Tools Insurance: Does It Cover Theft From Your Van?
If you rely on your tools to do your job, having them stolen can affect much more than the cost of replacing them. You may have jobs booked in and customers waiting, but without the right equipment, you could struggle to carry on with your work.
Tools insurance can help protect you against this risk by covering theft or accidental damage. However, where and how you store your tools can affect your cover, particularly if you leave them in your van overnight.
So, if someone steals your tools from your van, will your insurance cover them? Here’s what you need to know.
What is tools insurance?
Tools insurance protects the tools and equipment you use for work against risks such as theft and accidental damage.
If you’re a builder, electrician, plumber or another tradesperson, construction insurance can include protection for the tools you rely on every day. With the right cover in place, you can make a claim following an insured incident. This can help you replace your tools and get back to work with less delay.
However, tools insurance policies can have different limits, conditions and exclusions. It’s important to understand what your policy covers and whether it reflects how you use and store your tools.
Does tools insurance cover theft from a van?
Tools insurance can cover theft from your van, but insurers may set conditions that you need to meet when making a claim.
For example, your insurer may set requirements around overnight storage and vehicle security. Where you park your van may also affect your cover.
Think about how you use your tools from day to day. Do you take them inside every evening, or do you regularly keep them securely in your van overnight? These details can make a difference to the cover you need.
Speaking to your broker can help you understand any conditions that apply and make sure your cover reflects the way you actually work.
Are tools insured if you leave them in a van overnight?
This will depend on your policy, as insurers can set specific conditions for tools kept in vehicles overnight.
For example, they may require certain security measures or place restrictions on where you can leave your vehicle. If you regularly keep tools in your van overnight, discuss this with your broker when arranging your insurance. Don’t wait until you need to make a claim to find out what your policy requires.
There are also practical steps you can take to reduce the risk of theft. Police guidance recommends removing tools and other valuables from your vehicle where possible. You can also use additional security measures to make it harder for thieves to access them.
Your policy will set out the conditions that apply, so make sure you understand them and ask your broker about anything you’re unsure of.
What could tool theft mean for your business?
The cost of replacing your tools isn’t the only thing you may need to think about following a theft.
Imagine arriving at your van in the morning to find the tools you need for that day’s work have gone. You may need to rearrange jobs and let customers know about delays while you organise replacements. That can affect both your income and the day to day running of your business.
The Government has recognised this wider impact. Its research into equipment theft found that tradespeople can lose working hours and revenue following a theft, on top of the cost of replacing their tools.
Having suitable tools insurance can help with the cost of replacing your equipment following a valid claim. This can help you get back to work with less delay.
How can you reduce the risk of tools being stolen from your van?
You can’t remove the risk of theft completely, but there are ways to make your van and tools less attractive to thieves.
Police guidance recommends removing tools from your vehicle when possible and keeping anything you leave inside out of sight. You can also consider additional security for your van and tools.
A few practical steps include:
- Remove valuable tools from your van overnight where possible
- Keep tools out of sight and use secure storage
- Mark your tools and record their serial numbers
- Keep photographs and proof of purchase for valuable equipment
- Consider additional security for your van
- Park somewhere secure and well lit where possible
Keeping an up to date record of your tools can also help if someone steals them. It can make it easier to identify what’s missing and provide your insurer with the information they may need.
What should you do if your tools are stolen?
Discovering that someone has stolen your tools can be stressful, particularly when you have work booked in and need your equipment to do your job.
Report the theft to the police as soon as you can and make a note of your crime reference number. You should then contact your insurer or broker to report the theft and find out what they need to start your claim.
This is where keeping an up to date record of your equipment can be useful. Serial numbers, photographs and proof of purchase can help you show which tools you’ve lost and provide evidence for your claim.
Your broker can also help you understand the claims process and what happens next.
Make sure your tools insurance reflects how you work
You might use your tools throughout the working day and take them inside every evening. Or you may need to keep them securely in your vehicle overnight. Your insurance needs to take these differences into account, alongside any other protection you need for your work and projects.
That’s why it’s important to explain how and where you store your tools when arranging your insurance. Your broker can talk you through the cover available and explain any important conditions or exclusions. That way, you know what your policy covers before you need to rely on it.
At Robison & Co, we take the time to understand how you work and the tools you need to protect, arranging cover that reflects your business.
If you’d like to talk through your tools insurance, or get a quote, please contact us on 01730 265500 or email hello@robison.co.uk.