Contractors equipment
Owned and hired tools and plant, on site, in transit and in storage.
Business Insurance
Inland marine for property that moves.
Commercial property cover stops at your premises. Inland marine covers everything your business takes with it.
Inland marine is the least well-named policy in commercial insurance — it has nothing to do with water. The name is historical, from cover that once extended marine policies to goods travelling inland. What it does today is cover business property that moves: tools on a job site, equipment in a van, goods in transit, a camera at a shoot.
The gap it exists to fill
A commercial property policy covers property at a described premises. A commercial auto policy covers the vehicle. Neither covers the twelve thousand dollars of tools in the back of the van, and that gap catches out trades, contractors and mobile businesses constantly.
Inland marine follows the property rather than the location. That is the whole idea, and it is why it appears in almost every contractor programme we place.
The forms you are most likely to need
Contractors equipment covers owned and hired plant and tools. An installation floater covers materials from the moment you take delivery until they become part of the finished work — significant on any job where materials sit on site. Motor truck cargo covers goods hauled for others.
Beyond those, there are floaters for cameras, musical instruments, medical equipment, exhibitions and fine art. If the business depends on something portable and valuable, there is usually a form written for it.
What it covers
The parts of a inland marine insurance policy
Installation floater
Materials from delivery until they become part of the completed work.
Motor truck cargo
Goods carried for others, subject to commodity conditions.
Equipment floaters
Cameras, computers, medical and specialist equipment away from the premises.
Property in transit
Your own goods moving between locations, which property cover excludes.
Exhibition and fine art
Valuable items at shows, exhibitions or on loan.
Working with us
What we do differently
We are an independent agency, so we place your inland marine insurance across several carriers rather than fitting you to one company's product. That means a genuine comparison, and someone to call who is not a call centre.
- Schedule high-value items individually rather than relying on a blanket limit
- Confirm cover for tools left in a vehicle overnight — conditions often apply
- Include hired and borrowed equipment, not just what you own
- Review the limit as the tool inventory grows; it usually outpaces the schedule
Common questions
Inland Marine Insurance, answered
What does inland marine actually cover?
Business property that moves or sits away from your premises — tools, equipment, materials in transit, goods hauled for others. Despite the name it has nothing to do with water; the term is historical.
Why does my property policy not cover my tools?
Commercial property cover is tied to a described premises. Once the tools leave that location they are outside it, and the auto policy covers the vehicle rather than its contents. Inland marine bridges the gap.
Are tools stolen from my van overnight covered?
Generally yes, though some carriers apply conditions about unattended vehicles or require the vehicle to be locked and alarmed. It is worth confirming the exact wording given how common this loss is.
Is hired equipment included?
It can be, and it should be if you rent plant. Rental agreements usually make you liable for the machine's full value plus loss of rental income, which is more than a basic limit contemplates.
What is an installation floater?
Cover for materials you have bought for a job from delivery until they become part of the finished work. It matters on any project where materials are stored on site before installation.
Related cover
Often arranged alongside this
Contractor Insurance
Most contractors do not buy insurance because they want it. They buy it because a general contractor, a client or a city will not let them start without a certificate.
Read moreCommercial Property Insurance
Property cover repairs the building and replaces the contents. Business interruption replaces what you could not earn while that happened — and it is usually the larger number.
Read moreBusiness Interruption Insurance
Property insurance rebuilds the premises. Business interruption pays the rent, the payroll and the profit while that happens.
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