Plant hire insurance is cover for machinery you have hired in, protecting you against damage, theft and other loss while the kit is in your care. When you hire from us, insurance is not automatically included. Under our hire terms you are responsible for the equipment for its full replacement value from the moment it leaves the depot until it is formally off-hired, so you need suitable cover in place before delivery. If you don’t have it, we refer customers to our partner insurance4plant, a specialist in plant hire cover.
In this guide
This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Policies vary, so always check your own policy wording and talk to your broker or insurer.
Why hired plant needs its own cover
Many people assume the hire company’s insurance protects the machine while it is on their site. In most UK plant hire, it works the other way round. The hirer takes on responsibility for the equipment during the hire period, and that is the position under our terms too.
That means if a 1.8 tonne excavator is stolen from a driveway in Bude overnight, or a dumper rolls into a ditch on a farm near Holsworthy, the cost of repair or replacement falls on the hirer. Hire charges also keep running until a theft is confirmed and resolved, which can add up while you wait for paperwork.
Types of cover worth understanding
Hired-in plant insurance
This covers equipment you hire from someone else against accidental damage, theft, fire, flood and similar perils. It can be a standalone policy, or a section within a contractor’s all-risks policy. It is the main form of plant hire insurance most contractors carry.
Own plant insurance
Cover for machines you own. It does not necessarily extend to hired-in kit, so don’t assume a policy for your own digger covers a hired one. Check the wording for a specific “hired-in plant” section and its limits.
Damage waivers
Some hire companies offer a damage waiver, a fee that reduces how much you pay if the equipment is accidentally damaged. A waiver is not an insurance policy. Waivers commonly exclude theft, misuse, negligence and prohibited use, so read exactly what is excluded before relying on one. Ask us what options apply to your hire.
Public and employers’ liability
Separate from cover for the machine itself, liability insurance protects you if someone is injured or property is damaged because of your work. If you employ people, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement in most cases, with a minimum level of cover set by law; see the GOV.UK guidance on employers’ liability insurance. Public liability is not generally compulsory, but many clients, councils and principal contractors will ask to see it before you start work.
GOV.UK currently says employers’ liability cover must be for at least five million pounds and come from an authorised insurer, and that you may not need it if you only employ a close family member. The fines for not having it can be heavy, so if you take on even one person to help on a job, check where you stand. Self-employed people working alone are in a different position, but should still think about liability to clients and the public.
What your plant hire insurance should cover
Under our terms, hired equipment should be insured for its full replacement value against:
- Accidental damage, including during loading, transport and unloading
- Theft and attempted theft
- Fire, storm, flood and other insurable perils
- Third-party liability arising from the equipment’s use
You need to be able to show evidence of cover on request. If an insurance payout falls short of the repair or replacement cost, the hirer remains liable for the difference, so the limits and excess matter as much as having a policy at all.
Which cover responds? Common scenarios
The quickest way to understand plant hire insurance is to look at what goes wrong on real sites and which kind of policy would normally deal with it. These are general illustrations, and your own policy wording always decides the outcome.
| What happens | Cover that would usually respond | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| A mini digger is stolen from a driveway overnight | Hired-in plant cover (theft) | Security conditions such as keys removed or immobiliser fitted |
| A tracked dumper slides into a ditch on wet clay | Hired-in plant cover (accidental damage) | Exclusions for untrained operators or misuse |
| An excavator bucket strikes a buried water main | Public liability, not cover for the machine | Underground services conditions, such as needing records and scanning first |
| A plant trailer is damaged on the way back from the depot | Hired-in plant cover with transit, or motor cover for liability | Whether transit is included at all |
| An employee is injured using a telehandler | Employers’ liability | Evidence of training and safe systems of work |
| A site floods and a machine is left standing in water | Hired-in plant cover (insured perils) | Flood exclusions or higher excesses in some areas |
Notice that damage to the machine and damage caused by the machine are different things. A policy for the hired equipment may pay to repair a cracked dipper arm, but it will not pay for the gas main the bucket hit. You need both kinds of cover to be properly protected.
