Civil Works Equipment Insurance

Most comprehensive plant policies cover accidental damage to underground services including gas, water, electricity and telecommunications. However, some policies exclude or limit this cover. Insurers typically require evidence that dial-before-you-dig searches were completed prior to excavation. Check your policy wording or confirm with your broker.

Government and principal contractor clients typically require a minimum of $20 million public liability for civil works. Major infrastructure projects may require $50 million or more. Shielded can arrange cover at the limits required by your contracts and target clients.

Yes. Comprehensive plant insurance covers storm and flood damage to your equipment. Civil contractors working in drainage lines, waterways and flood-prone areas should ensure flood is not excluded from their policy, as some insurers may impose specific conditions for equipment operating in these environments.

Yes. Hired-in plant cover protects equipment you hire from third parties while in your care on civil projects. This is essential as most hire agreements hold you liable for damage. Shielded can include hired-in plant cover as part of your overall plant insurance policy.

Transit cover protects your plant while being transported on a float or low loader between sites. Civil contractors frequently move equipment between projects, making transit cover essential. Confirm it is included in your policy before mobilising equipment.

Plant insurance covers your equipment. Contract works insurance covers the works under construction, materials and temporary structures. Most government and principal contractor clients require both. Shielded can advise on the full insurance program needed for your civil contracting operation.

Shielded compares quotes from specialist plant insurers including GT Insurance, Chubb, CGU, Zurich, QBE, Vero and Hollard. The best insurer depends on fleet size, type of civil work and your claims history. As brokers, we find the most competitive and suitable cover for your civil contracting business.

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.