Insurance for Earthmovers and Excavators

For an earthmoving business the machines are the business. An excavator on a low loader, a bobcat left on a site over a long weekend, or a tipper off the road for a fortnight all stop work in a way that a small claim never does. Then there is what the bucket finds: services, footings and neighbouring structures that were never on the plan.

We arrange insurance for earthmoving and excavation contractors, from owner operators with one machine to businesses running a yard full of plant. We take the time to understand the machines you own, the machines you hire in and the sites you work on, compare options across the market, and stand beside you if you need to make a claim.

Key covers to consider

• Commercial Motor / Plant and Equipment: excavators, loaders, bobcats and tippers, on site and on the road, plus the float that moves them
• Public and Products Liability: injury or property damage caused by your work, including underground services and neighbouring structures
• General Property and Tools: attachments, buckets, lasers and GPS units, and hand tools away from your premises. Cover can often extend to tools stolen from a locked vehicle or job site, which is worth checking in your wording before you rely on it.
• Contract Works / Construction: the work itself while it is under way, including materials on site, up to handover
• Business Pack: your yard, shed and workshop, plus contents, parts and consumables
• Workers Compensation: compulsory cover for businesses with employees and apprentices
• Management Liability: employment disputes, OH&S, and claims against the business and its owners and managers for alleged mismanagement
• Cyber Liability: quoting, invoicing and payment systems, and the client details you hold
• Personal Accident and Sickness: income while you are off the tools from an injury or illness, and is often mandatory protection for sole traders who are not eligible for workers compensation

Common questions

Is my machine covered while it is being floated between sites?

A plant policy will usually cover the machine in transit as well as at work, but there are conditions about how it is loaded and secured, and about who is carting it. If a transport company moves your machine, their liability to you is often limited by their own terms, so it is worth checking both sides before the machine goes on a truck.

What happens if I hit an underground service?

Public liability is the cover that responds to damage your work causes to property that is not yours, and struck services are one of the more common claims in this trade. Insurers do ask how you locate services before you dig, and some policies limit underground services cover, so tell us what your process is and we will check where your policy sits.

Do I need Home Warranty / Home Building Compensation cover?

This applies to residential work you contract directly with the owner above your state's threshold, such as extensions, garages, fences or retaining walls. It must be in place before work starts. It is compulsory for any residential building or renovation work valued over $20,000 (including GST) in New South Wales.

Does a policy cover defective work?

As with any trade, the cost of redoing your own defective work usually isn't covered. Only the resulting damage or injury is. This exclusion is commonly known as Faulty Workmanship.

Do I have to use Dial Before You Dig?

Almost all policies include an exclusion for the damage to pipes and cables when you do not seek appropriate evidence or check that there are pipes or cables below. You should always check before you dig.

Do I Need Professional Indemnity insurance?

Trades industries are becoming more regulated. When a tradesman provides reports, surveys, designs, testing, or certifications, you may leave yourself exposed should a problem arise following your advice. You should always consider your services provided.

How Much Public & Products Liability Cover Do I Need?

It depends on the work you do and who you do it for. Many head contractors, councils, property managers and commercial sites set a minimum amount in their contracts before you can start. If you lease your premises, your lease will usually set a minimum level of public liability you must hold as a tenant, and often asks for the landlord to be noted on your policy. So check your contracts, your lease and any tender or site requirements first. Also think about the worst injury or property damage your work could realistically cause.

Cover level	When it's usually needed
$5 million	Small or hobby-sized businesses with lower-risk work, few or no visitors to their premises, and no lease or contract asking for more.
$10 million	Suits most trades and businesses working on client premises or dealing with the public. Often the minimum set by commercial leases, markets and event organisers, and many subcontract agreements.
$20 million	Suits higher-risk work such as specialist trades, construction, mining, transport operators, or working at heights. Often required by head contractors, government bodies, councils, shopping centres, mine sites and larger commercial clients.

We'll look at your contracts, your lease and your work, and help you choose a limit that fits.

Talk to a broker who knows earthmoving

Tell us about your business and we'll do the comparing, the paperwork and the advocating.

Request a quote for your earthmoving business