Business Owners Policy for Landscapers

A landscapers business owners policy (BOP) bundles general liability and commercial property coverage into one affordable policy designed for small-to-midsize landscaping operations. Most landscaping businesses with under $5 million in annual revenue and fewer than 100 employees qualify. A BOP typically costs $800–$2,200 per year for a landscaping company, depending on payroll, services offered, and equipment values.

Who this is for: Sole-proprietor lawn care operators, small landscaping LLCs, and mid-size landscape contractors who want bundled GL + property coverage without paying for two separate policies.

TL;DR — Key Takeaways

A landscaping BOP combines general liability (bodily injury, property damage, completed operations) and commercial property (tools, equipment stored at your location) in one policy at a lower combined premium than buying each separately.
Standard BOP limits start at $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate for liability and actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost for property — verify which valuation applies before you bind.
A BOP does not include commercial auto, workers' compensation, or inland marine (tools-in-transit) — you will need those separately.
Most landscaping BOPs are occurrence-form for liability, meaning a claim can be filed years after the job if the injury/damage happened during the policy period.
Clients, municipalities, and property managers increasingly require a certificate of insurance (COI) naming them as additional insured — a BOP satisfies that for GL, usually at no extra cost.

What Does a Landscapers BOP Actually Cover?

A BOP bundles two core insuring agreements:

General Liability (GL)

Trigger	Example	Covered?
Third-party bodily injury	Client trips over a hose, breaks ankle	Yes
Third-party property damage	Mower throws a rock through a window	Yes
Completed operations	Retaining wall collapses 18 months after install	Yes (occurrence form)
Personal & advertising injury	Lawsuit over a social media post	Yes
Employee injury on the job	Worker cuts hand on pruning shears	No — workers' comp
Your own tools/equipment	Blower stolen from trailer	No — inland marine or equipment floater
Auto accidents driving to job site	Truck rear-ends another vehicle	No — commercial auto
Pesticide/herbicide application errors	Chemical drift kills neighbor's garden	Often excluded; requires pollution endorsement

Commercial Property

The property portion covers buildings, business personal property (BPP), and sometimes business income at the named location (your shop, garage, or yard). Key distinctions:

Replacement cost vs. ACV: Replacement cost pays what it costs to buy new equipment of like kind; ACV deducts depreciation. Opt for replacement cost whenever possible — it matters a lot on a 5-year-old Husqvarna.
Equipment at job sites: Standard BOP property coverage typically has a low sublimit (often $2,500–$10,000) for property away from premises. Landscapers with trailers full of equipment need a separate inland marine / tools & equipment floater.
Business income / extra expense: Most BOPs include a business income endorsement covering lost revenue if a covered loss (fire, vandalism) shuts down your operation temporarily.

How Much Does a Landscapers BOP Cost?

Premiums vary by payroll, gross receipts, services offered (mowing vs. hardscape construction vs. chemical application), claims history, and location. The table below shows illustrative annual BOP premium ranges for landscaping businesses in 2025–2026.

Business Size	Annual Revenue	Typical BOP Premium Range
Solo operator / 1-2 employees	Under $200K	$700 – $1,100 / year
Small crew (3–10 employees)	$200K – $750K	$1,100 – $2,000 / year
Mid-size company (11–30 employees)	$750K – $2.5M	$1,800 – $3,500 / year
Larger contractor (30+ employees)	$2.5M+	May exceed BOP eligibility; standalone GL + property

These ranges are illustrative estimates based on industry-typical market data and carrier guidelines. Your actual premium depends on your specific risk profile, loss history, services, and the carrier selected. Request a quote for an accurate figure.

Premium drivers unique to landscapers:

Services offered: Chemical application (fertilizers, pesticides) and tree removal carry higher GL rates than basic mowing.
Hardscape / irrigation installation: Work involving excavation or underground utilities raises exposure and may push you out of BOP eligibility.
Equipment value: A landscaping company running $80,000 in trailers and equipment needs adequate property limits — underinsuring is a common mistake.
Claims history: Even one GL claim can raise premiums 15–30% at renewal.

BOP vs. Standalone GL + Property: Which Is Right for Landscapers?

Factor	BOP	Standalone GL + Property
Combined premium	Lower (package discount 5–15%)	Higher (two separate policies)
Eligibility	Revenue typically under $5M; simpler operations	Available to all sizes
Coverage breadth	Standardized; endorsements for gaps	Fully customizable limits
Inland marine inclusion	Usually excluded or low sublimit	Can be added to GL or floater
Best for	Mowing, maintenance, light landscaping	Tree services, large hardscape, chemical contractors

How to Get a Landscapers BOP: 5 Steps

Inventory your exposures. List your services (mowing, planting, irrigation, hardscape, tree removal, chemical application), annual gross receipts, payroll, number of employees, and the replacement value of equipment and property.
Confirm BOP eligibility. Share your revenue, services, and any prior claims with a broker. Carriers that actively write landscaping BOPs include Markel, Employers, and The Hartford, among others, but eligibility rules differ. [Morrow to confirm current carrier appetite.]
Select limits and deductibles. Start with $1M/$2M GL and replacement-cost property at full equipment value. Increase GL limits to $2M/$4M if your contracts require it.
Add necessary endorsements. Discuss a pollution liability endorsement (if you apply chemicals), hired/non-owned auto, and an inland marine floater for off-premises equipment.
Bind and issue COIs. Once bound, request certificates of insurance for all active clients and municipalities. A good broker turns these around same-day or within 24 hours.

