It is always good to have insurance cover for your valuable assets. This is true, especially, for expensive equipment like heavy machinery.
If they get damaged, they can set you back to a great extent. You will have raised a huge amount of money to buy new ones. Your job will also come to a standstill.
To avoid all this, it is wise to get the appropriate insurance cover that will cater to the expenses and help you get back on your feet fast. This article gives you the information that you ought to know before getting the cover. You can also visit sites like Fast Machinery Insurance for more details.
What is it about?
This is a type of insurance that deals with large equipment that is mostly used by contractors in their service dispensation.
For example, cranes, tractors, and dredgers can be placed under this category. If they happen to get damaged or lost compensation will be done according to the terms that were agreed on.
The policies tend to vary based on the provider and also the materials involved. Here are some of the things that you can insure against based on the policies:
Property damage
If some property gets damaged by the equipment, then the firm will take the responsibility of compensating the owner. This comes in handy for contractors considering how delicate the nature of the job is. For instance, when demolishing a building it is easy to interfere with adjacent structures that were not meant for demolition. This can be quite expensive if the contractor was to pay for the damage.
Equipment damage
Machines do break down from time to time. At times it happens because of how old they are while other times it can be as a result of the nature of the job or something unavoidable. Natural phenomena of great magnitude can destroy heavy machinery.
Operator’s mistake
The person operating the machine can make a sincere mistake that ends up messing with lots of things. If this happens then as long as it is within the terms and conditions of the insurance, it will be covered.
Vandalism and theft
The equipment is of great value hence a target for thieves. Most of the time they tend to steal parts of it rather than the whole machine. Replacing the stolen parts using your own money will definitely cause a dent in your pocket.
Utility damages
In the course of the work, one might end up interfering with utilities such as gas and electric lines. See this link to read more insights about when you might need insurance https://www.thebalance.com/insurance-basics-why-do-i-need-insurance-1289684
What are the personal factors that you should consider?
Taking into account the personal factor is a huge part of choosing the right cover for your business. What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Here are some of the things that you should think about.
Risks
It is important that you insure against the specific risks that face your business or equipment.
It would be unwise to spend lots of money insuring against something that has a very low probability of occurrence and will likely not even happen in your line of work. Instead, you should first take care of the ones that your equipment is prone to.
If, for example, there is rampant burglary in your area then getting theft and vandalism protection will be of great use. Also, consider the nature of the risk. You should prioritize accordingly starting with the one that can cause a great loss if it occurs.
Size
It costs less to ensure a fleet as a whole than protecting them one by one. Fleet protection is not only cheap, but it also guarantees uniformity.
You don’t have to worry about the cover of one piece of equipment expiring without you knowing. With fleet management, when the cover expires it does so for all the machinery, and renewal is also done all at once.
Considering the size will also help you weigh in on the total value of your assets hence determine the appropriate cover that will suit your property well?
Budget
This is, particularly, of great importance for businesses. You have to operate within a well-formulated budget to ensure that the operation cost is taken care of properly without interfering with the profits made.
Without a budget, you might end up spending lots of money on insurance hence leaving the business without any profits. You can adjust the budget as need be depending on the size of the fleet, net income, and risk assessment.
How do you choose the right insurance firm for you?
This is a much easier process after considering the personal factors outlined above. You have to go with the one that works best for you instead of just opting for the one that is preferred by most people. Here are some guidelines to help you with the process.
Consider the covers that they provide
There is a wide range of covers available. Some are common to all firms while others are only provided by certain companies.
Thus, you have to take this into account to ensure that they can give you what you want. Make sure that you properly understand all the information provided about them.
Otherwise, you might settle for a given type of cover thinking that it suits you only for you to realize later on that it is not what you thought. By then it might be too late.
Make sure they are transparent and legitimate
Nowadays, there are lots of firms that claim to be providing insurance services. Some of them are legitimate and well-invested in the business while others are just using it as a disguise for their illegal activities.
They’ll end up scamming you and can leave you in huge debts if a mishap occurs. Therefore, it is important that you do the due diligence to ensure that the company is registered and conducts its operations legally.
One way to do so is by opting for a company that operates in a transparent manner proving that they have nothing to hide. They should be willing to give you all the information about them that you need to make a good decision.
For instance, they should show you their license upon request instead of hesitating or coming up with excuses. Click here to read more on how you can find a suitable insurance company.
Reputation
Reputation is everything when it comes to this line of business. Some companies are infamous for making it hard for their customers to claim their compensation.
They take longer to process the required documents hence making the procedure stressful. In some instances, the customer has to go the long way and take the matter to court for them to get what they are rightfully owed.
You should avoid such companies at all costs even if their fees are much more affordable than the others. Go for the ones that are known for their good quality of service. Their customer service should be great, and the response time should also be good.
Policies
As mentioned earlier, different companies have different policies. Some of these policies are great and effective while others might be unfavorable to you.
One document that most people usually don’t read properly is the one containing the terms and conditions. Doing so can, later on, prove to be a huge mistake considering that the regulations outlined there govern how the compensation is done.
Violating any of them can result in your claim being unacceptable. Also, there might be some loopholes in the document that can be exploited against you. Thus, it is of essence to read it thoroughly before signing.
Cost
This will be influenced by the type of cover that you choose and also the size of your fleet. Be sure to avoid double insuring against risk. If you choose a package that caters to a group of risks, then it is of no use getting another cover that takes care of the same risk as one of those included in the package. Also, make use of the discounts that come with various packages.
Conclusion
Heavy machineries are faced with certain risks that make it prudent to insure them before an unfortunate incident occurs. They are pricey equipment that can cause a huge inconvenience to your work if they break down or get stolen. There are different types of insurance packages available that can help you protect your assets from a variety of risks. Take your time to analyze and choose the appropriate one for your needs. Remember to deal with a good company that has your best interests at heart.
