Lawn Care Insurance in Tennessee

Common risks for lawn care businesses

• Thrown rocks breaking windows or hitting cars
• Accidents while towing a trailer on busy roads
• Chemical treatments that damage lawns or plants
• Mower theft from trailers parked overnight
• Slips and injuries on hills and wet grass

Coverages lawn care businesses often consider

• General liability Helps if your business is blamed for injuring someone or damaging their property, and usually pays for a legal defense.
• Tools and equipment (inland marine) Covers mowers, blowers, and trimmers.
• Commercial auto Covers vehicles used for the business. Personal car insurance policies often exclude or limit business use.
• Workers’ compensation Pays medical bills and lost wages if an employee is hurt on the job, and includes employer’s liability.

Not every business needs every coverage. The right mix depends on your work, your contracts, and your budget. All coverage is subject to underwriting and the terms of the policy.

What a claim could look like

For example, imagine a string trimmer throws a rock that chips a parked car’s windshield in a Spring Hill subdivision. The car owner asks you to pay. A claim like that may be handled under general liability, subject to your deductible and policy terms.

This is a hypothetical example for education only. Whether any claim is covered depends on the facts and your policy terms.

Tennessee rules to know

Workers’ comp. Most Tennessee employers outside construction and coal mining must carry workers’ compensation once they have five or more employees, full- or part-time, per the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Even below that number, many owners choose to carry it.

Commercial plates. In Tennessee, a vehicle with a commercial license plate must be covered under a commercial auto policy, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

We can review your requirements and help you shop workers’ compensation and the other coverages above with carriers that write lawn care businesses, subject to underwriting.

Certificates of insurance

HOAs and commercial clients often ask lawn care businesses for certificates before adding you to the route.

A certificate of insurance shows your coverage on the day it’s issued. If a contract asks for additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, the policy usually needs an endorsement, not just a line on the certificate. Our certificate of insurance checklist walks through what to check.

What affects the cost

• The type of work you do and how it’s classified
• Annual revenue and payroll
• Number of employees and any subcontractors
• Where you work and the value of your equipment or property
• The limits and deductibles you choose
• Your claims history and years in business

We can’t promise a price ahead of time, but we can compare options and explain the trade-offs in plain English.

How Eric can help lawn care businesses

Builders, remodelers, and trades from Gallatin and Hendersonville to Murfreesboro, Lebanon, and Franklin often juggle general contractor requirements, county permits, and fast schedules. As an independent agent affiliated with Hutsenpiller Insurance, Eric can review what you have, read your contract requirements with you, and help you shop options with more than one carrier. See how an independent agent works for you.

Related guides

• Contractor and Trades Insurance in Tennessee
• All business types we can help
• Business insurance in Middle Tennessee
• General liability insurance
• Commercial auto insurance
• Certificates and additional insureds explained
• What drives commercial auto costs
• Tennessee contractor license insurance requirements
• Small business insurance checklist (PDF)
• Certificate of insurance checklist (PDF)