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TOOLS, MOBILE PLANT & TRANSIT INSURANCE THAT KEEPS YOUR JOBS ON SCHEDULE
Why Tools, Plant & Transit Cover Matters for Metal Fabricators
Metal fabrication businesses are often only as productive as the equipment they can deploy. A stolen welder, damaged plasma cutter, lost power tool kit, or a forklift breakdown can quickly turn into missed deadlines, contractual disputes, overtime costs and client frustration. And when you’re moving high-value fabricated items, stainless assemblies, bespoke handrails, structural steelwork, gates, balustrades or prototype parts, the risk doesn’t stop at the workshop door - it follows the job into the van, onto a courier pallet, and right up to installation.
Tools, Mobile Plant & Transit Insurance is designed to protect the equipment and goods that your team relies on, whether you’re a workshop-only manufacturer, a fabrication-and-installation business, or a mobile welding and repairs contractor. At Insure24, we arrange specialist policies for metal fabrication and manufacturing risks, combining: tools and equipment cover, mobile plant insurance, and goods in transit - with options for hired-in plant, tool theft from vehicles, and cover for fabricated goods, materials and components while they are being transported.
If you do any of the following, this page is for you: workshop fabrication plus installation; mobile welding; site repairs; structural steel erection support; on-site modifications; deliveries to client sites; courier shipments; transporting customer-supplied materials; or moving expensive tooling and measuring equipment between locations.
COVER BUILT AROUND REAL FABRICATION EQUIPMENT & TRANSIT RISKS
What This Insurance Is Designed to Protect
This page focuses on the practical “moving parts” of your business: the tools your staff carry, the mobile plant you operate, and the goods and materials you transport. These are often the assets most exposed to theft and accidental damage - and the losses that most quickly halt production.
What Tools, Mobile Plant & Transit Insurance Can Include
Cover can be arranged as standalone sections or as part of a wider metal fabrication insurance package. The right structure depends on how you operate (workshop only vs installation), what you transport (raw materials vs finished fabricated goods), and whether you use your own vehicles, couriers, or specialist haulage.
- Tools & portable equipment: theft and accidental damage for hand tools and portable power tools
- Specialist fabrication kit: welders, generators, plasma cutters, compressors, extraction units
- Measuring & calibration equipment: laser levels, micrometers, gauges and inspection tools (where included)
- Tool cover on-site: equipment temporarily left at client premises during works
- Theft from vehicles: subject to security conditions and “unattended vehicle” rules
- Mobile plant: forklifts, telehandlers, MEWPs, site weld rigs, small plant and lifting aids (as declared)
- Hired-in plant cover: protection for equipment you rent, including contractual liability for loss/damage
- Goods in Transit: raw materials, components, and finished metalwork in transit
- Loading/unloading: accidental damage during handling (where included by policy wording)
- Optional business interruption: following insured loss to key items (policy dependent)
What Items Do Metal Fabricators Typically Insure?
Metal fabrication businesses vary widely - from small bespoke workshops to larger structural steelwork firms. Insurers price tools/plant/transit based on values, theft exposure, where items are stored, and how frequently goods move between sites. Below are typical categories we place cover for.
Tools & Portable Equipment
- Battery power tools (drills, grinders, impact drivers, saws)
- Corded tools and bench tools (where portable/declared)
- Welding sets and accessories (MIG/TIG, leads, torches)
- Generators, compressors, lighting towers (portable)
- Specialist cutting equipment (plasma cutters, tracks)
- Torque tools, rivnut tools, mag drills
- Survey and measurement tools used for installation and set-out
Many losses occur from vehicles and temporary sites. The most important underwriting details are: overnight storage, security measures, tracking/marking, and whether tools are left unattended.
Mobile Plant & Site Equipment
- Forklifts (including yard forklifts used on private land)
- Telehandlers and rough terrain forklifts (where applicable)
- MEWPs / scissor lifts (owned or hired-in)
- Mobile welding rigs, trailer-mounted plant
- Small plant: breakers, compactors, pumps (if used)
- Lifting aids: chain blocks, hoists, slings (where insured as plant/tools)
Plant cover is shaped by where the equipment operates (workshop yard vs construction sites), and whether items are road-registered or move between locations frequently.
Goods In Transit
- Raw metal stock: sheet, bar, tube, stainless, aluminium
- Customer-supplied materials in your care (subject to wording)
- Components and sub-assemblies
- Finished fabricated items: gates, railings, balustrades, frames, platforms
- Structural elements: beams, columns, brackets, handrails and bespoke builds
- Prototype or one-off assemblies with high replacement cost
Goods in transit is often where metal fabricators get caught out: a standard vehicle policy won’t necessarily cover the value of the goods you’re carrying, and courier compensation is rarely enough for bespoke metalwork. Transit cover bridges that gap.
