Insurance carriers are paying closer attention to how exterior grounds contribute to slip-and-fall risks, trip hazards, drainage failures, and injury caused by neglected trees.
Properly maintained landscapes and hard-scapes are essential to your risk management strategy. We can help you reduce accidents and avoid claims to better protect the public and their sites. Download our 2026 Landscape Risk Management Checklist to perform a self assessment of your property.
Here’s why this shift is happening and what every property manager should prioritize this year.
Slip-and-Fall Claims Are Increasing
Sidewalk cracks, uneven pavers, exposed roots, and exposed irrigation lines all significantly increase slip-and-fall risk. A proactive landscape inspection program dramatically reduces this exposure.
🌿Trending for 2026:
• More insurers are requiring documented safety inspections.
• Properties with recurring hazards are seeing higher premiums.
• Claims involving exterior conditions (like drainage or walkways) are rising.
Trees As A Liability
Falling limbs and hazardous dead trees can hurt pedestrians or damage vehicles during South Carolina’s summer and winter storms. Winter and early spring are ideal times for a professional tree evaluation.
🌿Why this matters for 2026:
• Insurance adjusters are reviewing tree maintenance records.
• Large trees near parking areas and buildings require documented risk assessments.
• Neglected trees can easily lead to large claims or business disruptions.
Maintenance Standards Are Becoming Part of Legal Defense
When something goes wrong on a property, lawyers and insurers increasingly ask:
“Was this properly maintained?” Landscaping companies with digital reporting (like Heritage) will have an advantage here.
🌿Trending for 2026:
• Courts and carriers rely more on documented maintenance logs.
• Properties with inconsistent service or weak documentation are at greater risk in litigation.
• Photo verification, timestamps, and inspection reports are becoming expected.
Lighting, Visibility, and Sight Lines Impact Security Claims
Landscaping directly contributes to site safety after dark. Overgrown trees and shrubs can create poor visibility and block sight lines can create security issues. Areas to monitor include parking lots, walkways, and entrances.
🌿Trending for 2026:
• Retail, multifamily, and corporate sites are revisiting plant placement and lighting.
• Insurance carriers are flagging poor visibility as a liability risk.
Landscaping Budgets Will Shift From “Aesthetics” to “Prevention”
Commercial properties are allocating more budget toward risk-reducing landscaping services, including:
- Tree risk mitigation
- Trip hazard repairs
- Drainage improvements
- Erosion control
- Winter cleanups
- Comprehensive inspections
- Preventive pruning
- Seasonal lighting checks
- Root management
These investments cost far less than a major claim or structural failure.
What Property Managers Should Do Now
✔ Conduct a comprehensive winter safety inspection of sidewalks, trees, lighting, irrigation, stormwater flows, and high-traffic areas.
✔ Ensure all tree work is up to date and documented especially on properties with older canopies.
✔ Evaluate drainage performance fixing ponding, clogged inlets, and erosion early.
✔ Add visibility and lighting checks to landscape walk-throughs to reduce both accident and security risks.
✔ Review your maintenance documentation process to make sure you have consistent reporting and photo backups.
For 2026, landscaping is no longer a “nice to have”. It is a core part of your property’s safety strategy.
- Proactive maintenance prevents accidents.
- Tree care prevents damage.
- Drainage protects infrastructure.
- Documentation protects you legally.
And the earlier you start preparing, the more protected your property will be.
Heritage is ready to help! Contact one of our experienced experts or download our 2026 Landscape Risk Management Checklist to protect people and your property.