Real-World Example: BOP Claim for a Florida Landscaping Company

Scenario (illustrative — not a guarantee of coverage or outcome):

A three-person landscaping crew in Sarasota, Florida, is trimming hedges at a commercial property. A worker's hedge trimmer deflects debris that cracks a plate-glass storefront window ($3,400 in damage) and strikes a pedestrian on the sidewalk, who requires a $9,200 ER visit and files a liability claim.

The company's BOP — $1M occurrence / $2M aggregate GL, $500 deductible — responds:

Property damage to window: $2,900 paid after deductible.
Bodily injury claim: $9,200 medical costs plus $4,000 in legal fees paid by carrier under the duty to defend; total $13,200.
Total BOP payout: $16,100. The company's out-of-pocket cost: $500 deductible.
Without a BOP, the owner would have faced the full $16,100 out of pocket — enough to threaten a small operation's cash flow.

Florida landscaping companies should also note: Florida requires workers' compensation for businesses in the construction industry with one or more employees [verify state for specific landscaping classification]; the BOP does not replace workers' comp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a BOP cover my landscaping equipment in the trailer?

Standard BOP property coverage applies to business personal property at a scheduled premises. Equipment in a trailer or at a job site is typically covered only up to a low away-from-premises sublimit — often $2,500–$10,000. If your trailer holds $30,000+ in mowers, blowers, and hand tools, you need a separate inland marine / tools & equipment floater to close that gap.

Is general liability required by law for landscapers?

No federal law mandates GL for landscapers, but many municipal contracts, HOA agreements, and commercial property managers require it as a condition of doing business. Most require a minimum of $1M per occurrence and a certificate of insurance naming them as additional insured.

Can I add workers' comp to my landscaping BOP?

No. Workers' compensation is a separate statutory line of insurance governed by each state. It cannot be bundled into a BOP. If you have employees, you almost certainly need a standalone workers' comp policy — most states require it at one or more employees [verify exact threshold in your state].

What is not covered by a landscapers BOP?

A BOP does not cover: commercial auto (your trucks and trailers in transit), workers' compensation, professional liability/E&O, pollution/pesticide drift (usually requires a separate endorsement or policy), equipment breakdown, cyber liability, or umbrella/excess limits. Each gap needs a separate policy or endorsement.

Does my BOP cover tree removal work?

Tree removal is a higher-hazard operation that some carriers exclude from BOP eligibility or surcharge significantly. If tree removal accounts for more than a minor percentage of your revenue, disclose it fully — misrepresentation can void coverage at claim time. You may need a specialty market or a standalone GL policy.

What does "additional insured" mean on a landscaping COI?

Adding a client as an additional insured extends your GL coverage to protect that party for claims arising out of your work. This is different from a certificate holder, who is simply notified of your policy but gets no coverage. Contracts that say "name us as additional insured" require an endorsement to your policy, not just a COI.

How quickly can I get a COI after binding?

With a properly set-up policy, a COI can be issued the same day — often within minutes through an agency management system. Morrow targets same-business-day turnaround on certificates for active policyholders.

Will my BOP cover a client suing me for a dead lawn?

Damage to your work product itself (the dead lawn) is typically excluded under the "your work" and "your product" exclusions in a standard CGL. However, consequential property damage to a third party caused by your faulty work (e.g., a chemical application that kills a neighbor's garden) may be covered under completed operations, subject to any pollution exclusion. Read the exclusions carefully and discuss with your broker.

Why Morrow for Your Landscaping BOP

Independent agency, multiple carriers. Morrow is not captive to one insurer. We shop your BOP across several carriers that actively write landscaping risks — matching your services and risk profile to the right market, not the only market we have access to.
Trade-specific placement. We understand the difference between a mowing-only operation and a contractor doing hardscape, irrigation, and chemical application. We ask the right questions upfront so your application doesn't come back underwritten for the wrong class code.
Same-day COI turnaround. When a new client contract requires a certificate by end of day, we deliver. Our team handles certificate requests for active policyholders immediately during business hours.
Claims advocacy. If a claim is filed, you get a real person walking you through the process — not a 1-800 number. We help document the loss, communicate with the adjuster, and push for fair resolution.
Full coverage review. We flag BOP gaps before a claim reveals them — inland marine for equipment, commercial auto for your fleet, workers' comp for your crew. You leave with a coverage map, not just a policy number.

Get a Quote for Your Landscaping BOP

Ready to protect your business with the right BOP? Get a landscaping insurance quote from Morrow →

Or call us at [Morrow to confirm phone number] to speak with a commercial P&C specialist.

Trust strip: Morrow (Afthonea Inc, DBA Morrow) is a licensed independent commercial insurance agency. [Morrow to confirm licensed states and NPN.] We work with admitted and surplus lines carriers rated A- or better by AM Best. [Morrow to confirm carrier list.]

Author: Written by the Morrow Commercial Insurance Editorial Team. Content reviewed for accuracy by a licensed P&C insurance professional with experience placing commercial coverage for trades and contractors.

Published: June 2026 | Last updated: June 2026

Sources: - Insurance Services Office (ISO) CGL Coverage Form CG 00 01 — standard GL insuring agreement and exclusions - Insurance Information Institute (III) — Small Business Insurance resources - National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) — landscaping workers' comp class code guidance (Class Code 0042 / 0050 series) - State Departments of Insurance — state-specific workers' comp thresholds and licensing requirements [verify state] - Florida Division of Workers' Compensation — construction industry workers' comp requirements - NAIC — commercial lines market data and BOP eligibility guidance - U.S. Small Business Administration — business insurance recommendations for small contractors