Plant Nursery Business Insurance
Getting insurance for your plant nursery business is essential.
Plant nursery businesses need to be protected against things like claims of environmental violations, premises liability, and breaches of contract.
For example, if it is discovered that your plant nursery business has been disposing of chemicals, it may be sued by the appropriate regulatory body.
We’ll help you find the most personalized and affordable coverage for your unique business.
Recommended: Next Insurance is dedicated to matching small businesses with the right policy at the best price.
Best Insurance for a Plant Nursery Business
General liability insurance is — generally speaking — one of the most important insurance policies for plant nursery businesses.
Some of the risks general liability insurance covers are:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage
- Medical payments
- Legal defense and judgment
- Personal and advertising injury
To extend the coverage protecting your plant nursery business, you may also be interested in obtaining some of the following policies:
- Commercial property insurance: Ensures your plant nursery business is protected from the financial fallout of damage to its property caused by select events.
- Product liability insurance: Takes care of the legal costs (and damages if necessary) of any lawsuits filed against your business for harm its products may have caused.
- Workers’ compensation insurance: A legally-required policy for any business with part-time or full-time employees.
The insurance providers you can acquire coverage for your plant nursery business from are divided into the two following categories:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar insurers — Includes firms such as Nationwide and Hiscox.
- Online insurers — Includes firms such as Next and Tivly.
On balance, online firms are the better choice. This is because they take advantage of AI to match the reliability and accuracy of traditional insurers while selling at a greatly reduced price.
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Cost of General Liability Insurance
The average plant nursery in America spends between $400 - $1500 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.
Compare the average cost of general liability insurance for a plant nursery business to other professional industries using the graph below.
Several factors will determine the price of your policy. These include your:
- Location
- Deductible
- Number of employees
- Per-occurrence limit
- General aggregate limit
You may be able to acquire general liability insurance at a discounted rate by purchasing it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a standalone policy.
A BOP is a more comprehensive solution that includes multiple forms of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
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Common Situations That General Liability Insurance May Cover for a Plant Nursery Business
Example 1: As an employee uses a mini front loader to dump mulch into a customer’s truck, he loses control of the machine and gouges the side of the truck. General liability insurance would cover the customer’s vehicle repair costs.
Example 2: A customer accidentally hits her head on an overhanging plant shelf, causing a concussion and a deep wound. General liability insurance would cover the customer’s medical bills.
Example 3: When an employee accidentally knocks a customer over, the customer breaks a wrist and sues. General liability insurance would pay your legal fees and any damages awarded in a settlement.
Other Types of Coverage Plant Nursery Businesses Need
While general liability is the most important type of insurance to have, there are several other forms of coverage you should be aware of. Below are some of the most common types of coverage:
Commercial Property Insurance
You’ve made major investments in your inventory of plants and gardening supplies. If you own the building in which you operate, you’re responsible for all business-related property housed there in the event of a fire or natural disaster. Commercial property insurance would cover the cost of replacing your lost inventory after an accident so you can recover quickly.
Product Liability Insurance
When you sell products to the public, there’s always a chance a customer may file a lawsuit if they believe one of your products injured them. Product liability insurance would protect your business by covering your legal fees and any damages awarded in the event of a lawsuit.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Most states require businesses to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their part-time and full-time employees. This coverage protects your employees if they become injured at work or fall ill after a work-related accident. It not only covers an employee’s medical bills and lost wages if they need time to recover but also any disability benefits stemming from a work-related accident.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Any vehicle you use primarily for business requires commercial auto coverage. Your policy will protect your vehicle, the driver and others on the road in the event of an accident by covering any related vehicle repair costs as well as the medical treatment for anyone injured.
Additional Steps To Protect Your Business
Although it’s easy (and essential) to invest in business insurance, it shouldn’t be your only defense.
Here are several things you can do to better protect your plant nursery business:
- Use legally robust contracts and other business documents. (We offer free templates for some of the most common legal forms.)
- Set up an LLC or corporation to protect your personal assets. (Visit our step-by-step guides to learn how to form an LLC or corporation in your state.)
- Stay up to date with business licensing.
- Maintain your corporate veil.
Plant Nursery Business Insurance FAQ
Yes, absolutely. You will need to first get a quote from an online business insurance provider like Next Insurance. Next allows you to then purchase a policy immediately and your coverage will be active within 48 hours.
A typical business owner’s policy includes general liability, business interruption, and commercial property insurance. However, BOPs are often customizable, so your agent may recommend adding professional liability, commercial auto, or other types of coverage to your package depending on your company’s needs.
"Business insurance" is a generic term used to describe many different types of coverage a business may need. General liability insurance, on the other hand, is a specific type of coverage that business owners need to protect their assets.
Yes. While the overwhelming process of starting a plant nursery business may tempt you to overlook business insurance, its importance at this stage cannot be understated.
Do remember that your plant nursery business may even be obligated to purchase specific forms of insurance (e.g., workers’ compensation and commercial auto policies).
Not necessarily. Certain exceptions may be written directly into your plant nursery business insurance policy, and some perils may be entirely uninsurable.
Yes, an LLC is meant to create a legal barrier between your business and your personal assets and credit. If you haven’t formed an LLC yet, use our Form an LLC guide to get started.
An LLC doesn’t protect your business assets from lawsuits and liability– that’s where business insurance comes in. Business insurance helps protect your business from liability and risk.