Things to look out for when buying insurance for landscape gardeners

As requested at Landscape Juice Network, my colleague Laura and I put some things together to look out for when you are looking for Landscape Gardener’s business insurance. I hope this clarify buying the right cover for your business.

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance is important for your business because it will pay out in the event that a mistake is made which causes an injury to a member of the public or customer, or which damages their property. We recommend taking out a minimum cover of £ 2 million.

Chainsaw licence

If you’re a landscape gardener and you’re using a chainsaw to cut trees and bushes, please mention this when you take out an insurance policy. Insurers segregate landscape gardeners in two categories: “excluding treefelling” and “including treefelling”.

Also important: you do need a chainsaw licence in the UK if you are a landscape gardener and your business involves treefelling.
Failing to have a licence will result in problems with your insurance.

Tool cover

How important adequate cover is for your landscape business was the “This is England 2010” post from Jill.

One of the most made mistakes is that people assume that tools will be covered by a Public Liability Insurance. That’s not the case: you need to take out a separate cover for your work tools.

Tools overnight cover: You can also choose to include tools whilst left in your vehicle overnight. Cover can be provided for up to £10,000 and may include cover for tools in transit (dependant on insurer). Cover is for loss, destruction or damage by any cause not specifically excluded within the insurer's policy.

What will an insurer NOT cover for tools cover?

An insurer will not cover you when you find missing tools during a routine check or individual items exceeding 500 Pounds.
If you have work tools exceeding this amount, always contact your insurer for a separate arrangement.
If you keep your worktools in a van (overnight) and you took out additional cover to cover this, your vehicle doors should be fully closed and properly fastened. Lock all doors and windows.

Specific questions your insurer might ask you when buying insurance for landscape gardeners:

• Do you gain access by using ropes, harnesses or suspended platforms?
• Do you dispose of fumes, effluent or other harmful waste as part of the insured business activity?
• Do you work at depths below 1 metre underground?

I hope this will clarify things to look out for when you take out insurance for landscape gardening.

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