# Insurance question in NJ



## gman2310 (Sep 25, 2004)

I have a lawn and landscape maintenance company with commercial insurance and general liabilty for a million. I called to check what snow plowing insurance is, and they told me that its going to cost me 2300 for the insurance alone and that when i put an extra truck on, 83 dodge 4x4, thats gonna cost me an additional 1900, so before i even start i am in the hole 4200, before i even put a blade on the ground. Do i need snow plowing insurance or will my general liabilty cover it. I just dont see how i can make up 4200 with 8 parking lots and like $200 piece. NJ Insurance stinks. also, i heard that other companys only pay like $1000 for snow plowing insurance in addition to theres


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

gman2310 said:


> Do i need snow plowing insurance or will my general liabilty cover it. also, i heard that other companys only pay like $1000 for snow plowing insurance in addition to theres


Yes, you need snowplowing listed on your General Liability insurance. My agent explained it like this - I have purchased General Liability insurance. It will cover me for anything I do in the case of a claim. The trick is after they pay the claim. I have listed on the policy all activities in which I engage for which I want to be covered. The rates are set based on that. Then, if they pay a claim for an activity for which I did not claim, they will cancel the policy. At best, they will not renew. In the case of either, it is unlikely that any other company will issue a General Liability policy. It's not like auto insurance - they are not required to insure anyone. There is no "high risk" policy.

Rates are highly regionalized. For example, I pay less than $800/yr for a million dollar coverage.


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## rclay11541 (Oct 26, 2004)

Gman im in the princeton area and that is rediculus! my commercial auto policy through Liberty Mutal(THEY SUCK BY THE WAY) goes up about 500$ per truck. But i dont really even think you have to have it unless your current policy says it dosnt cover plowing.


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## usabestsnoplowr (Nov 6, 2004)

Wow!!!!!!!!


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

rclay11541 said:


> But i dont really even think you have to have it unless your current policy says it dosnt cover plowing.


Other way around. It needs to say it does cover snowplowing.


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## aees115 (Nov 25, 2004)

i am in burlington county in new jersey. do you know who commerce bank. i have a landscaping business and they are the cheapist carriers i have found yet no one comes close..... i believe to insure a truck to push with they are around 500 a truck. thats if you carry thought them. if your interest in details ill help you out with it [email protected]


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## JustUsDe (Aug 14, 2003)

rclay11541 said:


> Gman im in the princeton area and that is rediculus! my commercial auto policy through Liberty Mutal(THEY SUCK BY THE WAY) goes up about 500$ per truck. But i dont really even think you have to have it unless your current policy says it dosnt cover plowing.


I second Liberty Mutual sucks. They left me high and try this year when I was flooded out and hit by a tornado.

If I was you I would really check your policy, When I checked with Liberty for my business they said they do not offer any policy for snow removal. Thats why my business is insured through Nationwide and after Liberty screwed me this year my personal and homeowners is now Nationwide.


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## roidman81 (Nov 19, 2004)

*Hello?*

IF god for bid a lawyer slips and falls on one of your sites you are so screwed with out the snow plow rider attached to your commercial policy ! do you know snow plowing is one of the most hazardous jobs in the insurance calculations for liability! they will take you trucks house any asset they can find. wake up don't plow without it


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## DJL (Oct 28, 2003)

All told, for my GL (Lawn & Landscape), commercial auto (One Truck), and GL (Snow Plowing) for plowing rider I'm at ~7k/year. My deductibles are all around 1k, 1M per opccurance, 3M aggregate. The GL rider is~1k for the year cause I already have ins. through them.

I've gotten quotes for just snow plowing GL and the costs were between 3-4k.


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## JRDabs (Jun 8, 2003)

Snow Plowing MUST be listed on your policy. Your GL may or may not cover the claim. You will definately be dropped form your carrier.

For those of you in NJ, it is not worth the role of the dice as NJ has one of the highest #'s of slip and fall claims in the country.  Our $$$$ is astronomical. 

Working with an attorney familar with our industry to cover all of your bases with your contracts as well as demonstrating excellent record keeping of all of your sites and site activites can make a difference in your premiums. 

Scottsdale Insurance Companies for AZ are fairly descent with their premiums and are more likely to fight a claim than to pay off.


