Maintenance inside an operating facility exposes contractors to existing plant, production interruption, hot work and multiple trades working to a tight schedule. The contract can impose obligations beyond an ordinary liability policy.
We consider the specific methods, sites and contractual requirements of this occupation before approaching available markets.
What changes the insurance assessment
Industries and sites served; work on live equipment; hot work; confined spaces; pressure systems; lifting and installation; shutdown durations; principal-supplied materials; subcontractors; maximum value of property worked on.
Covers to discuss
Public/products liability, property in care/custody/control, plant, contract works or installation, professional indemnity for engineering, and pollution where relevant. Review loss of production or consequential loss language and the policy’s exclusions.
Maintenance and shutdown exposures
List the industries and sites served, whether equipment remains live, and the share of work involving hot works, confined spaces, pressure systems or hazardous substances. State who isolates plant, signs permits, tests completed work and controls subcontractors during a shutdown. The criticality of the equipment and expected interruption from a mistake may matter more than the value of the maintenance contract.
Review property being worked on, care and custody, hot work conditions and any exclusion for consequential loss. Public liability may address covered third-party damage, while rectifying faulty work and lost production require separate wording analysis. Send the maintenance contract and the customer’s insurance clauses with the submission.
Information to prepare
Provide a clear description and turnover split of your activities, locations, project values, required liability limits, licences, subcontractor arrangements, current policy and claims history. Include relevant contracts and methods for the higher-risk work. We will identify any further information underwriters need.
Questions contractors ask
“Will liability insure the machine we are repairing?” Property being worked upon often needs special consideration. “Is loss of production insured?” Determine the cause, contractual obligations and wording first.
Public and products liability guide · Contract works · D&C PI
Talk through your work and contract
Call 1300 310 467 or send an enquiry. Cover and availability depend on insurer terms and the full risk details.