Is there a risk that your gardening business could cause property damage or injury?
We suspect the answer is yes. No matter how careful you are in the course of your work, there is always a risk that something might go wrong when working with other people’s property in public space.
Public liability insurance for gardeners
Sometimes, you may be prepared to correct your mistake, such as fixing damaged paving or painting a scratched wall. However, sometimes, the blame for property damage or injury can be laid at your feet even though it wasn’t your fault.
This is when public liability insurance comes in. It protects you against accusations of causing an injury or property damage by giving you access to legal advice and defence. It will also pay compensation if you’re found liable.
Does your gardening business offer design?
Some gardening businesses offer more than just ground maintenance. They also cover garden design, and often, that service comes with advice regarding layout, choice of materials, and some small structural changes.
Professional indemnity insurance for garden designers
Although the risk of being sued for design mistakes is relatively small unless you’re involved in large-scale projects, professional indemnity insurance can still be very helpful in certain scenarios.
Design is a very subjective area, and the simple fact that your client dislikes the result may lead to a claim. They might demand that you pay for the cost of rework or refund fees paid to date.
A client might be looking for compensation because the changes to the property are not compliant with the local authority regulations and they’re now facing a fine and removal/rework costs.
Whether you're at fault or not, professional indemnity insurance will provide you with access to legal advice and defence. It will also pay compensation if you’re found liable.
Does your gardening business depend on certain business equipment and tools?
Some gardening equipment and tools can be quite costly to replace or repair. This particularly applies to business equipment on hire. The associated charges with replacement or repair can often be quite high.
Business equipment & tools insurance
Most insurance providers offer some level of cover to protect your gardening business's tools. However, be sure to always read the terms and conditions. Some policies have exclusions that you need to be aware of before purchasing.
For example, storing your tools overnight in your van outside your house could be an issue if your policy excludes such a risk.
Does your gardening business employ people?
The definition of an employee in the UK is quite wide and goes well beyond someone on your payroll.
Employers’ liability insurance
In the UK, employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement for anyone who works under your control and supervision, whether paid or not. That includes employees, freelancers, temps, volunteers, and helpers.
Could your gardening business face unpaid invoices, contractual disputes or tax investigations?
A gardening business has many relationships throughout its life cycle - HMRC, customers, employees, suppliers, local authority and more.
All of these relationships can sometimes turn sour and may result in issues such as:
- Contract breaches
- Disputes with local authorities
- Employment disputes
- Unpaid invoices or paid-for but undelivered stock
- Trespassing claims
Commercial legal expenses
This cover is a really good backup for business-related matters that are not typically covered by other legal covers. The other advantage of commercial legal expenses is that it isn’t just for your defence. You can use it to bring a case against a third party, for example, a supplier who took your money but failed to deliver the materials.
Could a significant injury put your gardening business at risk?
Running a gardening business comes with a reasonable risk of serious injury. You might fall from a ladder, have a sharp tool slip out of your hand, or trip over a cable and hit your head on a garden wall.
Personal accident insurance
As the name suggests, this cover helps out financially if you suffer a serious accident. It will either pay a weekly amount until you’ve recovered or offer a one-off payment that should bridge over the difficult period.
In conclusion
There are a few other insurance covers out there aimed at gardening businesses but the above guide should answer for you what essential insurance you need for your gardening business.
