Platform decommissioning (offshore oil & gas, marine structures, and associated topsides/subsea assets) is a different beast to routine maintenance. The work is time-critical, weather-dependent, and involves heavy lifts, cutting, dismantling, lifting appliances, temporary works, and complex logistics.
That combination creates a perfect storm for equipment losses:
High-value plant working at the edge of its envelope (heavy lift cranes, winches, strand jacks, SPMTs, ROV systems)
Harsh environments (saltwater corrosion, wind, spray, vibration, contamination)
Non-standard operations (hot cutting, subsea intervention, reverse engineering)
Multiple parties and interfaces (operator, principal contractor, marine warranty surveyor, lifting contractor, logistics, waste handlers)
If you’re quoting or planning a decommissioning project, equipment insurance shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be built into the risk plan from day one.
When people hear “equipment insurance”, they often think of hand tools and excavators. In decommissioning, the definition is much broader and can include:
Heavy lifting and handling: cranes, lifting beams, spreader bars, shackles, slings, chain blocks, hoists
Specialist decommissioning kit: cutting systems, abrasive water jetting, diamond wire saws, cold cutting equipment
Subsea and survey equipment: ROVs, AUVs, sonar, positioning systems, umbilicals, subsea tooling
Power and control: generators, hydraulic power packs, control panels, PLCs, temporary electrical distribution
Temporary works and access: scaffolding, work platforms, temporary stair towers, lighting towers
Environmental and safety systems: containment booms, filtration systems, gas detection, breathing apparatus
Transport and logistics assets: skids, frames, containers, toolboxes, lifting points, bespoke cradles
The insurance challenge is that many of these items are owned, leased, hired-in, or provided by subcontractors—and the contract may still make you responsible if they’re damaged.
For most contractors, the starting point is Contractors’ Plant & Equipment insurance (also called plant all risks). It typically covers sudden and unforeseen physical loss or damage to insured plant and machinery.
Depending on the policy wording and schedule, CPE may cover:
Owned plant and machinery
Hired-in plant (if added)
Tools and portable equipment
Equipment in transit (if included)
Equipment on site, at depots, or temporarily stored
Decommissioning exposes the gaps in “standard” plant policies. Watch for:
Offshore limits: some policies restrict offshore work or require specific declaration
Territorial limits: UK-only vs worldwide, and whether transit is included
High single-item values: strand jacks, ROVs, and cutting systems can exceed default limits
Wear and tear exclusions: corrosion, gradual deterioration, and latent defects are common issues
Operator error and incorrect use: some wordings are stricter than you’d expect
Theft conditions: storage and security requirements can be hard to meet at remote ports
If your project includes mobilisation to ports, quaysides, barges, and offshore locations, you’ll want the policy to reflect that reality.
Decommissioning often relies on hired equipment—cranes, generators, compressors, cutting systems, and specialist tooling.
Contracts frequently make the hiring party responsible for:
Loss or damage from the moment of collection
Damage during use (including operator error)
Theft from site or storage
Continuing hire charges while equipment is repaired
A strong hired-in plant extension can be the difference between a manageable claim and a six-figure dispute.
Decommissioning is logistics-heavy. Equipment moves between:
Your depot and a staging yard
Port facilities and quayside laydown areas
Vessels, barges, and offshore installations
Waste processing sites and recycling facilities
Transit losses can happen through:
Loading/unloading incidents
Dropped loads
Road traffic accidents
Sea water ingress
Poor lashing and securing
You may need a combination of:
CPE with transit cover
Marine cargo / goods in transit (especially for sea legs)
Project cargo cover for large, bespoke moves
The key is ensuring there’s no “grey zone” where each insurer assumes the other is picking it up.
Lifting operations are central to decommissioning, and failures can be catastrophic.
In the UK, lifting equipment is governed by LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations). Insurers will expect:
Current thorough examination certificates
Documented lifting plans and competent appointed persons
Clear inspection regimes for slings, shackles, and accessories
Traceability for lifting gear
Insurance can respond to accidental damage, but it won’t fix a compliance failure. Poor documentation can also make claims slower and more contentious.
