Business Interruption & Loss of Income Insurance

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Protect your plant hire shop’s income if fire, flood, theft or major damage stops you trading

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We compare quotes from leading UK insurers

  • Allianz
  • Aviva
  • QBE
  • RSA
  • Zurich
  • NIG

Business Interruption Insurance for Plant Hire Shops & Depots

A plant hire shop doesn’t stop losing money just because trading stops. Rent, wages, finance agreements, utilities, loan repayments and supplier commitments continue - even if your yard, workshop or trade counter is closed due to fire, flood, theft or major damage.

Business Interruption & Loss of Income Insurance is designed to protect your plant hire business financially when insured damage prevents you from operating normally. It replaces lost gross profit and helps cover ongoing costs while you recover.

For plant hire shops, depots and equipment hire businesses, business interruption cover is often just as important as insuring the tools and machinery themselves.

What Does Business Interruption Insurance Cover?

  • Loss of Gross Profit – Replaces lost income following insured damage.
  • Fixed Running Costs – Rent, rates, wages and finance payments.
  • Increased Cost of Working – Extra expenses to keep trading.
  • Temporary Relocation Costs – Operating from alternative premises.
  • Loss of Hire Income – Missed hire revenue while equipment or premises are unusable.
  • Extended Recovery Periods – Cover continues during rebuild and restocking.

Business interruption insurance is normally triggered by an insured event under your property or plant policy - such as fire, flood, storm damage, theft or vandalism.

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Why Business Interruption Matters for Plant Hire Businesses

Plant hire shops rely on constant availability: yards must be accessible, machinery must be serviced, and trade counters must be open. A single major incident can stop all operations - sometimes for months.

  • Fire damages your depot or workshop
  • Flooding prevents access to your yard
  • Theft wipes out hire stock
  • Storm damage closes buildings
  • Major vandalism halts operations

Without business interruption cover, many hire businesses are forced to absorb these losses themselves - even though the interruption is beyond their control.

Choosing the Right Indemnity Period

The indemnity period is how long your business interruption policy will continue to pay out after a loss. For plant hire shops, this needs careful consideration.

  • 12 months – Often insufficient for major rebuilds
  • 24 months – Common choice for depots and workshops
  • 36 months – Suitable for complex or high-value operations

Rebuilding a depot, replacing machinery, regaining customers and restoring hire schedules can take longer than expected. Underestimating the indemnity period is one of the most common causes of underinsurance.

What Affects a Business Interruption Claim?

  • Accuracy of your declared gross profit
  • Chosen indemnity period
  • Speed of property or equipment repairs
  • Availability of replacement machinery
  • Ability to trade from alternative locations
  • Quality of financial records

Insure24 helps ensure your sums insured and gross profit calculations are realistic - reducing the risk of underinsurance and claim shortfalls.

Combine Business Interruption with Plant Hire Shop Insurance

Business interruption cover works best as part of a wider plant hire insurance package. It is commonly combined with:

Core Covers

  • Buildings & Contents Insurance
  • Tools & Plant Hire Insurance
  • Public Liability Insurance
  • Employers’ Liability Insurance
  • Theft & Vandalism Cover

Optional Extensions

  • Denial of Access Cover
  • Supplier Failure Extensions
  • Loss of Attraction / Trade
  • Increased Cost of Working Enhancements

Why Choose Insure24?

  • Specialist plant & machinery insurance knowledge
  • Access to leading UK commercial insurers
  • Help setting correct gross profit figures
  • Fast, expert advice
  • Claims support when disruption hits
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

+-What is Business Interruption Insurance?

It replaces lost income and covers ongoing costs if your business cannot trade normally following insured damage such as fire, flood or theft.

+-Is loss of hire income covered?

Yes, policies can be structured to cover lost hire income while premises or equipment are unavailable.

+-How long should my indemnity period be?

Many plant hire shops choose 24 or 36 months due to rebuild and restocking times.

+-Does BI cover apply without property damage?

Standard cover usually requires insured damage, but extensions may be available.

+-Is Business Interruption essential?

For many plant hire businesses, yes. It protects cashflow when you need it most.

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