Third-party liability for plant and machinery
- Compulsory on public roads
- Also during work
- Cables and pipes separately
Insuring a shovel loader and mini loader
A loading shovel or mini loader is light enough to fit on a trailer, and that is precisely what makes theft and transport the core questions of this policy.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert.nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Compact equipment disappears more often than heavy equipment, for a simple reason: it fits on an ordinary trailer and can be driven onto it in minutes. A mini loader on an unguarded building site is therefore a different risk from a machine that has to be collected on a low-loader. Insurers translate that directly into security requirements, storage conditions and the question of whether theft is taken into cover at all.
The second feature is that these machines travel back and forth between sites. Damage that occurs while the loading shovel is on a trailer or semi-traileris not plant and machinery damage but transit damage, and on many policies that falls outside the cover. If the machine shifts because the lashing straps were inadequate, the further question arises of whether you secured it properly.
Third, there is the way it is used. Compact machines are operated by several people, often without anyone recording who was working where. With this type of equipment the keys are also regularly left in the ignition or are interchangeable between machines. That affects both liability and theft cover. We take those points into account in the submission for your plant and machinery insurance.
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Loading shovel and mini loader: 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.
What does your premium depend on?
- Replacement value and machine weight. Light machines are easier to steal, which raises the theft element in the premium.
- Security and tracking system. A tracker, immobiliser or marked serial number determines whether theft is taken into cover.
- Storage outside working hours. A locked shed weighs more heavily than a building site behind fencing.
- Number of transport movements. Machines that go between sites on a trailer every week carry extra transit and loading risk.
- Attachments declared. Forks, brushes and quick couplers count towards the sum insured and the theft risk.
- Range of operators. Use by your own staff is assessed differently from operation by hired-in labour or by the client.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
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.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Theft is the main risk at this size
Record serial numbers, mark the machine visibly and make sure the storage location you have declared matches reality. For higher values insurers require a tracker and set conditions for storage outside working hours. A mini loader left overnight behind site hoarding while you have declared a locked shed will lead to a dispute over the duty of disclosure in Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code if it is stolen.
A different regime applies on the trailer
As soon as the machine is being transported, it is no longer in use as plant and machinery. Damage during transport, or damage you cause to others with a machine that has shifted, falls outside the cover on many policies or calls for a separate transit extension. Check the lashing points and the tyre pressures before every trip and photograph the secured load. In a dispute about proper securing that is your only evidence.
Declare quick couplers, buckets and attachments separately
Pallet forks, snow ploughs, sweeping brushes and quick-coupler systems are swapped constantly on compact equipment and are therefore rarely listed in full on the policy. What has not been declared is not paid for, even if it was attached to the machine at the time of the theft. Cutting edges, teeth and tyres remain wear parts in any event and fall outside all cover, as does deferred maintenance on the hydraulics.
Changing operators on a confined site
Mini loaders often work between building fronts, in gardens and on narrow yards where the slewing radius meets a wall, a window frame or a parked car. That damage is liability towards third parties and not your own-damage cover. If you let hired-in workers or the client operate the machine, say so. Not every policy covers use by people who are not employed by you.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
What does an insurer require against theft of a mini loader?
At higher values, almost always a tracking system, and in addition clear arrangements for storage outside working hours. A registered and marked serial number also helps, both with acceptance and with recovery. If the actual storage differs from what you declared, the insurer can rely on incorrect information given when the insurance was taken out.
Is damage during transport on a trailer covered?
Usually not without a separate extension. As soon as the machine is being transported it is no longer in use as plant and machinery and different rules apply. If the loading shovel falls off the trailer or damages another vehicle, the question of whether you secured it properly also arises. Ask explicitly about transit cover when you apply if you travel between sites every week.
Are my pallet forks and sweeping brush insured as well?
Not automatically. Attachments are separate items that you have to declare with their value. With compact equipment that often goes wrong because the attachments lie loose in the shed and nobody thinks of them as machinery. What is not on the policy is not paid for in the event of theft or fire. Add to the list as soon as you buy a new attachment.
May the client have a quick go on the machine?
That is a real risk to your cover. Many policies assume operation by you or your staff. If you let someone else drive and damage is caused to a third party, the insurer can rely on that restriction. Report it if it happens regularly, so that use by third parties is expressly insured and there is no dispute afterwards.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare plant and machinery insuranceThe main page
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- Insuring soil cultivation machineryImplements, season, the soil
- Insuring irrigation systemsTheft, unattended, water abstraction
- Insuring plant and machinery for self-employed professionalsYour own machines, care, custody and control, hired equipment
- Non-self-propelled plant and machinery insurance through Avéro Achmea
- Insuring harvesting machinerySeasonal peak, fire, downtime
- Insuring a wheel loader and shovel loaderSite work, loading damage, tyre damage
- Insuring an excavatorExcavation damage, KLIC notification, theft
Read more
Ready to compare?
Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
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.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.