Gardeners Insurance
Gardeners often experience unexpected disasters that can cause severe damage to gardens and the buildings that they tend to. They are also at risk of injury given the dangerous equipment that they work with. Gardeners’ public liability insurance protects their business against claims caused by damage to other people’s property or bodily injury. As well as protecting against property damage, commercial insurance can also help gardeners continue their work when they are out of pocket due to injury or illness.
Gardeners’ insurance is a form of commercial insurance that protects businesses by subsidising the cost of damages they cause to other people. Gardeners are at risk of accidentally damaging customers’ property or even their property if they work on tall trees, shrubs or hedges. They are also at risk of accidentally injuring people, including customers and their families. These accidents could be caused by machinery, hand tools or carelessness. If you would like to read more information or learn more about the pricing of business insurance, you can do so here.
Gardeners insurance may cover:
- Public liability: covers damage claims for any damage to other people’s property or bodily injury caused whilst gardening but does not protect against any claims for damage to garden equipment. This is because the cost of replacing damaged items will usually exceed the insured value of this insurance.
- Personal Accident Insurance: This cover protects the business and its owner against claims due to personal injury caused by an accident. It applies to accidental bodily injury, such as slipping on someone else’s property, and also covers the cost of legal fees incurred should a claim be made. Claims for physical damage can be covered under public liability insurance instead. Personal accident insurance will provide a financial cushion that the business could not operate without if one of its team suffers a severe or long-term illness or injury.
- Income Protection: this type of insurance protects business owners from having to close their business if they cannot work due to injury or illness. Income protection policies will pay out a monthly sum until the policyholder can return to work. If they never return to work again, the income will continue until the end of the policy term.
- Commercial and Professional Liability: this type of cover protects the business against legal claims from property damage, bodily injury, theft, fire and explosion. It also protects the business against claims by third parties such as neighbours who may feel aggrieved by the damage caused by work carried out on a clients property.
Insurance is not compulsory in most jurisdictions, but most professionals would recommend it. This is particularly true for any business owners planning to work with the public, as this involves a high level of risk. Many public sector organisations, local authorities and larger companies will not do business with contractors without adequate insurance. Gardeners may choose to take out specific types of insurance to cover their business against specific risks. This may include insurance for tools and equipment, public liability insurance to protect against damages caused by their work, or even income protection if they cannot work due to illness or injury.
What Types of Gardeners Insurance are there?
Several types of insurance may be available to gardeners, depending on their specific needs. For those who are only interested in protecting their business against financial liability, Gardeners Insurance can help protect against claims made by third parties. For those who have garden maintenance contracts with customers, Gardeners Insurance can protect against claims made by customers due to injury or damage to the property.
Public liability insurance is the most minor comprehensive type of policy for gardeners. It will protect gardeners against claims made by third parties, such as customers or visitors, who are affected by the work they do. It covers compensation for damage to personal property or injury sustained, in addition to the costs of defending the claim. Gardeners public liability insurance also covers claims made against you by people associated with your business, such as staff, subcontractors and their families.
Personal accident insurance is a complete form of cover, as it provides financial assistance if a business owner suffers from an injury or illness related to their work. Income protection and commercial and professional liability insurance provide more comprehensive protection against claims. Some gardeners prefer to protect their business against damage claims, but this is more costly, as the potential claim value can be significantly higher than that for public liability insurance.
There is an argument that custom and trade gardens should consider insuring themselves under the Third Party Property Damage and Third Party Liability provisions of Professional Indemnity Insurance rather than public liability insurance. This will offer protection against damage caused to business clients and their business premises by gardeners and gardeners equipment, such as tools and spades. It will also protect against claims regarding the quality of work done by gardeners.
To summarise…
In summary, the different types of Gardeners Insurance range from those that offer little protection to those that provide a high level of coverage. Some gardeners prefer a more basic policy; premiums for public liability insurance and personal accident insurance will be lower than commercial and professional liability insurance, as this latter cover is more comprehensive. Public liability insurance and personal accident insurance will be sufficient for many gardeners, but those who may encounter more significant risks may wish to consider additional protection.
Find out more about gardeners insurance here.
Other useful links about business insurance:
Business Contents Insurance
Business Building Insurance
Employers’ Liability Insurance
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