Completed operations coverage might sound like insurance jargon, but for landscapers, it’s a real-world safety net. Once your crew wraps up a job and drives off, your liability doesn’t disappear. If something goes wrong weeks or even months later—like a retaining wall collapsing or a buried sprinkler line flooding a basement—you could be facing a claim that your general liability policy doesn’t fully cover.
In this post, we’ll break down what completed operations coverage actually does, how it applies to landscaping work, and the most common ways contractors leave themselves exposed. You’ll also get practical tips on how to review your policy, ask the right questions, and make sure you’re not stuck with surprise risks long after the job is done.
Completed operations coverage is the part of your liability policy that protects your business after a project is done. It kicks in when a customer claims that your finished work caused property damage or injury—days, weeks, or even months after you wrapped up the job.
Let’s say you install a stone patio. Everything looks solid when you leave. But three months later, the homeowner calls and says one section collapsed, damaging their foundation. That’s not something your general liability policy will always cover once the job is marked as complete. That’s where completed operations coverage comes in—it’s designed to handle situations like that.
The key difference here is timing. General liability usually covers accidents that happen while you’re actively on the job. Completed operations coverage handles problems that come up after your tools are packed up and the invoice is paid.
For landscapers, this can apply to things like:
Faulty irrigation systems that cause flooding
Poor grading that leads to erosion or drainage issues
Installed hardscapes that crack or shift unexpectedly
Trees or large plants that fall due to improper planting
If your work contributes to damage or injury later, this part of your policy helps cover legal fees, repairs, and payouts. Without it, you’re paying out of pocket—or worse, facing a lawsuit without coverage.
Completed operations coverage is one of those protections you don’t think about until you really need it. And by then, it’s too late to add it.
Landscaping projects may look finished when the trucks roll out, but your liability doesn’t clock out with your crew. Plants take time to establish. Water systems run on cycles. Hardscapes settle with weather and use. And any one of those elements can fail long after you leave—leaving you on the hook.
This is exactly why completed operations coverage is so important for landscapers. It protects your business from claims that arise after the work is finished, even if everything looked perfect at the final walkthrough.
Think about an underground sprinkler system. It might seem fine at first, but if a fitting loosens and floods a client’s basement weeks later, you’re facing a serious issue. Or imagine a retaining wall that wasn’t reinforced properly. It might hold up for a few months, then collapse during heavy rain. Without completed operations coverage, you could be responsible for all the damage—out of pocket.
What makes landscaping unique is that your work interacts with the environment. That means things shift over time. Soil settles. Trees grow. Water finds weak spots. And when something goes wrong, clients don’t care whether the issue showed up after you left. They expect you to fix it—or pay for it.
Completed operations coverage steps in when those issues come up. It helps cover legal costs, repairs, and damages tied to your finished work. Without it, even a small claim can become a big financial hit.
If you install anything that could shift, crack, grow, erode, or leak, you need this coverage. It’s not just a box to check—it’s long-term protection for work that keeps evolving after the job’s “done.”
Completed operations coverage is one of the most important parts of a landscaping insurance policy—and also one of the most overlooked. It’s easy to assume your general liability covers everything, but that assumption can leave you exposed to serious risks.
One of the biggest mistakes landscapers make is thinking they’re automatically protected after the job is done. In reality, not all policies include completed operations coverage by default. And even when they do, the terms might be limited or unclear. That’s where things start to get risky.
Another common issue: policy expiration. Let’s say you finish a project and your policy ends a week later. If a problem surfaces two months down the line and you didn’t renew or extend your coverage properly, you may not be covered at all. Insurance companies care about when the claim is filed—not just when the work was done.
There’s also confusion around endorsements. Some landscapers assume all parts of a job are covered equally, but certain tasks—like grading, trenching, or hardscape installation—may require additional language in the policy. If that’s missing, your completed operations coverage could fall short when it counts.
And then there’s the general liability trap: thinking that because you have a strong GL policy, you’re good to go. But general liability often focuses on what happens while you're actively working. Once you’re off-site and the project is marked complete, that’s when completed operations coverage becomes essential.
Misunderstanding these details can lead to denied claims, unexpected costs, and even lawsuits. The best way to avoid that? Know what’s in your policy—and what’s not.
Having a policy isn’t enough—you need to know what’s actually in it. Too many landscapers assume they’re protected by completed operations coverage without reading the fine print or asking the right questions. That’s where things go sideways.
Start by asking your insurer directly: Does my policy include completed operations coverage, and how long does it apply after the job is done? Some policies only provide protection for a short time after completion. If your projects take months to show results—like new landscaping settling or irrigation systems running through a full season—that short window might not cut it.
Next, review your policy limits. Completed operations coverage usually shares limits with your general liability. That means a few smaller claims throughout the year could eat up the protection you’d need for a big one later on. Make sure your limits match the size and scope of your projects.
Also, check for exclusions tied to the kind of work you’re doing. If your policy doesn’t specifically mention hardscaping, drainage, or retaining walls, that could be a problem. Some insurers exclude certain post-completion risks unless they’re addressed through endorsements.
Another smart move: review your contracts. Many commercial or HOA jobs require you to carry completed operations coverage for a set number of years. If your insurance doesn’t match that, you’re technically out of compliance—and at risk if anything goes wrong.
Completed operations coverage isn’t something to set and forget. Your work changes, your clients change, and the risks tied to finished projects are always shifting. Make a habit of reviewing your coverage yearly, especially before busy season or large installs.
The protection only works if it actually fits what you do.
Completed operations coverage isn’t just another policy detail—it’s your protection after the job is finished and you’ve moved on to the next project. In landscaping, problems often show up weeks or months later, and if your coverage isn’t set up to handle that, the fallout can be expensive. Whether you’re installing irrigation, building patios, or reshaping terrain, it pays to have coverage that sticks with you after the work is done. If you’re unsure where your current policy stands, it’s a good time to take a closer look at your Landscaping Contractor Insurance and make sure you’re not missing protection where it matters most.