Most types of contracting businesses across all industries, including landscaping, face various liability risks. However, property damage isn’t among the most common landscapers insurance claims. This is because building softscapes or hardscapes doesn’t usually involve a lot of work on the client’s building or physical assets such as cabinets or electrical wiring.
You’ll usually be installing or maintaining structures in open spaces with little or no risk of damaging anybody’s property. This doesn’t mean you won’t encounter any liability claims at all if you’re a landscaper. On the contrary, the likelihood of being sued for bodily injury in this line of work is generally higher than in other contracting businesses.
Here’s a look at the injury claims that could be brought against your landscaping business (and how to avoid them).
Why Injury Claims are Common for Landscapers?
People straying into your project site or kids turning your outdoor work area into their playground is the main cause of injury liability risks. It’s usually difficult to block this type of foot traffic in open workspaces completely. Also, some sites may be too vast to monitor and restrict fully, which is how passers-by end up getting in.
Cases like people tripping on residential pavements under construction or stumbling on tools are common. The claimant could be a guest or even a member of the client’s family. Public and commercial landscaping projects pose similar risks. You may even put up signage at strategic points alerting people to the ongoing landscaping work and the danger, but not everyone will notice.
A Typical Bodily Injury Claim in Landscaping
Your team has implemented all necessary measures to secure a project site at a public garden. There are fencing and warning signs all around. However, two kids escape their parents’ attention and manage to sneak through the fence into your work area.
While running around playfully, one of them trips over a rake and falls awkwardly, injuring several parts of the body. While the accident may not be your fault, you could be liable for the cost of treating this child if the parents decide to sue.
Tips for Avoiding Bodily Injury Claims
Here are some measures you can take to minimize the risk of injury on your landscaping project sites:
- Provide employee workplace safety training
- Don’t leave your tools haphazardly scattered all over the work area
- Erect safety warning signage and temporary fencing to discourage straying
- Secure your site after work each day
- Use your smartphone camera to document all safety measures you’ve implemented, just in case there’s a dispute
Get Proper Landscapers Insurance
Accidents can happen even after you’ve done everything reasonably possible to prevent them. Having a commercial insurance policy gives you a high degree of security against this uncertainty.
Consider getting these coverages to protect your landscaping business:
- General liability insurance to cover property and bodily injury claims and legal defense costs if sued for a covered liability
- Tools and equipment insurance for your mission-critical equipment, such as hand tools and riding mowers
- Commercial auto insurance to cover your company-owned cars, leased/hired cars, or personal cars used in business operations
- Commercial property insurance to protect any physical office space you own and its contents
- Cyber insurance can be customized to cover data breach claims and business interruption due to hacking
These are the most common landscapers insurance claims you should consider when looking for liability protection. To get the right amount of insurance for your landscaping company, it’s important that you thoroughly evaluate your business assets and risks. At Artisan Insurance Solutions, we can help you create customized coverage based on your unique needs. Contact us today to get started!
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