During each of the planet’s four seasons, you will probably need special care for your lawn and yard. In the cold winter months, you might hire someone to remove snow from your driveway and walkway. During autumn, someone to rake leaves can be a really big help and save your underlying lawn from suffocating or becoming diseased. In the spring and summer, weeding, fertilizing, seeding and mowing will be your landscaper’s calls to arm. While it’s clear that the need for hired help with your outdoor space exists all year round, what may not be clear are your insurance liabilities when you hire lawn maintenance individuals work for you.
When hiring a contractor or company to maintain your lawn in any season, you need to make sure that you hire one that is insured. This means they have the proper liability insurance coverage as well as workers compensation when multiple employees are used because your home insurance coverage may not step in and pay the claim if the individual is injured while working on your property.
Home insurance policies can exclude injuries and accidents to individuals you employee in some capacity—even for just a few hours a week. Some states, such as Hawaii, even require homeowners to purchase workers compensation insurance to cover those whom they hire to complete a range of household chores and are paid a certain amount per quarter.
But even if your state or participation does not require workers compensation coverage and your home insurance policy is likely to cover a claim that does not involve negligence, you are still exposed to some risks. First, a claim filed against your home insurance policy could result in the payment of a deductible toward the claim. Second, it could increase your rates in future policy years.
All things considered, ensuring that you hire a properly licensed and insured company to maintain your lawn year-round is the best course of action. Then, not only can you rest assured that your lawn will look amazing during all seasons, but that your home insurance policy will never be affected by your decision.
Contact Heritage Insurance today for information on your Moose Jaw Home Insurance