Snow Plowing / Snow Removal Insurance in Washington State

Snow plowing and snow removal is a trade defined by urgency, liability, and weather that waits for no one. When a storm drops six inches overnight on Spokane, the Tri-Cities, or the mountain communities east of the Cascades, your phone starts ringing before dawn and doesn't stop until every parking lot, driveway, and sidewalk on your route is clear. The pressure to move fast is immense — commercial clients face their own liability if customers slip in their parking lots, and every hour of delay increases the risk that someone falls and sues both the property owner and the snow removal contractor. This combination of speed, darkness, and slippery conditions is where most snow plowing claims originate.

Slip-and-fall liability is the central insurance risk for snow removal contractors in Washington. When you accept a snow removal contract, you're taking on responsibility for maintaining safe conditions on that property during and after winter weather events. If a customer, employee, or visitor slips on ice in a parking lot you serviced — even hours after your crew left — the injured party's attorney will name your company in the lawsuit alongside the property owner. Washington courts have held snow removal contractors liable when plowing or de-icing was performed inadequately or when the contractor failed to return for re-treatment as conditions changed. The standard of care is high, and documentation of every visit, every application of de-icer, and every inch of your service area is your best defense.

Property damage from snow plowing operations is a consistent source of claims. Plow blades catch on raised curbs, manhole covers, speed bumps, and landscape features hidden beneath the snow. A single pass can rip up sod, gouge asphalt, shatter a decorative bollard, or push snow into a building's HVAC intake. Backing up with limited visibility — often in the dark, during active snowfall — leads to collisions with parked vehicles, light poles, dumpsters, and building facades. Commercial auto claims from plow truck damage are common, and the combination of heavy vehicles, metal blades, and icy surfaces creates a uniquely hazardous driving environment.

The seasonal nature of snow removal in Washington creates distinctive insurance challenges. Many snow plowing contractors are landscapers, excavation companies, or other seasonal businesses that add snow removal as winter revenue. Carriers offer both seasonal policies that activate only during the winter months and annual policies with snow removal endorsements. Eastern Washington communities like Spokane, Wenatchee, and Ellensburg see reliable snowfall, while the Puget Sound lowlands experience occasional but disruptive winter storms that spike demand from contractors who may not plow regularly. Whether snow removal is your primary business or a seasonal add-on, the liability exposure during active operations is significant enough that operating without insurance is a risk no contractor should take.