Third-party liability for plant and machinery
- Compulsory on public roads
- Also during work
- Cables and pipes separately
Avéro Achmea · compared independently · advice from Finass
Non-self-propelled plant and machinery insurance through Avéro Achmea
Plant that does not move under its own power — generators, compressors, pumps, tower cranes — is not a motor vehicle, and that changes the structure of the policy entirely.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Niet rijdend werkmaterieelverzekering via Avéro Achmea — vergelijk & bereken premie.
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A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Non-self-propelled plant and machinery insurance is not a motor insurance policy. Generators, compressors, water pumps, welding units, plate compactors, tower cranes and telehandlers on a trailer do not take part in traffic under their own power. They therefore fall outside the insurance obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). What this policy through Avéro Achmea insures is the item itself: fire, storm, theft, vandalism and — if you choose that module — machinery breakdown.
Liability is not included here. If a generator topples over against a parked car, that claim ends up on your public and employers' liability insurance and not on this property policy. What determines the premium and the cover is therefore not a mileage reading but the pitch: where the item stands outside working hours, who can reach it and how the site is secured.
As an independent adviser we are not tied to Avéro Achmea. We set their conditions alongside those of other insurers and look in particular at the theft clause, the treatment of hiring out to third parties and the question of whether transport between projects is insured. Plant that does move under its own power is covered by a different policy: see the plant and machinery insurance through Avéro Achmea.
Non-self-propelled plant and machinery insurance through Avéro Achmea: what is covered?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Own-damage cover
Damage to the machine, the body and the attachments.
- Fire and storm
- Theft from the site
- Overturning and collision
Extensions
What you add separately.
- Inherent defect and machinery breakdown
- Transport to the site
- Hired plant
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party liability for plant and machinery | Own-damage cover |
|---|---|---|
| Damage to a building or a parked car next to the site | Yes | No |
| Theft of the machine from the building site | No | Provided that |
| Fire and storm damage | No | Yes |
| Inherent defect in the hydraulics or the engine | No | Provided that |
| Damage to the item you are working on with the machine | No | No |
| Wear and deferred maintenance | No | No |
Mobile plant is a motor vehicle within the meaning of the WAM and needs third-party liability insurance on public roads; non-mobile plant does not. Damage to cables and pipes is generally only covered if the excavation notification has been made and the trial trenches have been dug. The item you work on with the machine falls under the care, custody and control exclusion.
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
No registration number, so no compulsory third-party liability cover
A motor vehicle is subject to an insurance obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). A generator on towing wheels, a tower crane or a submersible pump is not a motor vehicle, so that obligation does not apply here. Damage the item causes to third parties is assessed by an insurer under Article 6:162 DCC and, for mistakes by your staff, under Article 6:170 DCC. That claim belongs on the public and employers' liability insurance, not on this policy.
Theft starts with where the item stands outside working hours
Non-self-propelled plant stands still for days on end on a building site or in a depot. Insurers therefore link the theft cover to a security clause: a locked site, fencing, a tracking system or removal to the depot after working hours. If that is not complied with, theft is not covered. Unbolting parts such as copper cable, batteries or catalytic converters also often falls under a separate limit or remains outside the cover altogether.
Machinery breakdown is something different from own-damage
Own-damage cover responds to external events. A cracked crankshaft, a burnt-out generator winding or a seized pump comes from within and falls outside it; the module for machinery breakdown is needed for that. Even then, wear, deferred maintenance and corrosion remain excluded. If you knowingly keep using an item while it is defective, Article 7:952 DCCcomes into play: damage caused by intent or recklessness is not paid.
Hiring out, lending and transport between projects
If you lend the plant to a fellow contractor or hire it out, the risk changes fundamentally: someone else operates it and it stands where you cannot see it. You have to declare that. If you conceal it, the insurer can rely on Articles 7:928 and 7:930 DCC. Transport on a trailer or low-loader between projects is not automatically insured either; a transport clause is needed for that.
Downtime & hire
Downtime & hire Cover for losses during downtime and replacement hire.
Business & deductible
Business & deductible The premium is usually deductible as a business expense.
What does your premium depend on?
- Replacement value as new and year of manufacture of the item — Determines the sum insured; with older plant, settlement is more often on market value.
- Type of plant — A tower crane, a generator and a submersible pump each have their own claims pattern and therefore their own rate.
- Where it is kept outside working hours — A locked depot, a guarded building site or a freely accessible verge weighs heavily in the theft component.
- Security and tracking system — Fencing, locks and track and trace reduce the theft risk and are often a condition of cover.
- Hiring out or lending to third parties — Operation by others and changing locations increase the risk and call for a separate declaration.
- Chosen modules and excess — Machinery breakdown, transport and hired plant are separate choices; a higher excess reduces the premium.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Is third-party liability insurance compulsory for non-self-propelled plant?
No. The insurance obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) applies to motor vehicles. A generator, pump or tower crane that does not take part in traffic under its own power falls outside it. You arrange liability for damage to third parties through your public and employers' liability insurance. This policy insures the item itself against fire, storm, theft and vandalism, and if you wish against machinery breakdown.
Is theft from the building site insured?
Only if the security clause in the policy is complied with. Insurers usually require a locked site, sound locks and sometimes a tracking system, or removal to a depot after working hours. If the item stands unattended alongside the public road, theft will be rejected. We set the clauses of Avéro Achmea and other insurers side by side, because they differ considerably.
Is transport between two projects covered?
Not automatically. If the item travels on a trailer or low-loader, that is a transport risk and a separate clause or transport cover is needed for it. Damage caused by incorrect lashing or by overloading the trailer stays outside the cover even then. Tell us how often and over what distance you move plant, and we will match the cover to that.
What is the difference with the self-propelled version?
Self-propelled plant — a loading shovel, telehandler or excavator — moves under its own power and is a motor vehicle. There the insurance obligation applies and, alongside the working risk, the traffic risk comes into play. See the plant and machinery insurance through Avéro Achmea. If you are unsure about the category, we determine it on the basis of propulsion and use.
Read more
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About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
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This page was written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.