Excavators, loaders, cranes, forklifts and more – own use, dry hire or wet hire. We compare 10+ insurers and help get you working again after a claim.
Trusted by 30,000+ clients Australia-wide
We aim to answer all calls within 3 seconds
Backed by our Price Promise
Comprehensive & third party, road risk liability, downtime, public liability and hired-in plant
We understand the construction, mining and hire industries, and go to market across 10+ insurers so you can compare price and cover side by side.
Three steps, and we do the legwork.
We go to 10+ insurers and come back with options that fit your machines and how you use them. Same-day quotes available.
Pick the option that suits and we handle the paperwork.
Named #1 Top Brokerage 2025, trusted by 30,000+ clients, and with you long after the policy is sold.
We insure plant every day, from owner-operators with one excavator to hire companies and contractors running a fleet.
Named #1 Top Brokerage 2025 and rated 4.9/5 on Trustpilot and 4.7/5 on Google from over 12,000 reviews.
We manage your renewals and keep your cover up to date as you add, sell or upgrade machines.
Notify a claim 24/7. Our team deals with the insurer for you, so you can get your machine back to work.
“The claims experience was made so easy.” – Scott B., Google review
Real reviews from contractors, plant owners and businesses we've insured across Australia.
“Ben has been absolutely outstanding to work with. He saved Goulburn Transport a substantial amount of money, and we couldn’t be happier with the result. His professionalism, knowledge, and can-do attitude were first class from start to finish. Ben went above and beyond, made the whole process simple, and delivered real value for our business.”
“Fantastic service from Tim helping us to sort machinery insurance on a tight timeframe.”
“I had an excellent experience with Shielded Insurance Brokers, and especially with Dan who looked after my claim. The entire process was handled with professionalism, patience, and clear communication from start to finish… His support genuinely made a stressful situation much easier to manage, and thanks to his help my business was able to keep running without interruption.”
“Jake was prompt in all correspondence and got us a very competitive quote for our excavator insurance!”
“We as a business have entrusted Shielded insurance brokers for many years & will continue to do so. Their knowledge & expertise is exceptional & they go the extra mile no matter what. Great team, great service & always chasing the best deal!”
“Jake Bartel from Shielded was great, he helped me set up my public liability, vehicle/trucks and machinery insurance from start to end. Was a complex system to set up and Jake nailed it. Will be returning.”
“We have been insured with Shielded for the last year and unfortunately had a break and enter and lost very valuable equipment. Alex Shipman and all the team at Shielded were excellent to deal with and managed my claim and had everything finalised fast. I’ve never had to make a claim like this and only ever heard bad stories so I assumed this was going to drag out for 6-9 months but I’d say we barely made it over 6 weeks. Very happy.”
“Ben Evans was extremely helpful. Quick to return calls and find the best cover for my truck and machinery. Pleasure to deal with and highly recommend.”
“I had quotes from previous brokers and the pricing was outrageous. Kharn was my contact at Shielded. He was a legend. Did the work. Got multiple quotes fast, he was on the phone ringing me about any additional questions the insurance companies required from our company so he could get the quotes completed promptly. Highly recommend.”
“Mitch made my life so easy and did all the ringing around and got the best deal for insurance of an excavator. I will be using them all the time going forward.”
“The service was professional, responsive, and efficient throughout my recent insurance claim. They took much of the stress and hard work off my shoulders, guided me through the process, and helped achieve a quick resolution. Communication was excellent, and I always felt supported and informed.”
“They are good to deal with. After giving them my details of what I needed on heavy machinery they got back to me that day with a good quote and a lot better than others.”
“Have had a long and stressful challenge dealing with my insurer however it turns out that my insurance broker actually provides the help! Worth going through a broker that really knows their stuff.”
“Highly recommend Shielded, Scott Harding (the advisor) sorted an excellent value quote, dealt with it quickly and kept me in the loop! Superb bloke, went out of his way to make sure we had the right policy! Given them a go at our vehicle & plant insurance off the back of it! Much better service than previous broker!”
“Tim Cantwell from the very first conversation has been a pleasure to deal with! Knows his stuff, responds instantly and is always available. First class customer service!!! A++ Thanks Tim!!!!”
Build the cover your operation needs. Mix and match on one quote.
Accidental damage, collision, fire, theft, storm, flood and malicious damage to your plant and machinery.
Quote machinery coverCover for injury or property damage caused by your equipment or operations on site.
Quote liabilityDaily or weekly payments while your machine is off-hire after an insured event.
Quote downtimeThird party cover for registered equipment travelling on public roads.
Quote road riskReplaces your income if you're injured or sick and can't work.
Quote personal accidentWe insure all types of plant, machinery and equipment across Australia. Select a category to learn more.
Reviewed by Joshua Scutts, Shielded Insurance Brokers · Updated October 2026 · General information only
We know machinery insurance and insurance for plant and equipment owners.
We provide cover for a wide range of plant and equipment including excavators, bulldozers, loaders, cranes, forklifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers, concrete pumps, graders, rollers, compactors, generators, and specialist mining and forestry equipment. Whether you own a single machine or manage a fleet, we tailor policies to match your operation.
Plant and machinery insurance typically covers accidental damage, fire, theft, malicious damage, storm and flood damage. You can also add public liability, road risk liability for registered machines, downtime or loss of use cover, hired-in plant cover, and personal accident cover for operators. Policies can be tailored for own use, dry hire or wet hire operations.
Premiums are typically calculated as a percentage of the sum insured value, usually between 1.5% and 4% depending on the equipment type, use, and claims history. A $100,000 excavator might cost $2,000 to $4,000 per year for comprehensive cover. Fleet policies covering multiple machines can often achieve better rates. Request a free quote through Shielded for an accurate indication.
Dry hire means you hire out equipment without an operator – the hirer is responsible for operating the machine. Wet hire means the equipment comes with an operator. The insurance requirements differ significantly. Dry hire owners need material damage cover on the equipment plus hired-out plant liability. Wet hire operators also need public liability, workers compensation for operators, and potentially road risk cover.
Yes. Hired-in plant cover protects equipment you hire from a third party while it is in your care, custody and control. Most hire agreements make the hirer responsible for damage to the equipment. Without hired-in plant cover, you could be liable for the full replacement cost of a machine that is damaged or stolen on your site.
If your equipment is registered for road use and travels on public roads (e.g. rollers, graders, mobile cranes), you need road risk or third party property damage cover for when the machine is in transit. Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance covers personal injury, but it does not cover property damage to other vehicles or infrastructure.
Contact us at Shielded Insurance on 1800 97 98 99 or reach out to your insurer directly. We recommend notifying us as soon as possible after an incident, documenting the damage with photos, and securing the equipment to prevent further loss. Our team will guide you through the claims process.
Downtime cover (also called loss of use or hire cost reimbursement) provides a daily or weekly payment when your equipment is off-hire or unable to work following an insured event. This helps cover the cost of hiring a replacement machine or compensates for lost revenue while your equipment is being repaired.
We compare quotes from specialist plant and equipment insurers including GT Insurance, Chubb, CGU, Zurich, QBE, Vero, Hollard, and others depending on the type of equipment and use. The best insurer depends on whether the machinery is used for own work, dry hire, wet hire, mining, or construction. As brokers, we find the most competitive and suitable cover for your operation.
Yes. Fleet policies covering multiple pieces of equipment under one policy can simplify administration, provide consistent renewal dates, and often achieve better premium rates than insuring each machine individually. Fleet policies are suitable for contractors, plant hire companies and mining operators with multiple assets.
