Any lawn care business owner knows it good and well. The lawn care business is subject to commercial risks even though it operates outside of a brick and mortar storefront. In fact, the associated liability exposure is so great, precisely because of the outdoor gardening work.
Review the following claim case scenarios to discover why others in the same industry rely on their commercial umbrella insurance coverage for the protection they need.
Lawn Care Insurance Claims
• As a professional gardener operated the lawn mower that he was driving along his customer’s front lawn, he imagined an uneventful workday. Then, the accident occurred just as he directed the machine out of the sidewalk’s way: the lawn mower collided into a pedestrian, injuring his leg. The ensuing bodily injury lawsuit resulted in a judgement against the gardener and payment for damages totaling $42,000.
• Though the weed whacker that the gardener was utilizing did a good job on edging the lawn, it did not do such a good job on avoiding an accident that injured the customer’s young daughter. As its blade hit the grass, it also caught a small sharp stone that flew high above the lawn and then landed on the child’s leg. Doctor’s fees came to $2,750.
• As the lawn care business owner aimed the blower at the leaves and debris so that they would be cleared from a home’s walkway, tiny stones were swept away as well. The stones hit a parked truck and caused extensive damage to the exterior body and windows. The lawn care business owner was sued for negligence for the damages determined as a $5,000 loss.
• A property owner’s sprinkler was broken. The gardener managed to repair it. After a day’s work at the site, the gardener went home. Unbeknownst to the gardener, the sprinkler broke down once more while he was gone, resulting in a massive flood and damage to the side of the home. The repairs amounted to $22,000.
• A professional gardener decided to leave the machines that he had been working with within his customer’s garage. Upon his return the very next day, the gardener discovered that his equipment had been damaged by a garage fire. The gardener filed an insurance claim for equipment replacement valued at $10,000.
• A professional lawn maintenance guy left his machinery within his customer’s shed while he took a lunch break. Upon returning from the restaurant, the gardener blinked his eyes in disbelief. His equipment had been stolen during the brief interim. The gardener turned to his insurance company to file a contractor’s equipment claim for the machine – an $11,200 loss.