Summer is undoubtedly the busiest time of the year for the construction industry. Building firms in Sussex and the wider UK are taking advantage of the predictable weather and working full steam ahead to get the job done. And, of course, where construction leads, plant hire follows.
The Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire team is working hard to ensure every construction site has the equipment it needs, when it’s needed. With clients spread throughout the Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire regions, we’re out on the road from dawn until dusk, supplying equipment to various commercial building sites. From lifting and excavating to clearing and compacting, our heavy machinery makes light work of any job.
But, if you’ve not worked with the Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire team before, you may want to know a little more about how we operate before booking your first hire. So, in today’s article, we’ll cover something many businesses don’t think about until they’re ready to sign the dotted line – hired-in plant insurance policies.
Hired-in Plant Insurance Explained
Hired-In Plant Insurance is critical for any business that relies on mobile plant and equipment hire to keep their operations running. Not only does it protect the equipment itself, but it can also include cover for any liabilities associated with its use; from rollers and telescopic handlers to forklifts and more – hired-in plant insurance is a must.
When you hire a piece of equipment from Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire, or any plant hire business for that matter, you enter into a contract that gives you full responsibility for the machinery during the period of the rental. Hired-in plant insurance protects against unexpected events, such as the plant being stolen, damaged or rendered otherwise unusable.
The onus is on you as the company hiring the equipment to ensure you have the right insurance in place to cover these events. It’s a great way to protect yourself from a slew of costly charges if something goes wrong with the plant and machinery you’re responsible for!
Why Do I Have To Take Out Insurance?
You might be wondering if you really need to protect your hired-in plant with insurance. After all, you know your site, and you’ve never had a problem before, so what are the chances of it happening now?
Even if you take every precaution, there is always a chance that machinery can be stolen or damaged. Every year, millions of pounds of machinery and equipment are stolen from construction sites – that’s only one of the potential risks. Vandalism can be another costly problem, as can environmental damage. When equipment is kept outside, it is susceptible to damage from the elements, and since most construction sites are potentially hazardous environments, there is always the additional possibility that machinery will be damaged accidentally.
When you lease plant machinery, you assume responsibility for it and a financial obligation to continue paying the rental charges even if it is stolen, damaged, or lost. And, you’ll also be expected to replace or repair it, which, in the case of some of our larger equipment, could be quite costly!
Hired-in Plant Insurance can help cover the costs should something go wrong and it protects you against the loss of machinery you’ve rented.
What About Liability Insurance?
Liability insurance is also recommended for anyone renting business equipment in the event that someone is injured and claims are filed. You’re likely to already have some level of liability cover protecting your construction site, but be sure this covers hired-in plant equipment, as policies can differ.
Many hired-in plant insurance packages come bundled with liability protection, so check the details of your policy to be certain what is covered.
Can I Get Insurance Through Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire?
When booking through Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire, you do have the choice to take out a basic level of insurance protection. It’s important to understand that our insurance protection only covers theft; it does not protect you from liability or malicious or accidental damage. The excess on this policy is set at £1,000, which means you will be liable for the cost of replacing the machinery up to that figure.
We highly recommend that you take out a hired-in plant insurance policy with one of the many online brokers who offer comprehensive plant insurance policies. Not only does this protect you from the financial burden of a damaged machine, but it helps to keep our plant hire business running smoothly – it’s all taken care of through the insurance company.
Plant Hire In Sussex
Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire is the go-to for plant hire in Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire. We can cover all building site requirements, from dumpers and excavators to portable toilet hire.
For all your plant hire needs, speak to the friendly team at Rabbit & Dowling Plant Hire today.
