What are gardeners, lawn mowers and landscapers covered for?
VIZ treats gardening, lawn mowing and landscaping as one occupation, built from three separate business occupations that all sit inside the same policy. Your Certificate of Currency lists all three. Everything from basic garden and lawn maintenance through to soft and hard landscaping sits within the one occupation, on the one premium, all on the Certificate of Currency.
A VIZ policy covers work that’s reasonably expected of the trade. The Australian Bureau of Statistics occupation definitions give us a clear reference point - if an activity is listed under any of the three OSCA classifications below, it falls within your covered business activities.
Landscape Gardener (OSCA 342432)
• Interpreting plans and drawings to construct garden landscapes
• Building hardscape structures - gravel and paved walking areas, walls, fences, pergolas, ponds, barbecues, and garden furniture
• Preparing seedbeds and growing sites for softscapes like trees, bushes, hedges, flowers and bulbs
• Planting trees, bushes, hedges, flowers and bulbs
• Preparing lawn areas by spreading topsoil, planting grass, or laying instant turf
Gardener General (OSCA 342131)
• Preparing and maintaining seedbeds and growing sites
• Planting and transplanting flowers, shrubs, hedges, trees and other plants
• Maintaining planted and grassed areas by weeding, trimming, fertilising, watering, mowing, and clearing fallen branches and garden waste
• Pruning and trimming trees, shrubs and hedges to keep shape and plant health
• Installing plant support and protection devices
• Applying pesticides and herbicides to control pests and weeds
Garden Labourer (OSCA 842131)
• Loading, unloading and moving garden supplies and equipment
• Preparing garden sites and plots using hand tools and machinery
• Assisting with planting and transplanting flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns
• Propagating, planting and potting seeds, bulbs and cuttings
• Maintaining gardens by watering, weeding and mowing
• Cleaning and maintaining garden tools and equipment
If an activity isn't on any of the three lists, it's not automatically excluded. OSCA business description are a guide that VIZ subscribes to for understanding what activities we are covering when a tradie selects a certain occupation. If a tradie performs work that is not in the brief list, but it's reasonably expected of their occupation, it will be included in the covered business activities.
VIZ also allows multiple occupations on one policy. Because gardening, lawn care and landscaping are all bundled inside this one occupation, you've got a second slot if you run a genuinely different trade as well.
Residential and commercial work
VIZ covers gardeners, lawn mowers and landscapers across residential work - private homes, rental properties, strata-managed blocks - and across commercial sites like office grounds, retail precincts, and business premises. That could be everything from mowing a single homeowner's lawn to running a grounds maintenance contract for a body corporate, council or commercial landlord.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VIZ only cover basic garden and lawn work like mowing, edging and hedge trimming?
No. A VIZ policy covers a broad scope of gardening, lawn care and landscaping - from basic maintenance through to soft landscaping (planting out, turf laying, garden bed construction) and hard landscaping (retaining walls, paving, pergolas, ponds, barbecues, garden structures). The OSCA classifications include these activities and therefore form part of the accepted business activities.
Is “hard landscaping” work included in the Landscaping occupation - things like retaining walls, paving and pergolas?
Yes. Building hardscape structures is listed under the OSCA Landscape Gardener classification (342432), which is one of three that make up this VIZ occupation. That list explicitly includes walls, paved paths, pergolas, ponds, fences, garden furniture, and barbecues - so that kind of work clearly sits within the scope of the trade.
If you perform concreting jobs, or structural building work outside of the landscaping context - it's worth considering adding a second occupation to your cover e.g. concreter or carpenter.
Am I covered for using machinery like mini excavators and bobcats?
Machinery use is a normal part of this trade - mini excavators for ground prep and earthworks, bobcats for shifting soil and supplies, ride-on mowers, turf cutters, chippers, post-hole diggers. Using this kind of equipment and plant as part of your gardening or landscaping sits within the scope of the occupation.
Do I need separate insurance for landscaping and gardening?
VIZ covers both bricklaying and stonemasonry as separate occupations, and you can add both to a single policy under one premium. Stonemasonry is priced the same as bricklaying, so you’re not paying any extra to add it. VIZ allows up to 3 occupations on one policy.
Does VIZ cover gardeners and landscapers on commercial sites?
Yes, work at commercial premises is covered, for example office grounds, retail precincts, and business premises. . Commercial clients will often require a minimum of $10M or $20M public liability as a condition of the contract. Both limits are available on a VIZ policy.
Do I need separate insurance for landscaping and gardening?
No. VIZ doesn't split gardening and landscaping into two policies or charge them as separate trades. All three OSCA definitions (Landscape Gardener, Gardener General, Garden Labourer) are listed on the one policy and printed on your Certificate of Currency. One occupation, one premium, one Certificate of Currency, covering the whole spread of gardening, lawn care and landscaping work.
If your work steps outside gardening, lawn care and landscaping altogether - say, handyman and general maintenance, - handyman can be added to your VIZ policy as a second occupation.
What happens if I use subcontractors on a job?
As a general rule across the Australian insurance industry, you can't insure things that aren't yours. That applies here too. If a lawn mower or labourer you bring on as a subbie has their own ABN, they have a responsibility to hold their own insurance.
Does VIZ cover subcontracted gardeners and landscapers?
Yes. If you're the subcontractor - working under a head landscaper, a grounds maintenance company, a builder or a principal contractor - you can take out your own VIZ policy in your business name. Most head contractors will want to see your Certificate of Currency before you're allowed on site. VIZ emails your Certificate of Currency to you the moment your policy goes active, and a copy sits in your phone's digital wallet through the VIZ Tradie Pass, 24/7.
How much does bricklayer insurance cost?
Premiums depend on your public & products liability limit, the state you work in, and the number of employees in your business. . Head to our gardeners, lawn care and landscapers page for a breakdown.