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## Boutallnite (Dec 7, 2003)

Hey guys, I have been battling this issue for the last few weeks.
Tell me if this sound right:
I will be a sub this winter, my insurence agent told me that I will be covered under my regular auto policy for damages (liberty mutual) and that liability & injuries should be covered by the company that I will be working for. Does that sound right to you?


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## JRDabs (Jun 8, 2003)

Your agent is correct. You should be covered by the Company you are sub-contracting for. As long as they have snow plowing listed on their policy. You will need GL and Auto.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Boutallnite said:


> Hey guys, I have been battling this issue for the last few weeks.
> Tell me if this sound right:
> I will be a sub this winter, my insurence agent told me that I will be covered under my regular auto policy for damages (liberty mutual) and that liability & injuries should be covered by the company that I will be working for. Does that sound right to you?


Regular auto insurance will not cover damages caused by a plow. If your agent is telling you something like that, ask him to put it in writing. That should clear it up real quick. Remember, if it's not spelled out in the policy, it doesn't exist. As far as the company you're working for covering you for liability, get that in writing, too. Most contractors would require you, as a sub, to carry liability insurance and have a copy on file. By not requiring it, they are taking a bigger risk.


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## Boutallnite (Dec 7, 2003)

Thanx guys,

THe work I will be doing is driveways. And as per my agent any damages I do to driveway, doors , etc. that damage is done with my truck regardless if there is a plow on it or not. But I am gona look through the policy and make sure of that. As far as being a sub and liability, well thats just confusing. I am thinking that since I will be working for a company ,I become that companies employee, so I should be covered under thier policy, becuase I doing work for them. At this point for me to get my own liability, I might as well not plow.


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## cranky1111 (Nov 3, 2009)

Priority Insurance - on route 37 w


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## ppandr (Dec 16, 2004)

Having had four different insurance carriers over the last 12 years as well as multiple competive quoutes I can speak from experience that you CAN NOT compare snow removal insurance costs as a seperate line item. Some general liability policies are higher while snow removal will be lower, etc. 

It is imporatant to package everything together when you price out and shop at renewal with an independent broker or agent. No two policies are alike in coverage as well as costing.

I have never paid more for auto coverage on any vehicle either commercial or privately owned because it was used for snow removal...all were insured under my business policy.

I do have an excellent agent who I have been with since I started out on my own. An good agent will shop your policy every year, advise you "on record" AND MORE IMPORTANTLY off the record.


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## ppandr (Dec 16, 2004)

Boutallnite;175433 said:


> Thanx guys,
> 
> THe work I will be doing is driveways. And as per my agent any damages I do to driveway, doors , etc. that damage is done with my truck regardless if there is a plow on it or not. But I am gona look through the policy and make sure of that. As far as being a sub and liability, well thats just confusing. I am thinking that since I will be working for a company ,I become that companies employee, so I should be covered under thier policy, becuase I doing work for them. At this point for me to get my own liability, I might as well not plow.


Just noticed you are in Millburn...PM me if you are interested in getting another insurance quote. My agent is with The BNN Group in Morristown.


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

thats why im a sub and prolly will be forever... you got a big nut to crack espec because we can get 6" in a whole year....everyone sues everyone and insurance goes up....great state we live in


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

ppandr;852352 said:


> Just noticed you are in Millburn...PM me if you are interested in getting another insurance quote. My agent is with The BNN Group in Morristown.


That post was from five years ago and he hasn't been here for three years. I doubt he'll be sending any PMs.


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

do you already have these trucks general auto liability? If they are, it shouldnt cost that much at all. You can get a snow plowing rider added to the policy "if its the same company" for like $500~ a truck give or take.

If theyre saying they want 2k a truck OVER TOP of what your paying for insurance for the truck for a million liability thats nuts. Look around, guys will give you a better deal after you get a few quotes. 

I used to pay like 2k per truck liability, now we have like 6 trucks and some trailers all covered and its under 5k still.


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## tls22 (Sep 30, 2007)

What is the proper way for subbing......say i hit somthing while plowing a parking lot......my insurance is use...or should it be the guy im working for? Right now its on me if i hit somthing or damage...but thats it.


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## ppandr (Dec 16, 2004)

Mick;852371 said:


> That post was from five years ago and he hasn't been here for three years. I doubt he'll be sending any PMs.


Yup...missed that one


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