Inland Marine
Inland Marine Insurance
Inland marine is the branch of property insurance that covers things that move. It descends from ocean marine coverage written for cargo at sea, and it now handles the property a commercial property policy leaves behind the moment that property leaves your building: excavators on a job site, tools in a truck, materials in transit, and equipment installed at a customer's location.
For contractors and equipment-intensive businesses, inland marine is frequently the difference between a manageable loss and a project stopped cold. Because these forms are non-filed, carriers draft them with real flexibility, which means the schedule, valuation basis, and off-premises limits deserve careful reading rather than assumption.
Coverage for mobile equipment, tools, property in transit, installation work, and other property that moves or sits away from your premises.
Coverage detail
What inland marine typically responds to
The items below describe how this line generally behaves. Actual coverage is determined solely by the policy as issued, including its endorsements, exclusions, and limits.
Contractors equipment
Owned, leased, and rented mobile equipment such as excavators, skid steers, lifts, generators, and attachments, scheduled or blanketed by value.
Tools and small equipment
Hand and power tools, including employee-owned tools where covered, with per-item and per-occurrence limits that reflect how crews actually work.
Installation floater
Materials and fixtures you are installing at a customer's site, covered from the moment they leave your supplier until the work is accepted.
Builders risk
Property under construction, including materials on site, in transit, and in temporary storage, generally written for the duration of the project.
Motor truck cargo
Property of others while in your custody during transport, a requirement for most contract carriers and freight arrangements.
Property in transit and off-premises
Goods, samples, and equipment while being moved between locations or temporarily stored away from your premises.
Who needs it
Businesses that should be reviewing this coverage
- General contractors and trade subcontractors with mobile equipment fleets
- Landscaping, site work, and agricultural operations running heavy machinery
- Specialty trades installing HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or millwork at customer sites
- Trucking and delivery businesses hauling property of others
- Businesses shipping inventory, samples, or high-value equipment between locations
Before you bind
Details that change how this policy performs
Scheduled versus blanket
Scheduled equipment lists must be kept current or newly purchased units are uninsured. Blanket limits with a per-item maximum reduce that administrative risk.
Rented and leased equipment
Rental agreements typically make you responsible for damage and, importantly, for the rental company's loss of use. Confirm both are addressed before signing.
Valuation basis
Replacement cost, actual cash value, and stated amount produce very different settlements on older machinery. Match the basis to how you would actually replace the unit.
Theft controls
Job site theft drives most equipment losses. Immobilizers, telematics, secured storage, and documented serial numbers affect both eligibility and pricing.
Related coverage
Other lines to review alongside this one
- General LiabilityProtection against third-party bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury claims arising from your operations.
- Workers' CompensationStatutory coverage for employee medical treatment, lost wages, and rehabilitation after a work-related injury or illness.
- Commercial AutoLiability and physical damage coverage for owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles used in your business operations.
- Commercial PropertyCoverage for buildings, business personal property, tenant improvements, and the income you lose while damage is repaired.
- Surety BondsThree-party guarantees that you will perform an obligation, including bid, performance, payment, and license and permit bonds.
Get a inland marine quote
Tell us about your operations and we will identify the coverage, limits, and endorsements your situation calls for.
Request a Quote