Hired-In Plant & Contractual Liability
- Hired-in forklifts, telehandlers, and lifting equipment
- Generators and site power equipment
- MEWPs and access equipment for installation jobs
- Contract hire terms that make you responsible for loss/damage
Hire contracts often make you liable for the full replacement cost of the plant, plus recovery and downtime charges. “Hired-in plant” extensions are designed to respond to that contractual liability.
Common Claims We See for Tools, Plant & Transit
Understanding the most common claim types helps you choose the right cover and avoid exclusions. For metal fabricators, losses often occur during transport, on temporary job sites, or overnight in vehicles. Plant claims can also arise from accidental damage during manoeuvring or loading/unloading.
- Theft from van overnight (forced entry conditions, locks, alarm requirements)
- Tool theft on-site (unattended equipment during breaks or site movement)
- Accidental damage to welders/generators during transport or use
- Forklift damage while moving heavy assemblies, pallets or steel stock
- Transit damage to finished fabricated goods due to inadequate packaging/strapping
- Loading/unloading incidents (dropped items, sling failure, tail-lift accidents)
- Courier loss where compensation does not match the fabricated item’s value
- Hired-in plant damage with hire firm charging full repair/replacement
Many of these claims are preventable with good security and handling processes - and insurers may offer better terms where strong controls are in place.
Common Exclusions & Policy Gaps to Watch
Tools and transit claims are often rejected due to avoidable gaps: unattended vehicle conditions, lack of forced entry, incorrect declared values, or poor documentation. The solution is not “more insurance” - it’s the right insurance, structured around how you actually store, transport and use your assets.
Tools in Vehicles
Theft from vehicles is one of the biggest pain points in tools cover. Policies often require: forced and violent entry; approved locks; locked toolboxes; alarm systems; and restrictions on leaving tools in vehicles overnight. Some insurers impose a “night-time exclusion” unless the vehicle is in a locked compound.
- Unattended vehicle exclusions (especially in public places)
- Forced entry requirement and evidence (police report)
- Overnight security requirements (garaging / locked yard)
- Sums insured too low for the actual replacement cost
Goods In Transit
Transit cover can be limited by maximum “any one vehicle” limits, packaging requirements, and exclusions for inadequate securing. If you ship bespoke fabricated items, you should also consider whether: cover includes theft, accidental damage, and loading/unloading; and whether it applies when using couriers.
- Insufficient “any one load” / “any one vehicle” limits
- Packaging/strapping exclusions for fragile finishes (powder coat, stainless polish)
- Restricted cover when using third-party couriers
- Exclusions for theft unless vehicle is secured and attended
Mobile Plant
Plant cover can be complicated where equipment is road-registered or used on public highways. It’s also important to confirm whether plant is covered while hired out, loaned, or operated by others. Insurers may require security such as immobilisers or tracking for higher-value plant.
- Territorial limits (UK only vs occasional overseas work)
- Security and tracking conditions for theft cover
- Exclusions for wear-and-tear or mechanical breakdown (unless added separately)
- Use on public roads requiring separate motor insurance
Hired-In Plant
Hired-in plant extensions vary. Some cover “your legal liability” for hired equipment, others provide “all risks” style cover (subject to policy terms). Hire firms often charge for recovery, downtime, and replacement, so it’s vital to align cover with contract terms.
- Contractual liability not covered unless extension included
- Higher excesses for hired-in plant claims
- Restrictive conditions around supervision and storage
- Sub-limits for hired plant lower than your actual exposure
Metal Fabrication Transit Risks: Why “Standard” Cover Often Isn’t Enough
Fabricated metalwork is not like off-the-shelf stock. A one-off stainless balustrade, a bespoke staircase, a set of architectural fins, or a structural bracket assembly often cannot be replaced quickly. The costs are not just materials - they include labour, finishing, re-installation timing, and the knock-on impact to the build programme. That’s why transit risks for metal fabricators deserve special attention.
Typical weak points include: finishes and coatings that scratch during transit; non-standard shapes that don’t palletise well; high centre-of-gravity items that shift during braking; and multiple handovers when using third-party couriers. A good goods-in-transit arrangement will be matched to your reality: your maximum load value, typical routes, packaging approach, and whether you deliver with your own vehicles, third-party hauliers, or couriers.
We can also help you think through how transit interacts with other covers. For example: a finished item damaged in transit might lead to a contractual dispute. Transit may cover the physical loss, but your contract may require you to supply on time - meaning you may also need contingency planning and potentially business interruption-like protection (where available and appropriate). The goal is to reduce disruption and keep projects moving.
