Insurance

[Simply Green]

First off,Hello to everyone on this site.Found this place about 3 weeks ago and I'm hooked.Information on here is great and lots of people with different ideas too.Just wanted to say,went today and updated my insurance.$560 a year for a solo operator.I do have others that help me when I get busy but I just 1099 them and they have to have their own insurance.Anyway,couldn't help to think when writing the check,how many others that mow in my area that never get insured or liscensed.I assume these are called "Scrubs".I know there will always be scrubs but just wished there was some regulations especially when getting a liscense that you have to have proof of insurance first.Just had to vent.

[J&R]

I myself new to this site.IT,S GREAT What type of ins ?

[Tom023]

I am also new to the sight, and making my lawn operation legitimate next year. From my experience, there are a ton of young guys in high school like myself that have realized the cash that mowing lawns can bring in. However, NONE of them are legitimate! I wish there was an easy way to get some solid facts on what percentage of LCO's are legitimate out there, but theres not.

A very rough guess for the operations in my area would be around 50% are licensed and insured. I've learned from the guys here on lawnsite that Commercial businesses check for proof of insurance anyway, so the illegitimate operations are limited to doing the residentials. Seems like this is leading guys that DO pay insurance to focus on servicing Commercial accounts-where there is less competition with "scrubs".

You might be able to find some more info on this by using the search feature, but it seems that none of the illegitimate people willingly admit it.

Could you give more details on that insurance policy? (private message or post.. whatever) I still have to find out what it's going to cost me for my first year- so any info would be helpful!

Thanks!

[J&R]

Here in the Country were i live. No licensed needed, I carry 1 Million liability ins and worker comp. on all employees

[Sean Adams]

There will never be a pure form of regulation. Everyone knows about the issue of the guy stealing good work for "beer money" in this industry, and that is a problem for sure.

But as you get bigger, your company will face bigger problems. For example, I have bid, and won $50,000 commercial maintenance jobs - and was never once asked for proof of insurance. That aside...

A company even larger than us, contacted our client, guaranteed the same service, for $12,000 less. How could they do that? They hire dead-beat dads, drunks, ex-cons, etc... and pay them cash.

We lost the account the next year.... of course 4 months into the year the former client called us admitting their mistake and asked us to pick-up for them in the fall permanently.

[rodfather]

So, did you Sean? And at what price?

[Sean Adams]

rodfather,

Yes, we did pick them up again, but restructured thier service package. The price was comparable to our original bid, just a bit less. Because the property was so big and so much was being done, they sometimes had difficulty understanding the necessity of some of the services we provided. This was a gap in our communication effort that was fixed quickly.

I understood their position. They were paying over $4,000 a month for the place to look great - and someone walked in promising the same results at $3,000 a month. They realized that the extra $1,000 a month they were paying us not only provided better quality, but a more responsive, organized, and friendly service that they could TRUST, knowing we were certified, insured, etc...

[yourlawnguy]

Can anyone give me some advise on where to get liability ins., I called the agent who handles my house and vehicles and he's not writing commercial ins. right now. I have calls out to other agents in the area but thought that some one here might know wich companies to stay away from.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[walker-talker]

Do a search, but there is a national co. called Weisenberger (something like that). I spoke with a lady here locally that offered me 1mil of G/L for $250 a year and only $500 deductible. That was a few months ago. I told her that I would be back in the spring.

MATT

[MrBarefoot]

I am located in Michigan and I use Nationwide Insurance.

I am shopping for insurance however, because I had a claim denied.

Any recomendations for insurance carriers that service the lower Michigan area?

Thanks

[leadarrows]

Most of my insurance needs both personal and business including liability is with State Farm. I was with Prudential but State Farm was able to cut my over all Insurance cost nealy in half. I need Workman's comp. right now and SF doesn't want to write it for me because I haven't ever had it. So I'm looking around for some one who will. I'm trying an independent insurance broker now but haven't had any luck yet. How can they reguire you to have somthing by law thats so hard to get? :angry:

[MrBarefoot]

For personal insurance, I use State Farm. They were not interested in meeting my companys insurance needs however. Still shopping for next year though... Anyone else have a suggestion?

Thanks

[Sean Adams]

MFP Insurance - Rick Bersnak. 800-886-2398. They specialize in lawn and landscape businesses and also give proper attention to small and start-up operations. Located in Ohio. Their ad has been in the back of Lawn & Landscape magazine for as long as I can remember.

[MrBarefoot]

I called Rick already and he is sending me some information in a few minutes.

Thanks for that great info.

Anyone else make a referal?

Thanks

[hlgmoney]

I called Rick too - He's sending me the info. Thanks