VerdePro — Powered by Pembroke Insurance

Landscaping and lawn care insurance built for San Diego operators

Coverage that addresses the real exposures of landscape contracting — equipment damage, property damage at client sites, crew injuries, pesticide and herbicide liability, and the commercial auto exposure of a mobile trade.

Get a VerdePro Quote (760) 487-8268

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Quote Turnaround

A–A++

Carrier Access

Pesticide

Pollution Coverage

Licensed Broker

Is This You?

Landscaping operations we cover we serve.

Residential landscaping companies

Commercial property maintenance contractors

HOA and community association grounds crews

Tree trimming and arborist services

Irrigation installation and service

Hardscape and landscape design-build contractors

Lawn care and turf management companies

Pest control and licensed pesticide applicators

Coverage

What VerdePro covers.

Purpose-built coverage for landscaping & lawn care risk — not a generic policy with your industry type as a footnote.

General Liability

Covers property damage and bodily injury arising from landscaping operations — broken windows from mowers, damage to irrigation systems, plant damage, and third-party injury claims at client properties.

Pesticide / Herbicide Pollution Liability

Standard GL policies exclude pollution claims — including pesticide drift, herbicide damage to adjacent properties, and chemical runoff. Landscaping companies with pesticide applicator licenses carry a pollution exposure that standard coverage doesn't address.

Commercial Auto

Trucks, trailers, and work vehicles transporting crews and equipment need commercial auto coverage. Landscaping vehicles are among the most-ticketed commercial vehicles in California — and a serious accident can generate a significant GL and auto liability claim simultaneously.

Inland Marine / Equipment Coverage

Mowers, trimmers, blowers, trailers, irrigation equipment, and specialty tools — covered against theft, damage, and breakdown on the job site and in transit. Trailer theft is a significant and frequent loss in this trade.

Workers Compensation

Landscaping crews have one of the highest injury rates of any commercial trade — heat exposure, power equipment injuries, tree falls, and lifting injuries are all common. WC is required in California for all landscaping employees.

Umbrella / Excess Liability

Commercial property management contracts frequently require $2M–$5M in total liability. An umbrella above the underlying GL is how landscape contractors meet those contract limits without paying individually rated policies at each tier.

Real Risk. Real Examples.

Situations your policy needs to be ready for.

A mower throws a rock through a client's sliding glass door and injures a homeowner standing nearby.

Property damage and bodily injury arising from your equipment are exactly what GL covers. Landscaping generates a high frequency of flying debris and equipment-related property damage claims — this is one of the most common loss types in the trade.

Your pesticide application drifts to an adjacent property and damages a neighbor's flower garden and organic vegetable bed.

Standard GL policies explicitly exclude pollution — and pesticide drift is legally classified as pollution in California. Pollution liability coverage is what responds to this claim. Without it, you pay the neighbor's losses and defend the claim out of pocket.

A trailer full of equipment is stolen from a parking lot overnight.

Inland marine / equipment coverage is what responds — not GL and not your commercial auto policy, which covers vehicles but not typically the equipment inside an unattached trailer. Trailer theft is a frequent and significant loss in landscaping.

Regulatory & Contractual Requirements

What your contracts, licensing body, and partners actually require.

CSLB Licensing (C-27)

California landscaping contractors who perform certain work — including irrigation installation, grading, and hardscape — are required to hold a CSLB C-27 Landscaping Contractor license. Licensed contractors must carry GL at CSLB-specified minimum limits as a condition of licensure.

Pesticide Applicator License (DPR)

Landscapers applying restricted pesticides must be licensed by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and carry appropriate liability coverage. Some counties require additional pesticide-specific endorsements on the GL policy.

Commercial Property Management Contracts

HOA and commercial property management contracts typically require GL at $1M–$2M, commercial auto, workers comp, and increasingly umbrella coverage. The contract controls — bring it to your advisor call.

What We Can't Place

Operations outside VerdePro's current market.

Being specific about what we cannot do is part of being useful.

