Do Lawn Mowing Companies Need General Liability Insurance?
- Nate Jones, CPCU, ARM, CLCS, AU
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
If you operate a mowing or lawn care company, one of the first questions you’ll face when shopping for lawn care business insurance is whether you truly need General Liability (GL) insurance. The short answer? Yes, almost every mowing contractor needs it, whether you operate solo or run multiple crews.
GL insurance is the foundation of a lawn care insurance program because mowing work involves equipment, debris, property exposure, customers, and bystanders. Landscaping and lawn maintenance include hazards such as flying debris, rotating blades, slips, trips, noise, and chemical exposure
Here’s why GL insurance is essential for your mowing business.
1. Protects Against Property Damage (Your #1 Risk)
Mowing crews work around houses, vehicles, fences, windows, irrigation systems, and fragile landscaping. Just one rock launched from a mower can shatter a window or damage a client’s siding.
Common General Liability (GL) covered damages include:
Broken windows from flying debris
Damaged cars or garage doors
Irrigation heads or landscape lighting hit during trimming
Scratches, dents, or lawn damage caused by equipment
Because mowing equipment inherently creates flying debris and blade hazards, OSHA highlights sharp/rotating blade risks and flying-object risks as common sources of landscaping injuries and property damage.
2. Covers Third‑Party Injuries
If someone is injured near your mowing operation, client, neighbour, or passerby, your business may be responsible.
General Liability insurance helps cover:
Medical bills
Bodily injury claims
Legal defence costs
Landscaping workers face risks like slips, trips, falls, debris impact, and contact injuries, according to OSHA safety data. These hazards also apply to bystanders, which is why GL is crucial.
3. Required for Most Residential & Commercial Contracts
Most customers now request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) before hiring a mowing company. HOAs, commercial buildings, property managers, and real estate groups often require:
$1M liability limits
Additional insured endorsement
Primary & non‑contributory wording
Without General Liability insurance, you won’t qualify for many profitable mowing contracts.
4. Protects Your Reputation & Business Survival
Even a small claim, like a broken window, can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Larger claims can financially devastate a mowing company. General Liability insurance helps protect your:
Business cash flow
Client relationships
Long‑term reputation
It also allows you to expand into higher‑value commercial or HOA work confidently.
5. Not Covered by Homeowner or Personal Auto Policies
Some new mowing businesses assume they don’t need business insurance because:
They mow in their own neighbourhood
They use personal vehicles
Customers “trust them”
But homeowner policies do not cover damages caused by a contractor, and personal auto insurance excludes most business use, especially when towing equipment or visiting job sites. General Liability insurance fills these gaps.
Get the Right General Liability Coverage With Wexford Insurance
Wexford Insurance helps mowing companies across the country secure the right coverage for their operation, including:
We work with insurance carriers that specialise in lawn care and landscaping businesses, so you get coverage designed specifically for mowing contractors.
👉 Request your lawn care business insurance quote from Wexford Insurance today and protect your mowing company with the coverage customers, and contracts, expect.