Best Practice: Packaging & Securing
- Use protective wrap/edge guards for powder-coated or polished items
- Build purpose-made stillages/cradles for repeat transit shapes
- Document strapping methods with photos for high-value loads
- Use rated straps and check anchor points
- Separate sharp steel from finished surfaces
- Avoid mixed loads that can cause movement and impact
Better packaging reduces claims and improves underwriting terms. It also protects your reputation with principal contractors and end clients.
Best Practice: Vehicle & Route Security
- Avoid leaving vehicles unattended in high-risk locations
- Use secure compounds for overnight stops where possible
- Fit security locks and alarms (and maintain them)
- Consider tracking for higher-value loads or plant
- Plan routes and delivery windows to reduce exposure
- Maintain delivery paperwork and proof of handover
Many transit policies require “reasonable precautions” - good security is not just best practice, it’s also part of maintaining coverage.
We had a high-value stainless job damaged during delivery. Insure24 helped us put proper transit limits and tool cover in place going forward, and the advice around packaging and vehicle security really improved our risk profile.
Director, Architectural Metalwork & FabricationHow to Get Tools, Plant & Transit Insurance (Quick Checklist)
The quickest route to accurate terms is to provide clear values and your maximum exposure. Insurers price these covers on “peak risk” - for example, the highest value you carry on a single vehicle, and the most expensive single item of plant or tool set you need to replace.
- 1. List your tools and equipment (replacement values)
- 2. Confirm where tools are stored overnight (vehicle, workshop, yard)
- 3. Declare mobile plant items (make/model/value/usage)
- 4. Confirm your maximum “any one load” transit value
- 5. Tell us how you transport goods (own vans, couriers, hauliers)
- 6. Provide claims history and security details
- 7. We compare specialist insurers and structure cover to fit
PROTECT YOUR EQUIPMENT & YOUR DELIVERIES
- Cover the cost of replacing stolen tools and portable equipment
- Protect mobile plant against theft and accidental damage (as arranged)
- Insure fabricated goods, components and materials while in transit
- Add hired-in plant cover to meet contract and hire terms
- Reduce downtime and keep your projects moving
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is Tools, Mobile Plant & Transit Insurance?
It’s a set of covers designed to protect the portable tools, mobile plant and goods you move between sites.
It can include theft/accidental damage to tools and equipment, cover for owned or hired-in plant, and
goods-in-transit protection for materials, components and finished fabricated items.
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Does this cover tools stolen from a van?
Often yes, but it depends on the policy terms and security conditions. Many insurers require forced entry,
approved locks, and may restrict cover if vehicles are left unattended or tools are stored in vehicles overnight
without appropriate security. We’ll align cover to your real working pattern.
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What is “any one vehicle” or “any one load” for transit insurance?
This is the maximum value the insurer will pay for goods carried on a single vehicle at any one time.
Metal fabricators should set this based on the highest-value delivery you make, including bespoke finished items.
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Are finished fabricated items covered if a courier damages them?
Transit policies can be arranged to cover goods moved by your own vehicles and, in many cases, by third-party carriers
(subject to the wording and declared methods of transit). Courier compensation alone is often insufficient for bespoke metalwork,
so transit cover is a key protection.
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What counts as “mobile plant” for a fabrication business?
Mobile plant can include forklifts, telehandlers, MEWPs, mobile welding rigs, generators, compressors and other site equipment,
depending on how your business uses it. Plant cover is tailored based on declared items, values and where the equipment operates.
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Do I need hired-in plant cover if I rent equipment?
If you hire equipment, the hire agreement often makes you responsible for loss or damage.
Hired-in plant cover is designed to protect you against that contractual exposure, including repair or replacement costs (subject to terms).
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Is accidental damage included for tools and equipment?
Many policies can include accidental damage, but terms vary. For example, accidental damage can cover drops, impacts,
and certain sudden events, but not wear-and-tear or gradual deterioration. We’ll recommend the right structure for your kit.
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Does transit insurance cover loading and unloading?
Some wordings include loading/unloading as standard, others treat it differently. Because many fabrication losses occur at handover
(dropped items, tail-lift incidents, sling issues), it’s important to confirm cover scope during quotation.
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How do I choose the right sum insured for tools and plant?
Use the replacement cost of your tools/plant (like-for-like new where required), and consider the maximum value at risk
on any one site or in any one vehicle. Underinsuring can reduce claim payments, so accurate values are essential.
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Can Insure24 bundle this with my wider fabrication insurance?
Yes. Many metal fabricators arrange Tools/Plant/Transit as part of a broader package that can also include
Public & Products Liability, Employers’ Liability, Property/Stock, Machinery Breakdown and Business Interruption.
We’ll structure a package that matches your operations and contracts.