Arborist services with aerial work above 40 feet

High-elevation tree work requires a specialty market with specific height and certification requirements.

Applicators with multiple pesticide-related claims

Prior pollution/pesticide claims significantly affect eligibility. Talk to an advisor.

Operations without required CSLB licensing for licensed work

We cannot place coverage for unlicensed work that requires a CSLB license.

Full pest control companies (not landscapers with applicator license)

Pest control specialists require a dedicated pest control market — we can refer appropriately.

Talk to an Advisor

A licensed specialist, not a call center.

Pembroke Insurance is a licensed California commercial insurance broker. When you call or submit a form, you reach a licensed advisor who works in your industry — not a generalist or a voicemail box.

(760) 487-8268 info@pembrokeinsure.com

Pembroke Insurance · CA Broker License #20790267 · 7040 Avenida Encinas, Ste 104-2, Carlsbad, CA 92011

How It Works

From application to bound coverage.

Tell us about your business

A short application built around your industry — not a generic form. We ask the right questions for your specific risk profile.

We go to market

We submit to carriers that specialize in landscaping & lawn care — not general commercial markets that price your class code with no understanding of the business.

Review with an advisor

We walk you through options side by side — in plain English, not insurance jargon — and confirm your coverage meets what your contracts actually require.

Bind and get your certificates

Same-day binding when you are ready. All COIs and additional insured endorsements issued immediately — no waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Landscaping & Lawn Care insurance questions, answered plainly.

What insurance does a landscaping company need in California?

A California landscaping company typically needs general liability, commercial auto, workers compensation for all crew members, and inland marine/equipment coverage. If the company applies pesticides or herbicides, pollution liability coverage is also needed — standard GL excludes this. CSLB-licensed contractors have minimum GL requirements as a condition of licensure. A VerdePro advisor will confirm what your license type and contracts require.

Does landscaping insurance cover pesticide drift damage?

Standard general liability policies do not — pesticide drift is classified as a pollution event and is excluded from most GL policies. Pollution liability coverage, either as a stand-alone policy or an endorsement, is what responds to pesticide drift claims. If your company applies chemicals of any kind, confirm with a VerdePro advisor that your GL policy is not excluding this exposure.

Is a CSLB license required for landscaping in California?

A C-27 Landscaping Contractor license is required in California for landscaping work where labor and materials exceed $500. Licensed contractors must carry GL at minimum limits specified by CSLB. Operating without a required license voids most insurance policies. A VerdePro advisor will confirm what your specific scope of work requires.

Are our trailers and equipment covered under commercial auto?

Commercial auto covers the vehicle — not necessarily the equipment inside or attached to it. An unattached trailer may not be covered by your auto policy when it is not connected to a vehicle. Inland marine / equipment coverage is what protects your tools, trailers, and equipment when they are detached, on a job site, or in storage. This is one of the most common coverage gaps we find in landscaping accounts.

How do we meet the insurance requirements in our HOA contract?

HOA landscaping contracts typically require GL at $1M–$2M per occurrence, commercial auto, workers comp certificates, and often umbrella coverage. The additional insured endorsement language in the contract must match what appears on your COI. Pembroke issues all COIs and endorsements same-day — bring your contract to your advisor call and we will confirm your coverage meets what is actually required.

How much does landscaping insurance cost in California?

Premiums depend on annual revenue, crew size, type of work (residential vs. commercial), equipment value, and claims history. A small residential landscaping company with 5–10 employees might pay $4,000–$8,000 annually for GL, auto, and WC. Commercial or pesticide applicator operations will pay more. Use Pembroke EstimateIQ for a directional benchmark.

Get a Quote

Get your VerdePro quote.

Most landscaping & lawn care submissions quoted within 24 hours. Nothing is bound until you approve real pricing.

Business name *

Primary type of work

Annual revenue

Number of employees / crew members

CSLB C-27 license (if applicable)

Do you apply pesticides or herbicides?

Yes No

Company-owned trailers or heavy equipment?