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Landscaping & Irrigation

Landscaping Insurance
from an Agency That’s
Been in the Field.

Our managing agent Toby Yeary ran his own landscape and irrigation business in DFW for over 20 years. When you call McKnight about landscaping insurance, you’re talking to someone who’s lived the risks, run the crews, and knows exactly what a growing landscaping company needs to protect itself.

Why Landscapers Choose McKnight

We don’t just insure landscaping businesses. We ran one.

Toby Yeary, McKnight’s managing agent, spent over 20 years building and running a landscape and irrigation business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He knows what it takes to manage crews in the Texas heat, deal with irrigation installs that hit unexpected utilities, handle equipment breakdowns mid-project, and navigate the certificate requirements that commercial clients demand before you can set foot on their property.

That experience is what makes McKnight different for landscaping companies. When you call us about your insurance, you’re not explaining your world to someone who’s never turned a wrench or driven a truck full of mowers. You’re talking to people who understand payroll audits from the inside, know what a busy season does to your headcount, and recognize the difference between a lawn maintenance operation and a full landscape design and installation company — because those are genuinely different insurance exposures.

“I ran a landscape and irrigation business for over 20 years in DFW. I know what keeps landscapers up at night — and I know exactly how to protect against it.”

— Toby Yeary, Managing Agent, McKnight Insurance

We serve landscaping and irrigation companies across Texas — from solo operators running residential routes to multi-crew operations taking on commercial maintenance contracts and full installation projects.

Proud member of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA). McKnight Insurance is actively connected to the Texas landscape industry and understands the unique needs of nursery and landscape professionals across the state. Toby’s 20 years in the field make that membership mean something real.

Same-day certificates of insurance
Need a COI to start a commercial contract today? We turn them around same day — we know how important that is to keeping your crews working.

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100+ carriers shopping for you
Not all carriers understand landscaping operations. We know which ones do — and we shop across 100+ to find the right fit for your specific services and crew size.

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Audit support all year long
Payroll audits catch landscaping companies off guard more than almost any other industry. We track your exposure throughout the year so year-end doesn’t blindside you.

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Real Risks. Real Scenarios.

The situations landscaping businesses across Texas call us about.

Some of these we’ve dealt with personally. All of them are real.

01
A mower throws a rock through a window
It happens on nearly every property at some point. A stone catches the blade and flies into a glass door, a parked car, or a neighbor’s window. Your GL covers this — but only if your policy doesn’t have equipment-related exclusions. We make sure yours doesn’t have those gaps.

03
A crew member gets hurt on the job
Landscaping is physically demanding work in the Texas heat. A crew member rolls an ankle, gets heat exhaustion, or takes a cut from equipment. In Texas, workers’ comp isn’t legally required — but without it, an injured employee can sue your business directly with no cap on damages.

05
Seasonal crew growth creates a payroll audit problem
You estimated $300K in payroll at the start of the year. You added crews for spring and ran $480K by December. At audit time, you owe the difference in premium — often a significant surprise. Landscaping companies have more audit exposure than almost any other industry. We manage this proactively.

02
Irrigation work hits an unmarked utility line
You call 811, the line gets marked — but an unmarked private line gets hit during an install. The cost to repair a gas line, fiber line, or electrical conduit can be significant. GL covers third-party property damage, but the policy language matters. This is one reason we read every policy we place.

04
Equipment is stolen from a trailer overnight
A locked trailer, a cut chain, and your mowers, blowers, and trimmers are gone by morning. Your commercial auto covers the truck. Your GL covers third-party claims. Neither covers your equipment. Inland marine is what pays to replace your gear so your crews can get back to work.

06
A chemical application damages a client’s lawn
A fertilizer application goes wrong — wrong concentration, wrong product, wrong timing — and a client’s lawn or landscaping is damaged. Some GL policies have exclusions for chemical applications. We verify that your policy covers the services you actually perform, not just the generic ones.

Coverage Recommendations

A complete insurance program for landscaping & irrigation companies.

Landscaping companies need more than a basic GL policy. Here’s how we build a complete program that protects your crews, your equipment, your trucks, and your business from the real risks of this industry.

General Liability Insurance

Covers third-party bodily injury and property damage from your operations. The foundation of any landscaping program — required by most commercial contracts. Make sure completed operations is included and there are no chemical application exclusions.

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Workers’ Compensation

Texas doesn’t require it by law but any landscaping business with employees should carry it. Without it, an injured employee can sue directly with no cap on damages. Most commercial GCs require your subs to carry it before putting you on a job.

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Commercial Auto Insurance

Covers your trucks, vans, and trailers for liability, collision, and comprehensive. Required by Texas law for business vehicles. Make sure all vehicles and drivers are properly scheduled — especially seasonal hires added mid-policy.

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Tools, Equipment & Inland Marine

Covers mowers, trimmers, blowers, irrigation equipment, and other gear at the job site, in transit, and at your shop. Your GL and commercial auto don’t cover your equipment. This is one of the most important coverages for any landscaping operation.

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Commercial Umbrella / Excess

An extra layer of liability protection above your primary policies. Larger commercial maintenance contracts often require umbrella coverage — and for any landscaping company doing significant work, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to increase your protection.

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Commercial Property Insurance

If you have a shop, yard, office, or storage facility, commercial property covers the building and contents from fire, storm, theft, and other covered losses. Inland marine picks up when equipment leaves the listed location.

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Common Mistakes We See

What your current landscaping coverage might be missing.

01
A GL policy with exclusions for your actual work
Some GL policies exclude chemical applications, irrigation work, or completed operations — all things landscaping companies do regularly. A policy that looks fine on paper can leave you without coverage on the exact types of claims you’re most likely to face. We read every policy we place.

