – $1,200	$1,200 – $2,500

Commercial Property Insurance Covers your physical business assets including nursery stock, equipment storage facilities, and office spaces. Protection extends to losses from natural disasters, criminal activity, and accidental damage. Annual premiums: $1,000-$5,000.

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) Bundles multiple coverages into one comprehensive package, typically combining general liability with property protection. Perfect for landscapers operating from fixed locations who want simplified coverage management. Often more cost-effective than separate policies.

Commercial Umbrella Insurance Acts as a safety net when claims exceed your primary policy limits. Extends protection across multiple underlying policies including general liability, commercial auto, and workers’ compensation. Typically adds $1M coverage (up to $2M+ available). Annual premiums: $500-$1,000.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance Defends against workplace-related lawsuits from current or former employees alleging unfair treatment, harassment, or improper termination. Annual premiums: $1,000-$5,000. Coverage: $100,000-$1M.

Cyber Liability Insurance Addresses digital risks including client data breaches, ransomware attacks, and system compromises. Covers forensic investigations, customer notifications, credit monitoring services, and regulatory fines. Coverage: $100K-$1M. Annual premiums: $300-$1,000.

Pollution Liability Insurance Specifically designed for landscapers who apply chemicals, this coverage responds to environmental damage claims from pesticide drift, fertilizer runoff, or groundwater contamination. Includes bodily injury, property damage, and mandated cleanup expenses. Coverage: Up to $25M per occurrence/aggregate Annual Premiums: $1,500 to $5,000 Minimum Self-Insured Retention: $5,000

Get Your Landscaper Insurance Quote in Minutes

Are you paying too much for landscaper insurance? Does your coverage actually protect against the unique risks landscaping businesses encounter every day? Find out in minutes – with zero obligation or pressure.

ContractorNerd’s quote platform reveals instantly if you’re getting competitive rates on your landscaping insurance. No required commitments, no aggressive sales tactics, no forced phone conversations. Just receive straightforward, competitive quotes from insurers who specialize in landscaping businesses, giving you the power to make informed coverage choices.

Why landscaping contractors choose ContractorNerd:

✓ Complete Insurance Solutions in One Place – General liability, workers’ comp, commercial auto, equipment coverage, and pollution liability – handle it all through one streamlined platform. Eliminate juggling multiple agents and carriers.

✓ On-Demand Digital Certificates – Win bids instantly with immediate digital COI delivery. When HOAs or commercial clients request proof of insurance, send it directly from your phone. No delays, no chasing your agent, no lost contracts.

✓ Grow Faster, Win More Contracts – While competitors wait for insurance paperwork, you’re already submitting certificates and scheduling installations.

Get your customized landscaper insurance quotes now.

Zero fees to review options, zero obligation to buy, and zero pushy follow-up calls. Simply straightforward, transparent information about insurance solutions built for landscaping professionals, helping you protect your business with confidence.

Landscaping Insurance FAQs