Plant Operators & Machinery Insurance for Small Businesses

Contracting on big jobs means more than just running your machines; it means meeting strict contract conditions. Contractor Plant & Machinery Insurance coverage protects the equipment you own or hire, while also covering the liability exposures that come with operating on site.

With All Trades Cover, we can build your Contractor Plant & Machinery insurance to cover:

• Owned, financed, leased, and hired-in plant and machinery

• Accidental damage, fire, theft, vandalism, and breakdown cover

• Options for wet hire and dry hire arrangements

• Machinery types including excavators, cranes, graders, loaders, rollers, telehandlers, skid steers, stump grinders, EWPs, service trucks, fuel trailers, compressors, attachments, and more

• Extensions for road risk, downtime, recovery, and third-party liability

• Additions and deletions to keep your fleet list up to date

• Goods on Hook cover for third-party items being lifted, carried, or lowered

• Underground Services and Downhole cover for trenching, boring, or drilling

• Contract clause support for Waivers of Subrogation, Principal’s Indemnity, and Cross Liability

• Certificates of Currency issued to match council, civil, and infrastructure project requirements

Having the right form of heavy equipment operator insurance is often a condition of site entry. We’ll make sure your gear, contracts, and liability are properly protected, so your machines don’t just move dirt, they move projects forward.

If you’ve got people on the books, even just casuals or part-timers, you’re legally required to have Workers’ Compensation in place. Each state has different rules, and it’s easy to get caught out if you’re not sure who counts as a ‘worker.’

We’ll help you:

• Set up the right Workers’ Comp policy for WA, but we can support NT placements and point you in the right direction throughout Australia.
• Classify employees and subbies correctly so there are no surprises at audit time
• Add Principal’s Indemnity where contracts or site requirements call for it
• Assist with wage declarations, estimates, and adjustments, and help you work out whether working directors need to be covered or not
• Lodge claims quickly and gives you advice on when and how to report incidents
• Handle the paperwork, including forms, supporting documents, and submissions
• Coordinate with your insurer to set up return-to-work plans, light duties, and rehab options
• Monitor claims to avoid cost blowouts and long-term premium hikes
• Stay across treatment plans, medical reports, and liability decisions with proactive insurer follow-up

If past claims have pushed up your rates, we can:

• Review your claims history and identify where issues started
• Advocate for fairer rates based on current safety measures or crew changes
• Help bring your premium rate down over time with the right approach

Even if your claims history is clean, we’ll still go into bat for you:

• Negotiate sharper rates with your insurer and make sure your account reflects your track record

Whether you’re running a tight crew or scaling up for council work, we’ll keep you compliant and properly covered.

Machinery and plant work is physical, and one injury or illness can take you off the job and stop your income. If you are not covered by Workers’ Compensation, like most sole operators and small business owners, Personal Accident & Illness insurance gives you the backup you need.

Personal Accident & Illness insurance is designed to keep money coming in while you recover and is often one of the most important protections for operators running their own ABN.

This type of cover can be set up to include:

• Weekly payments to replace your income while you are unable to work
• A lump sum payout if you suffer a permanent injury or death
• Options to add medical, hospital, and rehab costs
• Cover that applies both on the job and outside of work hours

Whether you are operating an excavator, servicing gear as a heavy equipment mechanic, or running a small crew, we will help you lock in the right protection so you are not left short if something happens.

When your machinery is at the centre of a project, even one incident can stop progress. Fire, theft, storms, or accidental damage can leave the site exposed and the cost in your lap. Contract Works insurance protects works in progress, materials, and temporary structures so projects stay on track.

For plant and machinery operators, this cover is often written into contracts for civil, council, and infrastructure jobs. Site managers won’t sit there combing through policy wording, they’ll mainly check your cover limit is high enough and that their business is listed if required. But if the fine print in your policy doesn’t line up with the contract, you’re still the one carrying the risk if there’s a claim.

Your Contract Works insurance can be arranged to cover:

• Works in progress, including materials and site structures
• Protection against fire, theft, storm, and accidental damage
• Owned and hired-in plant and equipment
• Single projects or annual cover for multiple jobs

Certificates of Currency that meet council and civil contract requirements

If you’ve got people on the books, you’re legally required to have Workers’ Compensation insurance in place. Each state runs its own scheme with different rules, and it’s easy to get caught out if you’re not clear on who counts as a ‘worker.’

