Landscaping Insurance in Virginia

General liability coverage establishes the standard for landscaping business insurance. It’s designed to cover medical or legal expenses in the event of third-party bodily injury or property damage, advertising errors, and more.

This comprehensive coverage is essential for landscaping businesses of any size, as it enables you to operate without the worry that a claim might hinder your growth. Additionally, many clients in Virginia require proof of general liability insurance before hiring a landscaping service.

Here are a few examples of actual claims covered by Insurance Canopy’s landscaping general liability policy:

• A landscaping employee reported damage to a client’s sliding door caused by a rock propelled by a weed eater
• A company reported damage to a client’s car from a wayward piece of equipment
• An edging service kicked up a rock that shattered a passing school bus’s windshield

Regardless of how careful you are, incidents like these are common. They can lead to expensive repairs, strained client relationships, and negative word of mouth that can damage your business.

Many homeowners associations (HOAs) and commercial properties in Virginia require you to provide proof of insurance. General liability coverage protects you and opens doors to new clients who seek the security of working with insured professionals.

Don’t let a single claim sabotage the hard work you’ve put into growing your business — make sure you have the right coverage in place.

Your Virginia landscaping business depends on high-value equipment like commercial zero-turn mowers, Stihl trimmers, and aerators. Inland marine insurance (also known as tools and equipment coverage) protects your gear from theft, vandalism, or accidental damage.

Virginia’s four-season climate brings unique risks to your equipment. Spring downpours in the Shenandoah Valley can lead to unexpected flooding, summer heat in Hampton Roads can cause engine failures, and winter ice storms in the Blue Ridge can damage detached trailers. Inland marine coverage ensures you’re not paying out of pocket when severe weather or job-site mishaps put your equipment out of commission.

Virginia law requires businesses in the landscaping industry to carry workers compensation insurance if they have two or more employees, including part-time and seasonal workers. Even small landscaping businesses must comply once they hire help. With the physical demands of landscaping, having the right policy ensures compliance and peace of mind.

Commercial auto insurance is essential if your landscaping business uses vehicles to transport equipment or employees.

Virginia state law mandates that businesses owning, renting, or leasing vehicles for work operations must have commercial auto coverage. Personal auto insurance might not cover accidents that occur while using a vehicle for business purposes.

Additional insureds refer to individuals or entities, such as landlords, HOAs, or commercial clients you include in your insurance policy to extend coverage to them. When a claim is made that names both your landscaping business and the additional insured, your insurance can protect both parties.

In addition to providing proof of insurance, many HOAs and commercial property managers request that you add them as additional insured parties. According to data from AXIOS, Virginia has one of the highest numbers of HOA homes in the country, with “more than two million Virginia residents [living] in roughly 9,100 communities.”

If you accidentally damage a homeowner’s property while working for an HOA, both you and the HOA may be covered if a claim is filed against you. This makes hiring you more appealing because additional insureds won’t be financially liable for mishaps related to your work.

If you collect and store client information online, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and payment details, you may be at risk of cyber attacks. Cyber liability coverage protects against financial losses resulting from data breaches that expose this information.

This additional coverage can help with data breach notification costs, customer data loss, ransomware and cyber extortion, legal fees, and business interruption expenses.