Inland Marine Insurance — Equipment & Tools
Despite the name, inland marine has nothing to do with boats. It covers business property that moves — the tools in your truck, the equipment on a job site, the gear you carry between clients. Commercial property policies generally stop at your premises; this is what covers everything beyond them.
What it covers
- Tools and equipment while in transit between locations
- Property stored temporarily at a job site
- Theft of tools from a locked vehicle
- Leased or borrowed equipment you are responsible for
- Scheduled high-value items such as specialized machinery
Who needs it
Contractors, tradespeople, mobile service providers, photographers, caterers, and anyone whose working equipment leaves a fixed address.
It also matters if you rent equipment, since rental agreements usually make you liable for damage or loss while it is in your care.
Common gaps we see
Commercial property coverage is generally tied to a scheduled location. Once tools are in a vehicle or on a customer's site they often fall outside it — which owners typically discover after a break-in. Vehicle insurance does not fill that gap either; auto policies cover the vehicle, not the contents.
How SureNest helps
As an independent broker, we compare multiple carriers to match your situation with the right policy — not a one-size-fits-all plan pushed by a single insurer.