For plant and machinery operators, this often includes crew like dogmen, riggers, mechanics, and even part-time labourers. If they’re injured on site, Workers’ Compensation is what keeps your business compliant and your team supported.

We’ll help you manage Workers’ Comp with cover for:

• Set up the right Workers’ Compensation policy for WA, with support for NT placements and guidance across the rest of Australia
• Classify operators, mechanics, and subcontractors correctly so there are no surprises at audit time
• Add Principal’s Indemnity where council or civil contracts require it
• Assist with wage declarations, estimates, and adjustments, and work out whether working directors need to be covered
• Lodge claims quickly and advise you on when and how to report incidents
• Handle the paperwork, including forms, supporting documents, and submissions
• Coordinate with your insurer on return-to-work plans, light duties, and rehab options
• Monitor claims to avoid cost blowouts and long-term premium hikes
• Stay across treatment plans, medical reports, and liability decisions with proactive insurer follow-up

If past claims have pushed up your rates, we can:

• Review your claims history and identify where issues started
• Advocate for fairer rates based on improved safety measures or changes in your crew
• Help bring your premium rate down over time with the right strategy

Even if your claims history is clean, we’ll still make sure we:

• Negotiate sharper rates with your insurer
• Make sure your account reflects your strong safety record

No matter if you’re running a tight two-man crew or scaling up with multiple operators and machines across civil projects, we’ll keep you compliant, properly covered, and supported when claims happen.

Also known as General Property Insurance, this cover protects the portable gear that keeps your plant and machinery business running. From welders and compressors to the tools in your ute, losing equipment to theft or damage can stop work in its tracks.

With All Trades Cover, your Tools & Equipment insurance can be tailored to include:

• Hand tools, power tools, and diagnostic equipment
• Welders, compressors, and portable service gear
• Items stored in vehicles, trailers, or site containers
• Optional extras for open-air theft and remote access sites

We also cover the specialist gear operators often carry, such as:

• Laser levels and site measuring equipment
• Fuel transfer pumps, hoses, and bunded tanks
• Battery-powered tools like cordless grease guns and drills
• Small welders, generators, and pressure washers
• Lifting chains, slings, shackles, and rigging gear
• Hydraulic jacks and porta powers
• Workshop toolboxes, vehicle-mounted toolboxes, or canopy setups
• Safety gear including PPE kits, harnesses, and lockout/tagout kits
• Diagnostic or testing equipment such as scan tools
• Mobile lighting towers (if not classed as plant)
• Spare tyres or wheels for trailers or float trucks
• UHF radios and mobile communication devices
• Laptops or tablets for job sheets, telemetry, or prestarts

Tools & Equipment insurance is a simple add-on to your Contractor Plant and Machinery insurance, ensuring high-value items are properly listed and insured for their full value, not just a low per-item limit.

Your work vehicles are just as important as your plant. If your utes, trucks, or trailers are out of action due to an accident, theft, or damage, the whole job slows down. Commercial Motor Insurance protects the vehicles that keep your business moving.

With All Trades Cover, your Commercial Motor insurance can include:

• Cars, utes, trucks, trailers, and support vehicles
• Cover for accidental damage, theft, fire, and third-party liability
• Agreed or market value cover
• Hire vehicle options if yours is off the road
• Multi-vehicle cover for growing fleets
• Cover for signwriting, accessories, and finance payout

Commercial Motor insurance is often paired with Plant and Heavy Equipment insurance, so both your vehicles and machinery are covered and site-ready.

ATO or state revenue audits are stressful and costly, even if your books are in order. Professional fees from accountants and advisers can stack up fast. Tax Audit Insurance covers those costs so you can focus on running your business.

With All Trades Cover, we’ll make sure your Tax Audit insurance takes care of:

• Cover for ATO or state revenue audits, reviews, and investigations
• GST, BAS, PAYG, Superannuation, and WorkCover reviews
• Accountant, bookkeeper, and legal adviser fees
• Cover for your business, directors, and employees
• Optional extensions for subbies and related entities

For plant and machinery operators, audits often focus on wage declarations, subcontractor classifications, and fuel tax credits. Even a simple review can drag on and cost you thousands. This cover makes sure you have expert support without the big bill.