If your business relies on tools, equipment, or gear that moves — to job sites, in vehicles, or between locations — there's a coverage gap most owners don't know about until a theft off a truck goes unpaid. That gap is what inland marine coverage closes.
The gap in standard property coverage
Your commercial property policy generally protects things at your insured premises. The moment your tools leave — a job site, the bed of a truck, a client's location, in transit — that coverage often thins out or disappears. For contractors and mobile businesses, that's exactly where the losses happen.
What inland marine covers
Inland marine insurance covers movable business property wherever it goes:
- Contractors' tools and equipment — on the job, in the truck, in storage.
- Equipment in transit — protected while being moved.
- Installation floaters — materials you're installing at a client site until the job is accepted.
- Property of others in your care, and property at locations you don't own.
The name is a historical artifact (it descends from ocean cargo policies), but the modern purpose is simple: cover the stuff that doesn't stay put.
Who needs it
- Contractors — the classic case; tools are your livelihood and they're constantly on the move.
- Trades and service businesses — HVAC, electricians, landscapers, mobile repair.
- Any business that transports valuable equipment or leaves it at job sites.
Getting it right
Coverage should reflect the real replacement cost of your equipment and the places it actually travels — including leased and borrowed gear if you use it. Request a quote and we'll schedule your tools and equipment so a loss on the road or at the job site is actually covered.
Frequently Asked
Why is it called 'inland marine'?
A historical quirk — this coverage grew out of ocean marine policies that covered goods in transit. Today it covers movable business property on land.
Doesn't my property policy cover my tools?
Usually only while they're at your insured location. Once tools are at a job site, in a truck, or in transit, standard property coverage often falls short — which is the gap inland marine fills.
What can it cover?
Contractor tools and equipment, but also things like installation floaters, transit coverage, and property you're responsible for at other locations.
This article is general information for business owners, not insurance or legal advice, and does not bind or alter coverage. Policy terms, eligibility, and pricing vary by carrier and state — confirm specifics with our licensed team before making decisions.