Or: How Not to Make Your Insurance Agent Cry
Running a landscaping or lawn care business is like being a firefighter with a mower — always responding to something urgent, messy, or on fire (hopefully just metaphorically). But while you’re out there laying stripes, climbing trees, or slinging mulch like a champion, accidents can happen. And when they do, insurance claims roll in like crabgrass in July.
Let’s break down the most common claims we see — and how to keep your business from becoming the next cautionary tale.
Property Damage
The Scenario:
Your crew’s mowing and someone launches a rock through a customer’s window like a turf war version of Angry Birds. Or your trailer kisses a Mercedes while backing into a tight driveway.
The Claim:
- Broken windows
- Damaged siding
- Cracked pavement or fences
- Customer property wrecked by equipment or vehicles
How to Avoid It:
- Do a walkaround before you start (look for loose gravel, fragile stuff, hidden garden gnomes)
- Train your crew to slow down in tight areas
- Use rock guards and debris shields where appropriate
Bonus Tip: Let the rookie not drive the trailer through the gated community on Day 1.
Bodily Injury (To Others)
The Scenario:
You’re trimming hedges and whoops — a passerby gets whacked by a flying branch or steps on a rake you left out like it’s a cartoon.
The Claim:
- Cuts, bruises, broken bones, or concussions
- Medical bills
- Liability lawsuits
How to Avoid It:
- Clearly mark work zones with cones, signs, or brightly colored tape
- Don’t leave tools lying around like it’s an Easter egg hunt
- Keep an eye out for pedestrians, pets, and rogue toddlers on scooters
Auto Accidents (Work Vehicles)
The Scenario:
Someone rear-ends a sedan with the truck and trailer. Or forgets the trailer is attached and takes out a mailbox (and half the neighborhood HOA’s dignity).
The Claim:
- Collision damage
- Injuries
- Property damage to third parties
- Towing and downtime costs
How to Avoid It:
- Defensive driving training
- Don’t overload trailers
- Keep up with maintenance — squeaky brakes aren’t a personality trait
Pro Tip: If it’s your personal truck being used for business… stop. (We’ve got a whole blog post about that!)
Equipment Theft or Vandalism
The Scenario:
You park the trailer for lunch. By the time you’re back, that shiny blower is long gone — possibly on Craigslist already.
The Claim:
- Stolen mowers, trimmers, blowers, or trailers
- Vandalized equipment or property
- Lost income from down time
How to Avoid It:
- Lock trailers and use wheel locks
- Park in visible, well-lit areas
- Consider GPS tracking
- List all your equipment on your policy!
Chemical Damage or Overspray
The Scenario:
You’re spraying herbicide and the wind decides today’s the day to betray you — the neighbor’s prize roses are now toast.
The Claim:
- Damage to landscaping or personal property
- Lawsuits or angry HOA presidents
- Environmental cleanup costs
How to Avoid It:
- Check the forecast before spraying
- Use drift control agents
- Keep your buffer zones clear of delicate or expensive plant life
What You Can Learn from This
The best way to handle insurance claims is to never have them in the first place.
But let’s be real — stuff happens.
That’s why:
- We build policies that actually cover how you work
- We help you avoid the stuff that causes your premiums to spike
- We walk you through claims if they do happen (without disappearing like a squirrel in a tool trailer)
Wrap-Up: Stay Safe, Stay Smart, Stay Insured
You’re not just cutting grass — you’re running a business.
And that business deserves coverage that keeps you mowing forward, even when things go sideways.
Click here to quote smarter — and keep the claims adjusters bored