Lawn Care Insurance in California

General liability coverage sets the standard for lawn care insurance coverage. It’s designed to pay medical or legal costs in case of third-party bodily injury or property damage, advertising mistakes, and more.

This blanket coverage is foundational to any small lawn care business, as it allows you to work without fear that a claim could sabotage your efforts to grow as a company. Many clients in California — primarily commercial — require proof of general liability insurance before hiring a lawn care service.

Here are a few examples of real claims covered by Insurance Canopy’s lawn care general liability coverage:

• A lawn care employee reported damage to a client’s sliding door by a rock flung by a weed-eater
• A professional lawn mower reported damage to a client’s car by a rogue piece of equipment
• A mowing service kicked up a rock that damaged a passing school bus’ windshield

No matter how careful you are, incidents like these are common. They can result in having to pay for costly repairs, strained client relationships, and negative word of mouth that harms your business.

Many Home Owners Associations (HOAs) and commercial properties in California will require you to provide proof of insurance. As 64.9% of homeowners in the state are part of an HOA, having coverage not only protects you, but also opens doors to new clients who demand 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.

Additional insureds are qualified individuals or entities you add to your insurance policy to extend your coverage to them. If a claim is made naming both your lawn care business, and the additional insured, your insurance can protect both parties.

In addition to providing proof of insurance, many HOAs and commercial property managers will ask you to add them as an additional insured. So if you accidentally damage the property of a homeowner while performing work for an HOA, for example, you and the HOA can be covered if a claim is brought against you.

This makes hiring you more attractive since additional insureds won’t be held financially responsible from mishaps arising out of your work.

Chances are, your lawn care business relies on high-value equipment like mowers and trimmers. Inland Marine (tools and equipment) insurance protects against loss or damage due to theft, vandalism, or accidents.

If you collect and store client information like names, addresses, phone numbers, and payment details online, you could be vulnerable to cyber attacks. Cyber liability coverage protects against financial losses from data breaches that expose this information.

This coverage can help you with:

• Data breach notification costs
• Customer data loss
• Ransomware and cyber extortion
• Legal fees
• Business interruption fees

Adding a Workers Compensation policy offers coverage for your employees’ work-related injuries.

In California, workers comp is mandatory for all businesses with at least one employee. Employers are also prohibited from requiring workers to use their own health insurance for work-related injuries.

Commercial auto insurance is necessary if your lawn care business uses vehicles to transport equipment or employees, covering accidents, property damage, medical expenses, and vehicle damage. California state law requires businesses that own, rent, or lease vehicles for work operations to have commercial auto coverage.

Commercial vehicles in California must meet specific minimum liability coverage requirements:

• $15,000 for bodily injury per person
• $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
• $5,000 for property damage

Personal auto insurance may not cover accidents while using a car for business purposes.