Cutting and dismantling introduces unique equipment risks:
Heat damage to nearby plant
Fire and explosion exposure
Tooling failure under load
Damage from debris and falling sections
Contamination of hydraulics and control systems
If you’re using cold cutting, abrasive water jetting, or diamond wire saws, make sure the policy schedule correctly describes the equipment and values. Misdescription is a classic claims headache.
Subsea kit is expensive and fragile—and losses aren’t always dramatic. Umbilicals can be damaged internally, connectors can fail, and equipment can be lost during recovery.
Insurers will look closely at:
Maintenance logs and pre/post-dive checks
Operator competence and procedures
Whether the equipment is insured “all risks” including subsea operations
Any depth limits or operational restrictions
If you rely on subcontractor ROV services, confirm whether your contract makes you responsible for damage and whether their insurance is primary.
Even if you can repair or replace equipment, downtime can be the real cost.
Consider:
Additional hire charges while waiting for replacement equipment
Expediting costs (air freight, urgent fabrication)
Liquidated damages for delay
Standby costs for vessels and crews
Some policies can include extensions for:
Hire charges (continuing hire)
Increased cost of working
Tools replacement on a new-for-old basis (where available)
For larger projects, these exposures are often managed through project insurance structures rather than a simple annual plant policy.
Insurance should mirror the contract. Key clauses to review include:
Responsibility for hired-in plant and third-party equipment
Indemnities for damage to property in your care, custody, or control
Waivers of subrogation (common in energy contracts)
Cross-liability and additional insured requirements
Insurance limits, deductibles, and evidence requirements
A frequent issue is assuming “the operator’s project policy will cover it.” Sometimes it will, sometimes it won’t—and often it will only cover certain parties or certain assets.
Every policy is different, but these exclusions often matter in decommissioning:
Gradual deterioration, corrosion, and wear and tear
Mechanical or electrical breakdown (unless specifically included)
Defective design or workmanship
Consequential loss (unless extended)
Unexplained loss / inventory shortages
Damage during testing or commissioning (wording dependent)
Pollution and contamination (usually separate)
The practical takeaway: don’t just ask “do we have plant cover?” Ask “does it cover this operation, in this location, with this kit, under this contract?”
The fastest way to get sensible terms is to present the risk clearly. Prepare:
Equipment schedule with make/model/serial numbers and replacement values
Single item max value and total sum insured
Locations: depot, port, offshore, international legs
Nature of operations: cutting, lifting, subsea, heavy transport
Security arrangements at laydown areas
Maintenance and inspection regimes (LOLER, PUWER)
Claims history (if any)
Contract requirements and insurance clauses
The clearer the picture, the fewer assumptions an underwriter will make—and assumptions are where exclusions and disputes are born.
Use this as a quick internal sense-check:
Do we have CPE/plant all risks that explicitly allows offshore and port work?
Are hired-in plant and continuing hire charges covered?
Is equipment in transit covered for road and sea legs?
Are high-value single items correctly declared and valued?
Are ROV/subsea operations included with no hidden depth restrictions?
Do we have clear security conditions we can actually comply with?
Are LOLER inspections current and traceable for lifting accessories?
Do contract clauses create responsibility for third-party equipment?
Are deductibles realistic for the project’s cashflow?
Platform decommissioning losses rarely come from a single failure. They come from interfaces: handovers, lifts, transport legs, weather windows, and subcontractor boundaries.
The best equipment insurance programme is one that’s aligned to the project plan and contract structure—and backed by strong operational controls.
If you’d like, share the rough scope (offshore/nearshore, key equipment types, and whether kit is owned or hired) and I’ll help you outline the ideal insurance structure and the key questions to ask before you bind cover.
Call to action: Need UK equipment insurance for decommissioning work? Speak to a specialist broker who understands offshore, heavy lift, and complex contractor risk—so your cover matches your contract and your operations.
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