Core coverages in this program
- •General Liability (property damage & bodily injury)
- •Workers' Compensation
- •Commercial Auto (trucks and trailers)
- •Inland Marine (mowers, trimmers, trailered equipment)
- •Herbicide & Pesticide Applicator Liability
- •Commercial Umbrella
Texas requirements for landscaping businesses
Texas has no statewide landscaping license, but TDA licenses commercial pesticide applicators and TCEQ licenses irrigators — installing or repairing irrigation without a licensed irrigator is a violation. Insurance requirements come from HOA and commercial-property contracts, typically $1M/$2M GL plus $1M auto.
Workers' compensation in Texas
Texas is the only state where private workers' compensation is optional. Going bare as a 'non-subscriber' removes the exclusive-remedy protection, which is why nearly every general contractor, landlord, and municipality requires subscription anyway. Rates are developed through TDI-approved carriers using NCCI class codes, and landscaping payroll typically rates at $5 to $12 per $100 of payroll for landscaping and lawn-maintenance class codes, higher where tree work or climbing is involved. Non-subscriber status must be reported to the Texas Department of Insurance annually and posted for employees. Most contracts override the choice — read the insurance exhibit before deciding to opt out.
What Texas operators actually pay in 2026
The ranges below reflect what KTL clients in Texas pay today for a small-to-midsize operation, adjusted for Texas rating. Your actual premium turns on payroll, revenue, loss history, and — more than anything — whether the risk was classified correctly to begin with.
| Coverage | What it covers | Typical TX annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability | $1M/$2M, crew of 2–6 | $750 – $2,700 |
| Equipment / Inland Marine | Mowers, trailers, handhelds | $350 – $1,300 |
| Commercial Auto | Per truck with trailer | $1,450 – $3,050 |
| Pesticide Applicator Liability | Added to GL where chemicals are applied | $300 – $1,200 |
| Umbrella | $1M excess | $700 – $1,850 |
The Texas angle most brokers miss
Texas irrigation and utility-strike claims drive more landscaping losses than mowing does. An underground-hazard review before you bid saves more than shaving the GL premium.
Exposures we underwrite for Texas accounts
Every submission we send out is built around the specific ways businesses in this class actually have claims. That is what separates a benchmarked program from a rate quote.
- •Rock and debris thrown by mowers into vehicles and windows
- •Irrigation and utility line strikes during installs
- •Chemical drift and overspray damaging neighboring landscape
- •Trailered equipment theft from job sites and yards
- •Tree limb and ladder falls producing severe comp claims
Where we write in Texas
We serve Texas clients remotely by phone, email, and video — no office visit required — with concentrations in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso. New business, renewals, mid-term changes, and certificates are all handled directly by a licensed advisor rather than a call center.
Ready for a benchmarked quote?
A KTL specialist will shop your risk across multiple A-rated markets within one business day.