Protect your gardening tools and equipment against loss, damage or theft
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In partnership with Simply Business[2]Simply Business is one of the UK's leading providers of business insurance, serving 1 million customers across 1,500 trades.
Gardeners' insurance is specialised business insurance for gardening firms, sole traders and contractors.
You can buy different types of insurance:
Tool insurance - covers costs if tools are lost, damaged or stolen
Public liability insurance - covers costs if members of the public are harmed
Employers liability insurance - covers costs if employees are harmed
🚩 Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have staff
🚩 Clients may insist you have public liability insurance
Whether you own a gardening firm or are a self-employed gardener, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong at work.
Without insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your equipment is damaged, your employee is hurt, or your work creates a major issue.
If you are a UK business and you have any non-family members working for you (including volunteers) then by law you must have employers' liability insurance.
Without it, you can be fined up to £2,500 for every day you're not insured[3]Source: Gov.uk .
Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you hire anyone in the UK and covers the compensation costs if a worker is injured or becomes ill while working for you. This includes ex-employees.
For example:
If a worker is injured while operating faulty or poorly maintained gardening equipment, such as a lawnmower
They injure themselves while pushing heavy equipment like a wheelbarrow, due to a lack of training
They become ill as a result of working in extreme weather conditions
They could sue their current or old employer for failing to put adequate health and safety measures in place.
Many people are wary about hiring tradespeople who do not have comprehensive insurance policies in place, and many organisations have policies prohibiting them from hiring uninsured companies. The same goes for gardeners and landscapers.
Government contracts, for example, will usually insist you have a public liability insurance policy of at least £5-£10 million before offering you a gardening contract.
If anyone becomes ill or injured because of your work you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims. Working with gardening and landscaping equipment in an open space can be risky work, and things can unexpectedly go very wrong.
Public liability insurance covers harm to members of the public. It is not a legal requirement, but some clients will insist you have it, especially if you have a commercial gardening contract.
From cutting someone's hedges too short, to accidentally mowing a person's lawn the wrong way, there are many ways a gardening job can go wrong and if the client isn't happy, they might expect you to pay for the damage.
With public liability insurance your insurance provider will pay the costs of accidental damage to other people's property, whether that's a client, supplier or member of the public.
Like many tradespeople, a gardener can't do the job without their trusted tools and equipment. Business contents insurance can help you recover the cost of losing company equipment to fire, flood, theft and other disasters. Tool cover can offer similar protection for tools.
The risk of some types of equipment losses is growing. London saw tool theft from vans increase by 60% between 2020 and 2023.
You can be taken to court if a client or a member or the public believe they have been physically or financially harmed because of your company's business activities, including if their property is damaged.
Gardening businesses could be found liable for everything from planting too many plants close together or watering them incorrectly, to a contractor tripping over plant pots or equipment cables.
Public liability insurance can cover the legal fees and compensation payouts in the event of a claim.
That's how much was paid out in 2024. Without business insurance, those customers would have faced paying that bill themselves.
Comparing quotes from different insurers allows you to find the best deal out there.
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Public liability insurance protects you if your work harms members of the public.
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
Professional indemnity insurance protect you against claims of negligence.
Tool insurance covers costs if your tools are stolen, damaged, or lost.
Business interruption insurance protects against disruption from events like fires.
Product liability covers legal fees if your product causes injury to a customer.
Per year | Cheapest | Average |
|---|---|---|
Garden maintenance (excluding tree felling) | £64.14[7]According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual gardeners' insurance policy excluding tree felling. Figure based on policies purchased in 2024. | £85.72[8]According to Simply Business data, 51% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual gardeners' insurance policy excluding tree felling. Figure based on policies purchased in 2024. |
The table shows the average prices paid by our customers for gardeners' insurance.
Average price means 51% of customers paid this amount or less. Cheapest price means 10% of customers paid this price or less.
According to our latest data, 10% of customers paid this when taking out an annual gardeners' insurance policy.
The cost of fixing insurable problems yourself is usually significantly more expensive than taking out insurance.
Almost 9 in 10[10]88% of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted in the 12 months before March 2025. Data from SimplyBusiness. of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted last year.
All insurance has conditions and exceptions, so you should read your policy documents carefully to make sure you know what is and isn't covered.
When it comes to business insurance, the cheapest option may not be the best option for you. Sometimes it is worth paying a little more to get a better level of cover.
Financial loss: Covers you for any compensation you would have to pay to a third party that wasn’t caused by damage to or loss of physical property
Business van insurance: Standard motor insurance policies won't usually cover vehicles that are used for work
Legal expenses insurance: Can help you pay for legal costs for things like employment disputes, property disputes, and tax investigations
Accidental death: An accidental death policy offers a lump sum should you or an employee die as a result of an unforeseen incident
Tools and equipment: Cover to repair and replace business equipment that is damaged or stolen
Business contents: Covers items such as office furniture or computers and phone systems for if they’re damaged or stolen
Professional indemnity: Covers you if your business is responsible for any professional negligence
Personal accident insurance: Offers a lump sum payment if you or an employee are no longer able to work as a result of an accident
Intentional harm or damage: Either by yourself or an employee
Poor workmanship: Most insurance policies won't cover you for events that are caused by incompetence, although professional indemnity will cover you for some types of negligence
Drugs or alcohol: If you or your employees were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the event you want to claim for occurred
Damage to property being worked on: Some public liability policies won't cover damage caused to a person's property or belongings while you are working on them
Wear and tear: Tools and equipment insurance won't pay out for damage or breaking of tools or equipment that are the result of general wear and tear
Breach of contract: Some types of insurance will exclude cover for liability arising from breach of contract
Improper use of business vehicles: If you're using work vehicles for purposes that aren't under the description of use, or if the person driving is someone not covered by the policy, your insurance company won't cover you for any damage to or loss of the vehicle
Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for a self-employed gardener, but it is advisable as it can protect you from financial difficulties related to compensation and legal costs if someone is injured or property is damaged due to your work.
No, you don't need a licence to be a gardener in the UK. No formal qualifications are required, but taking gardening courses can be beneficial for learning and improving skills.
The average wage of a gardener in the UK is between £20 and £40 an hour but the amount varies a lot depending on the type of work being carried out, how long it will take, and the skills required.
You can work as a gardener without public liability insurance, but it’s generally not recommended. Some customers or clients may also require proof that you have this policy in place before they will hire you.
There’s no legal requirement to take out insurance if you’re a gardener, unless you employed other members of staff, but it’s worth thinking about the costs involved first.
These include the cost of your tools and equipment if they are lost, stolen or damaged, the cost of court fees if someone were to sue you, or the cost of covering your income if you’re self-employed and unable to work.
These expenses can very quickly add up to huge amounts, and having insurance in place provides peace of mind that you won’t have to cover the costs yourself.
Rebecca Goodman Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
There is no formal qualification that you need to take to become a gardener, but there are many courses available which may improve your skills and make you more employable.
If you are a self-employed gardener, you will need to fill in a self-assessment tax form. You can usually claim back the tax on some items which you use for your business, such as for any equipment and tools you buy.
If you earn less than £85,000 then you do not need to register to pay VAT. If you earn over this limit, you will need to be registered with HMRC to pay VAT.
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