Questions to ask your insurer before you hire
- What is the limit for any one item? A 9 tonne excavator or a Merlo telehandler is worth far more than a plate compactor. Make sure the single-item limit covers the most valuable machine you plan to hire.
- What is the total limit at any one time? If you have an excavator, dumper and trailer on site together, the combined value counts.
- What is the excess? A high excess on theft claims can make small claims pointless.
- Are there security conditions? Some policies require machines to be immobilised, locked or kept in a secure compound overnight. Breaching those conditions can void a theft claim.
- Is transit covered? If you collect from Okehampton on your own trailer, check that the load is covered on the road.
- Are continuing hire charges covered? Some policies pay the hire charges that keep running after a theft or major damage.
- Does it cover the type of work? Demolition, work near water or work on highways can be treated differently.
We can give you equipment values for your insurer on request, so ask when you get your quote. Getting the answers in writing, even as an email from your broker, is worth the effort. If there is ever a dispute about whether a loss is covered, a written confirmation made before the hire carries far more weight than a remembered phone call.
Annual policy or cover for a single hire?
How you buy plant hire insurance depends on how often you hire.
Annual hired-in plant cover
Contractors who hire regularly usually carry an annual policy, either standalone or as a section of a contractor’s combined or all-risks policy. Insurers typically set it up around the most valuable single item you expect to hire and the total value you might have on hire at any one time, and some ask for an estimate of your annual hire spend. Once it is in place, each new hire is covered without arranging anything extra, provided it falls within the limits.
Short-term cover
Homeowners, self-builders and occasional hirers may not want an annual policy. Short-term cover for a specific hire period can be arranged with some specialist providers. Tell them the machine, its value, where it will be kept and how long you need it. Our partner insurance4plant specialises in plant hire cover and is a sensible first call if you have nothing in place.
Using a broker
If your business mixes owned plant, hired-in plant, tools, vans and liability cover, a broker who knows construction or agriculture can put it together and check the gaps between policies. Ask them specifically about hired-in plant limits, transit and continuing hire charges.
Homeowners and self-builders
Hiring a mini digger for a garden project feels very different from running a construction site, but the responsibility for the machine is the same. If a 1.8 tonne excavator is stolen from your drive or rolls into a pond, you are liable for it under the hire terms.
- Home insurance: many household policies exclude hired plant, or only cover it in limited circumstances. Ring your insurer and ask a direct question: “Am I covered for theft of and damage to a hired mini excavator, and up to what value?”
- Self-build policies: site insurance for self-builders sometimes includes a hired-in plant section. Check the limit against the value of the machine you plan to hire.
- Liability: think about neighbours’ property. Damage to a shared drain, boundary wall or a neighbour’s car is a liability matter, and you may not be covered by default.
Sorting this out before delivery takes a phone call. Sorting it out after a theft is far harder.
Insurance on Flex Hire and long-term contracts
On a Flex Hire account the machine on your site can change several times a month. Your cover needs to suit the most valuable machine you might swap to within your tier, not just the one you start with. A policy sized for a Tier 1 plate compactor will not be enough when a 9 tonne excavator arrives on Tier 4.
On long-term rental, the same machine may sit on site for many months, sometimes through quiet weekends and holiday shutdowns. Check that your policy covers the whole period, that it renews before the contract ends, and that any security conditions are realistic for a site left unattended over Christmas. We can provide equipment values for every item on a contract so your insurer has the right figures.
Reducing the risk on site
Insurance pays out after something goes wrong. A few habits make it less likely you need to claim at all, and help if you do.
- Check the machine at delivery and note any existing damage on the delivery note before signing.
- Remove keys at the end of every day and store them away from the machine.
- Park compact machines out of sight of the road, behind a locked gate where possible.
- Photograph the machine on arrival and at off-hire.
- Report any damage to us immediately, and in any case within 24 hours of discovery.
- Only let trained, competent operators use the kit. Damage from misuse is the hirer’s cost and may not be covered.
