How much does lawn care insurance cost in Australia?

Most lawn care businesses on a monthly plan pay from around $40 to $68 a month for public liability insurance. The typical cost is around $45 a month, based on policies reviewed. Paid annually, most pay from around $428 to $731 a year.

Public liability insurance is designed to cover claims if someone is injured or their property is damaged in connection with your lawn care work. Many clients, property managers and commercial contracts ask for evidence of cover before work starts. The figures below are for public liability, which is usually the core cover in lawn care insurance.

Other covers, such as tools of trade or commercial motor, are separate costs covered further down. Cover depends on the policy and insurer you choose. Check the policy wording and its terms and conditions for what is and isn't included.

Key takeaways

• Monthly plan: $40 to $68 a month for most lawn care businesses, typically $45.
• Paid annually: $428 to $731 a year for most, typically $622.
• Illustrative quote: from $46 a month or $488 a year at a $5 million limit.
• Higher limits: about $79 a year more for each step from $5 million to $10 million to $20 million, in the illustrative quote.
• Staff: workers compensation is a separate cost once you employ workers covered by your state or territory scheme.
• Supplies: products liability may be relevant where you supply fertilizer, mulch or turf.

How much is public liability insurance for lawn care businesses?

Public liability insurance for gardeners and lawn care businesses typically costs around $622 a year paid annually, or $45 a month on a monthly plan. These figures come from policies reviewed for lawn mowing and gardening businesses.

Paid annually: most lawn care businesses pay from around $428 to $731 a year, with a typical cost of around $622. Some pay as little as $306.

Monthly plan, total over 12 months: most pay from around $486 to $818, with a typical cost of around $545. Some pay as little as $335.

Monthly instalment: most pay from around $40 to $68 a month, with a typical cost of around $45. Some pay as little as $28 a month.

A small number of larger businesses with commercial contracts pay well above these ranges. They sit above the ranges quoted and are not representative of a typical lawn care business.

These figures are based on policies arranged through upcover. They are indicative only, are not a quote and may not reflect your business. Your cost depends on factors such as turnover, work type, claims history and cover limit.

How these figures were prepared

Lawn care cost figures on this page come from public liability policies for lawn care and gardening businesses arranged through upcover. "Most pay" means the middle 50% of policies reviewed, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, and "typical cost" is the median.

The highest annual cost was $1,104. The highest 12-month total on a monthly plan was $32,984, or $2,749 a month. Both monthly figures came from larger commercial operations that are not representative.

The annual and monthly figures come from different groups of policies, so they are not a direct comparison. The $5 million, $10 million and $20 million figures are a separate illustrative quotes for businesses

Lawn mowing insurance cost by cover limit

Lawn mowing insurance cost rises with the public liability limit you choose. In a separate illustrative quote, the annual cost at each limit was:

• $5 million cover: around $488 a year, or around $46 a month
• $10 million cover: around $567 a year, or around $54 a month
• $20 million cover: around $645 a year, or around $62 a month

In that quote, each step up in limit added around $79 a year.

Clients, property managers and commercial contracts such as body corporate or council work may set the limit they ask for. An upcover representative or a broker can talk through what those limits mean for your business. For more on how limits are set, see what level of public liability insurance you need.

What drives the cost of lawn care and garden maintenance insurance?

Garden maintenance insurance costs depend on what you do, how big your business is and the limit you choose. Insurers commonly look at these factors:

• The type of work you do. Insurers commonly ask whether you do routine mowing and edging, chemical or fertiliser application, or larger commercial sites. The type of work may change the cost.
• Products you supply. Products liability insurance is designed to cover claims for injury or damage caused by a product you made, sold or supplied, once it has left your hands. It may be relevant where you supply fertilizer, mulch or turf to clients.
• Your turnover. Insurers commonly ask for your annual turnover, and it is one of the factors in your cost.
• Your claims history. Insurers consider past claims when pricing cover at quote and at renewal.
• Cover limit. Higher limits generally cost more.

Solo gardener or lawn care business with staff

Solo gardeners and sole traders doing residential mowing and routine maintenance may sit towards the lower end of the range. This is more likely where turnover is modest and the work avoids chemical treatment or large commercial sites.

Lawn care businesses with staff, or those holding body corporate or council contracts, face a different cost structure. Workers compensation is designed to cover your workers if they are injured at work. It is required where workers fall within the relevant state or territory scheme, as Safe Work Australia explains.

Staff numbers and combined turnover are also factors in the public liability cost. Commercial motor insurance, designed to cover vehicles used for business such as a work ute, may also add to the total insurance cost.

Does lawn mowing tools insurance add to the cost?

Lawn mowing tools insurance is a separate cost from public liability. Tools of trade insurance is designed to cover equipment you take away from your premises, such as mowers and edgers, against insured loss or damage. Where the equipment is covered, and the limits, vary between policies.

What do lawn mowing insurance claims look like?

Lawn mowing insurance claims commonly involve damage to a client's property or injury to someone near the work. These examples show how public liability insurance may respond.

Hypothetical example: client property damage

You are mowing a client's front lawn and a stone shoots out from the mower, cracking a window and marking a tile path. The homeowner asks you to pay for repairs and alleges you caused third party property damage, leading to a lawn mowing insurance claim.

How cover may respond: Public liability insurance may respond to third party property damage claims arising from your business activities.

Hypothetical example: public injury

While edging a nature strip, your hose sits across the footpath. A passerby trips, sprains a wrist and needs physio. They say your site was unsafe and seek compensation, turning into a garden maintenance liability claim.

How cover may respond: Public liability is designed to cover amounts you're legally liable to pay for third party injury from your business activities.

