Cold Planer Insurance

Yes. Accidental damage to the milling drum, such as striking underground services, steel reinforcement or unexpected objects, is covered under material damage. Gradual wear and tear on cutting picks and drum surfaces from normal milling operations is not covered, as these are consumable maintenance items.

Third party property damage and public liability cover protect against claims when your cold planer damages underground services such as gas, water or communications. Insurers expect documented service location procedures, including Dial Before You Dig searches, before profiling begins. Failure to conduct proper checks could affect a claim.

Transit cover protects your cold planer while being loaded, transported and unloaded from a float or low loader. As large cold planers must be floated to every job, transit cover is essential. Confirm it is specifically included in your policy and that the sum insured is adequate.

Mechanical and electrical breakdown cover can be included as an extension. This covers sudden failure of the milling drum drive, conveyor systems, hydraulics, grade control electronics and engine components. Given the extreme mechanical stress cold planers operate under, breakdown cover is strongly recommended.

Yes. Road construction companies routinely insure their full fleet, including cold planers, pavers, rollers, trucks and support equipment, under a single plant and machinery policy. Fleet policies simplify administration and often deliver better premium rates.

Yes. Cold planer insurance covers operations at all hours, including night shifts which are common for road profiling on busy arterials and highways. Night work in active traffic zones does carry additional risk, and insurers expect appropriate lighting, traffic management and safety protocols to be in place.

Shielded compares quotes from specialist plant insurers including GT Insurance, Chubb, CGU, Zurich, QBE, Vero and Hollard. The best insurer depends on your fleet size, machine values and claims history. As brokers, we find the most competitive and suitable cover for your road construction operation.

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.