03
Seasonal payroll not tracked — audit bill at year end
Landscaping companies are uniquely exposed to payroll audits because of seasonal crew fluctuation. If you underestimate payroll at the start of the year and don’t track it as you grow through spring and summer, the December audit bill is a real shock. We help you manage this throughout the year.

05
Not updating coverage as the business grows
A policy written when you had two employees and one truck doesn’t fit a ten-crew operation taking on commercial contracts. Revenue, equipment value, fleet size, and payroll all affect your coverage needs. Review your program every year — we do this with every client.

02
No inland marine coverage for equipment
Your mowers, trailers, trimmers, and irrigation equipment are your business. A GL doesn’t cover them. Property covers them at your shop. But the moment they’re on the road or at a job site, inland marine is what follows them. Most landscaping companies don’t carry it.

04
Unscheduled vehicles and seasonal drivers
A truck added mid-season or a driver hired for spring who isn’t on your policy is a coverage gap waiting to happen. Every vehicle and every driver — including seasonal hires — needs to be properly added to your commercial auto policy.

06
Missing the additional insured requirement
Commercial landscape contracts almost always require you to add the property owner or GC as an additional insured on your GL. If you don’t do it correctly or in time, you can lose the contract — or face a coverage dispute if a claim happens on that property.

FAQ

Questions landscaping business owners ask us.

What insurance does a landscaping business in Texas actually need?
At minimum, a Texas landscaping business needs general liability, commercial auto, and tools and equipment coverage. If you have employees, workers’ comp is strongly recommended — and many commercial clients won’t hire you without it. If you have a shop or yard, commercial property coverage protects your facility and stored equipment. As you grow and take on commercial contracts, umbrella coverage becomes important too. The right combination depends on your specific services, fleet, crew size, and clients — which is exactly what we help you figure out.
Does my general liability cover damage I cause to a client’s property?
Yes — general liability covers third-party property damage caused by your operations. A mower that throws a rock through a window, irrigation work that damages a fence, a crew member who backs a truck into a client’s gate — these are the kinds of claims GL is designed to cover. However, some policies have exclusions for completed operations or specific types of work like chemical applications. We make sure your GL covers the full scope of what your business actually does.
Is workers’ compensation required for landscaping businesses in Texas?
Texas is the only state where workers’ comp isn’t legally required for most private employers — but that doesn’t mean you should go without it. For landscaping businesses, the risk of employee injury is real: heat exhaustion, equipment accidents, cuts and sprains are common. Without workers’ comp, an injured employee can sue your business directly with no cap on damages. Additionally, most commercial landscape contracts and GC relationships require you to carry workers’ comp before you can work on their properties. We strongly recommend it for any landscaping business with employees.
Does my commercial auto cover my trailers and the equipment on them?
Your commercial auto policy covers your trucks and listed trailers for liability, collision, and physical damage. It does not cover the equipment loaded onto them — mowers, blowers, trimmers, and other gear are not covered by commercial auto. That requires a separate tools and equipment or inland marine policy. This is one of the most common coverage gaps we find in landscaping operations. If your trailer gets stolen or your equipment is damaged in transit, commercial auto won’t pay for what was on the trailer.
What happens at a payroll audit and how can I prepare for it?
Your GL and workers’ comp premiums are based on estimated payroll at the start of the policy. At the end of the year, your carrier audits your actual payroll against that estimate. If you ran more payroll than estimated — which is common for landscaping companies that add seasonal crews — you owe the difference. The best way to prepare is to track your actual payroll throughout the year and update your estimates with us mid-year if your business grows significantly. We do this proactively with our landscaping clients so year-end doesn’t come as a surprise.
Do I need a surety bond for landscaping work in Texas?
It depends on the type of work you’re bidding. Some city and county landscaping contracts require a surety bond before you can bid or perform the work — they guarantee that you’ll complete the project according to the contract terms. Larger commercial clients sometimes require them as well. We help landscaping companies get bonded quickly so you don’t lose a job because you couldn’t meet a bonding requirement on short notice.
Does my policy cover damage from herbicide or fertilizer applications?
This is one of the most important questions a landscaping company can ask — and the answer is: it depends on your policy. Standard GL policies often have exclusions for chemical applications, pesticide and herbicide damage, or pollution-related claims. If your business applies fertilizers, herbicides, or any chemicals, you need to make sure your policy explicitly covers this — or add a pollution liability endorsement. We verify this for every landscaping client we write, because it’s exactly the kind of exclusion you don’t find until you have a claim.
Can I get a certificate of insurance the same day?
Yes — same-day COI service is standard for us. We know that in landscaping, a certificate requirement can come up the morning you’re supposed to start a job. Call us and we handle it fast. We’ve been on the other side of that situation and we don’t let paperwork be the reason you can’t work.
I just started my landscaping business. Do I need insurance right away?
Yes — from the first day you operate. Even a solo landscaper with one client and one mower has liability exposure. If your equipment damages something or someone gets hurt on a property you’re working, the financial exposure falls on you personally without coverage in place. Most clients — even residential ones — will ask for proof of insurance. And practically speaking, you can’t get on most commercial properties or bid commercial work without it. Get your coverage in place before you start, not after your first incident.

Get Started

Talk to an agent who’s actually been in the landscaping business.

Toby Yeary and the McKnight team understand your operation from the inside. Whether you’re a solo operator, a growing crew, or a multi-crew commercial company — we’ll build a program that fits how you actually work. No pressure. No jargon. Just straight answers from people who’ve been there.

Member of TNLA  ·  Same-day certificates available  ·  Serving landscapers across Texas