_{Important: Claims scenarios are hypothetical examples only. Cover is always subject to policy terms, conditions and exclusions. Policy wordings may also vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for details.}

How to make a claim?

If you're concerned about a particular customer service or experience, you can always consider telling your insurer as soon as you become aware of an incident, complaint or circumstance that could lead to a claim. You don't need to wait for a formal demand. Also keep in mind that notifying of a claim late may affect your claim.

You can start a claim through the make a claim page. Admitting liability, incurring costs or agreeing to a settlement before you notify your insurer may affect your claim. Starting a claim does not confirm that your claim is covered; your insurer assesses it under the policy terms, conditions, exclusions and limits.

What might lawn care public liability insurance not cover?

Lawn care public liability insurance has exclusions that vary between insurers. Exclusions commonly include, but are not limited to:

• injury to your own workers, which generally sits with workers compensation
• loss or damage to your own mowers and tools, which may sit with tools of trade cover
• the cost of fixing or redoing your own work
• claims that your advice caused a client financial loss, which generally sits with professional indemnity insurance. Professional indemnity is designed to cover claims that your advice, service or work caused a client financial loss
• accidents involving a registered vehicle, which generally sit with motor insurance

Important: This list is not exhaustive. Exclusions vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for the exclusions that apply to you.

How to manage your lawn care insurance costs

Lawn care insurance costs are easier to keep in check when your policy matches the work you do. These steps apply to gardeners and lawn mowing businesses alike:

• Describe your work accurately. Your policy schedule lists the activities you do, such as mowing, garden maintenance or chemical application. If a client makes a claim about work your schedule leaves out, the insurer may consider declining it if they were not aware of the activity and would not have accepted it as covered under the insurance policy.
• Check what your contracts ask for. Client and commercial contracts may set a minimum limit. An upcover representative or a broker can talk through what different limits mean for your business.
• Look at your payment options. Annual and monthly payment can cost different amounts over 12 months. How they compare depends on the policy and payment terms offered.
• Update your cover as your business changes. Telling your insurer about new types of work, staff or turnover keeps your schedule accurate.
• Consider arranging covers together. Public liability alongside tools of trade or commercial motor cover can reduce administration, though it doesn't always lower the combined cost.

How to compare lawn mowing insurance quotes

To compare lawn mowing insurance quotes, check that each quote is built on the same details. A lower price can reflect a lower limit, a higher excess or narrower cover.

• The same limit. Check each quote uses the same public liability limit, such as $5 million, $10 million or $20 million.
• The same work description. Mowing, edging, chemical application and commercial site work may be described differently between insurers.
• The excess. The excess is the amount you pay towards a claim before the insurer pays.
• What is excluded. Exclusions vary between policy wordings, so read the policy wording and its terms and conditions for each quote.
• Payment options. Compare the annual price with the 12-month total on a monthly plan.

What do you need for a lawn care insurance quote?

A lawn care insurance quote needs a few details about your business and the work you do. Having the following ready makes it faster to get an accurate quote:

• The type of lawn care and garden maintenance work you do, including any chemical or fertilizer application.
• Your annual turnover.
• Whether you're a sole trader or employ staff.
• Your chosen cover limit ($5 million, $10 million or $20 million).
• Any contract or commercial client requirements you already know about.
• Claims history, if any.

How upcover can help

upcover arranges public and products liability insurance for lawn care and garden maintenance businesses across Australia. upcover works with 80+ insurance partners and can arrange quotes from a range of insurers.

• 70,000+ businesses covered across Australia.
• 4.9/5 customer rating.
• Certificate of currency available once your policy is confirmed.

If you already know your cover limit, get a quote for lawn care and garden maintenance insurance. If your work includes retaining walls, paving or decking, see how much landscaper insurance costs or landscaper insurance.

Frequently asked questions

What does insurance for lawn mowing business owners cost a month?

Most lawn care businesses on a monthly plan pay from around $40 to $68 per month, with a typical cost of around $45. These figures are for public liability insurance. A separate illustrative quote started from around $46 a month at a $5 million limit.

How much does lawn care insurance cost per year?

Paid annually, most lawn care businesses pay from around $428 to $731 a year for public liability insurance, with a typical cost of around $622. Some pay more, depending on their work, turnover and cover limit.

Do lawn mowing businesses need public liability insurance?

Lawn mowing businesses commonly hold public liability insurance because many clients, property managers and commercial contracts ask for evidence of cover. A potential customer may request a certificate of currency to prove you hold the required cover, as Business Queensland notes.

Is lawn care insurance cheaper paid annually or monthly?

Lawn care insurance can cost different amounts paid annually or monthly. In the policies reviewed, the annual and monthly figures come from different groups, so they are not a direct comparison. How they compare for you depends on the policy and payment terms offered.

Does public liability cover damage from a mower throwing a stone?

Public liability insurance may respond to third party property damage claims arising from your business activities, subject to the policy terms. A stone thrown by a mower that cracks a client's window is one example of this kind of claim.

Do lawn care businesses with staff need workers compensation?

Workers compensation insurance is required where workers fall within the relevant state or territory scheme, as Safe Work Australia explains. It is designed to cover your workers if they are injured at work, and it is a separate cost from public liability.

Does the cover limit affect how much I pay?

The cover limit is one of the factors in your cost. In a separate illustrative quote, $5 million cover costs around $488 a year, $10 million around $567 and $20 million around $645.

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_{The information in this article is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Cost figures are based on policies arranged through upcover; they are indicative only, are not a quote and may not reflect your business. Before deciding whether a product is right for you, read the policy wording and its terms and conditions. For commercial motor vehicle insurance, also read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and Financial Services Guide (FSG). upcover arranges insurance products with selected insurers and underwriters and does not compare all general insurers or insurance products available in the market.}