The policies a lawn care business carries
Lawn care claims are usually small: a rock through a window, a scuffed car, a trip on a hose. Fertilizer and weed control add rules where you apply them.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $57 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $255 |
| Workers' compensation | $123 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are lawn care businesses pay, from Insureon's cost page; most of its customers have fewer than five employees. Across all its small business customers, general liability runs $265 to $3,030 a year.
Claims lawn care companies plan for
- A mower throws a rock through a window
- A trimmer scuffs siding
- Fertilizer burns a lawn
- A customer trips over equipment
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a mower throws a rock through a window?
- Would my policy pay if a trimmer scuffs siding?
- Would my policy pay if fertilizer burns a lawn?
- Would my policy pay if a customer trips over equipment?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the lawn care services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: mowing, 1/4 acre lawn; mowing, 1/2 acre lawn; mowing, 1 acre lawn; core aeration, typical lawn; fertilizer, first application; weed control, one application; overseeding; spring or fall cleanup; leaf removal; shrub trimming; mulch install.
Mowers and trailers are the gear most often stolen. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are stand-on or zero-turn mower; hedge trimmer; aerator rental or purchase; spreader; leaf vacuum or loader, and from the starter kit, commercial walk-behind mower; string trimmer; backpack blower; stick edger; open trailer with ramp.
State rules in the license
Lawn Care work often falls under the landscaping rules. Our landscaping license guide lists the insurance and bond line for each of 31 states from the boards' own pages.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for lawn care businesses is $123 a month, priced per $100 of payroll. A bond protects the state or the customer, not you; Insureon puts its yearly cost at a share of the bond amount:
| Bond amount | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|
| $5,000 | $25 to $500 |
| $10,000 | $50 to $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $250 to $5,000 |
Certificates of insurance
HOAs and commercial properties ask for a certificate before the first mow. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for lawn care businesses, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: General liability insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Workers' compensation insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Surety bond cost, checked October 9, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 9, 2026
- Koira: Landscaping and Irrigation license requirements by state (each row lists its board sources), checked October 9, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.