PESTICIDE APPLICATORS & CHEMICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
PESTICIDE AND CHEMICAL APPLICATION WORK CREATES ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE LIABILITY PROFILES IN THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE. YOU ARE APPLYING SUBSTANCES DESIGNED TO KILL, CONTROL, OR ALTER BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND WHEN THAT PROCESS GOES WRONG, THE DAMAGE IS RARELY CONTAINED.
THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE GENERAL LIABILITY EXPOSURE. THIS IS CHEMICAL DRIFT, GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION, CROP DAMAGE, BODILY INJURY, AND REGULATORY ACTION, SOMETIMES ALL TIED TO A SINGLE EVENT. THIS PAGE EXISTS BECAUSE PESTICIDE AND CHEMICAL APPLICATORS NEED A MORE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY DISCUSSION.
AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS, CROP DUSTING AND SPRAYING OPERATIONS, LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPING COMPANIES, TREE SPRAYING AND ARBORIST OPERATIONS, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CONTRACTORS, RIGHT-OF-WAY SPRAYING CONTRACTORS, GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, PEST CONTROL COMPANIES, FERTILIZER APPLICATION CONTRACTORS, AND INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL APPLICATION SERVICES.
THIS PAGE EXPLAINS WHAT PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND CHEMICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE IS BUILT FOR, WHY GENERAL LIABILITY MAY NOT BE ENOUGH, WHICH CLAIMS USUALLY HURT THE MOST, AND WHICH RELATED KELLY INSURANCE GROUP PAGES YOU SHOULD REVIEW NEXT.
THE REAL PROBLEMS THIS COVERAGE IS MEANT TO ADDRESS
PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND CHEMICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE IS BUILT SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE TYPES OF LOSSES THAT SHOW UP WHEN CHEMICAL APPLICATION GOES SIDEWAYS. THESE ARE NOT THEORETICAL ISSUES. THEY ARE THE ACTUAL TYPES OF EVENTS THAT CAN DAMAGE PROPERTY, HARM PEOPLE, TRIGGER CLEANUP, AND CREATE CONTRACTUAL OR REGULATORY PROBLEMS.
OFF-TARGET DRIFT
WHEN CHEMICALS MOVE BEYOND THE INTENDED APPLICATION AREA, THE CLAIM CAN QUICKLY BECOME A PROPERTY DAMAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY EVENT.
MISAPPLICATION
OVER-APPLICATION, WRONG MIX, WRONG TARGET, OR WRONG CONDITIONS CAN CREATE DAMAGE THAT IS FAR BIGGER THAN A SIMPLE SERVICE ERROR.
SOIL & WATER IMPACT
RUNOFF, MIGRATION, AND CONTAMINATION ISSUES CAN CREATE CLEANUP COSTS, SITE DAMAGE, AND THIRD-PARTY CLAIMS.
BODILY INJURY EXPOSURE
IF PEOPLE OR ANIMALS ARE ALLEGEDLY HARMED BY THE APPLICATION, THE SEVERITY OF THE CLAIM CAN MOVE FAST.
CORE APPLICATION CLASSES THAT SHOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY
IF CHEMICALS LEAVE YOUR CONTROL AND ENTER THE AIR, THE GROUND, WATER, CROPS, TREES, TURF, OR SOMEONE ELSE’S PROPERTY, YOU HAVE A POLLUTION EXPOSURE WHETHER YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT.
WHERE CHEMICAL LIABILITY LOSSES USUALLY START
THIS IS WHERE MANY APPLICATORS GET TOO COMFORTABLE
A GENERAL LIABILITY POLICY MAY LOOK COMFORTING UNTIL THE LOSS BECOMES A POLLUTION, CHEMICAL, OR CONTAMINATION CLAIM. ONCE THE FACT PATTERN INVOLVES APPLICATION ERROR, DRIFT, MIGRATION, RUNOFF, OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, THE DISCUSSION CAN CHANGE FAST. THAT IS WHY PESTICIDE AND CHEMICAL LIABILITY DESERVES ITS OWN PAGE AND ITS OWN REVIEW.
DRIFT CLAIMS
A SEEMINGLY ROUTINE APPLICATION CAN TURN INTO A MULTI-PARTY LOSS IF CONDITIONS CARRY THE MATERIAL OFF TARGET.
CROP OR LANDSCAPE DAMAGE
ONE APPLICATION ISSUE CAN CREATE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO A CLIENT’S PROPERTY OR A NEIGHBOR’S PROPERTY.
WATER IMPACT
IF MATERIAL REACHES DRAINS, WATERWAYS, OR OTHER SENSITIVE AREAS, THE LOSS CAN ESCALATE QUICKLY.
BODILY INJURY ALLEGATIONS
HEALTH-RELATED OR EXPOSURE-RELATED CLAIMS CAN PUSH THE MATTER FAR BEYOND A SIMPLE SERVICE DISPUTE.
DEFENSE COSTS
EVEN BEFORE LIABILITY IS PROVEN, CHEMICAL APPLICATION CLAIMS CAN BECOME EXPENSIVE TO DEFEND.
REGULATORY PRESSURE
ONCE THE ISSUE INVOLVES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OR IMPROPER USE, REGULATORY ATTENTION CAN BECOME A SECOND PROBLEM.
THE REAL REASONS THIS COVERAGE ENDS UP ON THE TABLE
MOST BUYERS DO NOT START THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY LIKE BUYING MORE INSURANCE. THEY START IT BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE MATERIALS, THE CLIENT REQUIREMENTS, OR A PRIOR LOSS MAKES THE GAP HARD TO IGNORE.
HIGH-SEVERITY MATERIALS
THE MATERIALS THEMSELVES CREATE THE RISK, AND THAT RISK CAN ESCALATE FAST AFTER A BAD APPLICATION EVENT.
CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
SOPHISTICATED CLIENTS, COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS, OR CONTRACTS MAY EXPECT A BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY POSITION.
LOSS EXPERIENCE
ONE BAD DRIFT, RUNOFF, OR EXPOSURE EVENT OFTEN CHANGES THE WAY A BUSINESS THINKS ABOUT THIS COVERAGE.
PROGRAM GAPS
MANY APPLICATORS REVIEW THIS COVERAGE AFTER REALIZING THAT GENERAL LIABILITY DOES NOT CLEANLY MATCH THE EXPOSURE.
CHEMICAL APPLICATION, CONTRACTOR, AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY PAGES TO REVIEW NEXT
USE THE COLORFUL LINKS BELOW TO MOVE INTO THE CORE PRODUCT PAGE, RELATED CONTRACTOR PAGES, OR SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY CONTENT THAT FITS YOUR OPERATION.
COMMON PESTICIDE APPLICATOR & CHEMICAL LIABILITY QUESTIONS
WHY DO PESTICIDE APPLICATORS NEED ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY COVERAGE?
IS THIS JUST FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS?
WHAT MAKES THIS HIGHER RISK?
IS THIS THE SAME AS GENERAL LIABILITY?
WHEN SHOULD A CHEMICAL APPLICATOR REVIEW THIS COVERAGE?
REQUEST HELP WITH PESTICIDE APPLICATORS & CHEMICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
USE THE FORM BELOW IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS DRIFT EXPOSURE, CHEMICAL APPLICATION LIABILITY, RUNOFF RISK, A COMMERCIAL OR AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OPERATION, OR A HARD-TO-PLACE CHEMICAL APPLICATOR ACCOUNT THAT NEEDS A SERIOUS INSURANCE REVIEW.