Remote and rural sites
Many jobs across Devon and Cornwall are on farms, barn conversions and holiday lets down quiet lanes, often with nobody on site overnight. Compact machines are easy to load onto a trailer and move. If the site is remote, park the machine where it cannot be seen from the lane, block it in with other vehicles or materials, and ask your insurer whether their security conditions are realistic for an unattended rural site before you sign up.
If equipment is stolen or damaged
For theft, report it to the police straight away and get a crime reference number. Then tell us and give us the reference within 24 hours. For damage, stop using the machine if it is unsafe, don’t attempt repairs yourself, and call or WhatsApp us so we can assess it. Unauthorised repairs can make things worse and may add to the cost. Breakdowns caused by a genuine mechanical fault are a different matter: we repair or replace the equipment.
Common plant hire insurance mistakes
- Assuming the hire company insures it. Under our terms the hirer is responsible from the moment the machine leaves the depot.
- Single-item limits that are too low. A policy that covers kit up to the value of a small dumper will leave a large shortfall on a 6 tonne excavator or a telehandler.
- Ignoring security conditions. Leaving keys in the cab, or a machine visible from the road with no immobiliser, can void a theft claim.
- Forgetting transit. If you collect on your own trailer, the journey from Okehampton needs to be covered as well as the site.
- Not telling the insurer about the work. Demolition, work near water or on highways may need to be declared.
- Letting untrained people drive. Damage caused by someone who was not competent to use the machine may not be covered and is the hirer’s cost.
What happens after a claim
Knowing the process helps you avoid costly delays. After a theft, report it to the police, get a crime reference and give it to us within 24 hours. Hire charges continue until the theft is confirmed and resolved, which is why cover for continuing hire charges is worth asking about.
After damage, tell us immediately and in any case within 24 hours of discovery. Do not attempt repairs. We assess the machine and can give your insurer the details they need, including the equipment value and the repair findings. Your insurer may want to inspect the machine or see photos and the delivery note. If the payout does not cover the full repair or replacement cost, or there is an excess, the difference remains with the hirer.
Paperwork to keep ready
Claims go more smoothly when the paperwork is already in order. Keep these together for every hire:
- Your policy schedule and evidence of cover, which we may ask to see.
- The signed delivery note showing the machine’s condition on arrival.
- Photos of the machine on delivery and at off-hire, with dates.
- Training records or operator cards for everyone who used the machine.
- A note of where and how the machine was secured each night.
- Your off-hire reference, or a crime reference number if it was stolen.
Frequently asked questions
Does my van or car insurance cover a hired trailer or digger?
Not usually for the hired item itself. Motor policies may cover a trailer while towed for third-party liability, but damage to or theft of the trailer and its load normally needs separate cover. Check with your insurer.
Do homeowners need plant hire insurance?
Yes, the same responsibility applies whether you are a contractor or hiring a mini digger for your own garden. Some home insurance policies may offer limited cover, but many won’t extend to hired plant, so ask before you book.
Can I hire without insurance?
You remain liable for the full value of the equipment. We strongly recommend arranging cover, and we can point you to insurance4plant if you need it. More on hire terms is on our FAQ page.
What value should I insure hired equipment for?
Under our terms, hired equipment should be insured for its full replacement value. Ask us for the value of the machine you plan to hire and give it to your insurer before the hire starts.
Does a damage waiver replace plant hire insurance?
No. A waiver only reduces your liability for some accidental damage and usually excludes theft, misuse and negligence. It does not cover liability to other people or their property.
Is a breakdown an insurance claim?
Not if it is a genuine mechanical fault or fair wear and tear. Call or WhatsApp us and we repair or replace the machine. Damage from misuse or an accident is the hirer’s responsibility, which is where insurance comes in.
Do I need insurance for a hired storage trailer?
Yes. A Hiway Storage unit on your drive, or any trailer from our trailer range, is in your care during the hire. Check your cover for the trailer and, separately, for the belongings stored inside it.
Sort your cover, then book
Once your insurance is in place, send us the machine, site postcode, dates and access details. WhatsApp or call 07841 036064, Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm, or use our contact page for written quotes and account enquiries.
