What insurance does a gardener need?

Working as a gardener can be a rewarding career choice, but it is important to make sure you set up your gardening business properly. Part of that process means having the right insurance in place.

Do gardeners need insurance?

There are several insurance policies you may need as a gardener. In some circumstances, it will be a legal or contractual requirement to have a particular type.

Employers’ liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance protects you if someone you employ is injured or suffers harm or illness as a result of working for you.

If you have anyone working for you, including volunteers or trainees, you are legally obliged to have employers’ liability insurance of at least £5 million.

If you don’t have employers’ liability cover when you should, you can be fined £2,500 for each uninsured day.

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance is designed to protect you and your business in the event something you do damages a third party’s property or causes injury to someone. It’s sometimes known as third-party liability.

If you work for large or public sector organisations, they may insist you have public liability cover as a term of your contract. Any professional trades associations you wish to join may also insist you have it as a condition of their membership.

It’s important to have this kind of cover. If something goes wrong, you could face a claim for thousands of pounds. If you can’t pay because you haven’t got insurance, your business could be at risk.

Professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity covers you if you give professional advice about aspects of gardening like design or materials. If your advice turns out to be wrong and causes the client a financial loss, you may be held liable.

If you are giving this sort of advice as part of your work, perhaps about a weed killer to use or a soil supplement, you should get professional indemnity cover. If a client decides to sue you to recoup losses caused by your advice, your insurance will cover the costs

Tools insurance

Your tools are essential to your work, so you consider getting them insured. This will mean that if they are lost or stolen, you can replace them quickly and get back to work.

If you haven’t got insurance, and must pay to replace all your tools, it may lead to potential cashflow issues. If you can’t afford to replace them, you may also be unable to work.

Is there any other insurance a gardener needs?

Although the above are the main types of insurance, there may be other forms of cover you need that are specific to your circumstances. The best thing you can do is to speak with a reputable insurance company and ask them for advice.