Types of Insurance for Woodworking Tradies Tools and Equipment
Tradesmen and women in all fields use a wide selection of specialist tools. These can be both power tools and manual and are often expensive. This makes them vulnerable to thieves and sadly there are lots of unscrupulous people who will take advantage of lapses in security to steal anything they can sell. This particularly so when tools and other equipment are left in a van or vehicle overnight, which is often necessary.
Insurance for tools should be a must for any tradesperson who needs to use expensive tools, and for loss and damage as well as for theft. In this article we talk about what type of insurance you can get for tools, what you need to think about when getting insurance, and how you can improve security to prevent such theft. Let’s start with an explanation of tools of trade insurance and what it’s all about.
What is Tools of Trade Insurance?
It is foolish to overlook tools of trade insurance if you want to ensure that your collection is protected. Your tools may include everything from traditional woodworking tools that are used manually to more modern examples that are powered. The fact remains that even the most basic of quality woodworking tools – and as a professional quality is the only way to go – will be expensive, valuable and also saleable.
When it comes to power tools these are surprisingly easy to sell especially if they are relatively new and have a wider appeal than just for craftsmen. The likes of drills, for example, are highly saleable if they are of the desired brand, and they can be stolen and sold easily and without a trace.
Tools are also lost easily, perhaps by leaving something at a location you’ve been working at and finding it has gone when you go back to get it. There’s a lot of opportunity for loss of tools when moving from place to place, and you can get a tools of trade insurance deal that covers this.
It’s important that when you arrange our tools of trade insurance you check the cover encompasses all the possible options that can lead to the loss of your tools. What you can do is prevent loss to the best possible level, so let’s have a look at how that can be done.
Improve Your Security
It remains a fact that theft of tools is sadly a common occurrence wherever you may be, so adding to your current security is certainly a sensible investment. In addition to investing in insurance what can you do to make sure your tools are as secure as possible at all times? Here are some suggestions for you to consider:
- ID your tools: if your tools are inscribed with your name, they become less attractive to thieves. People want to buy tools that are clean and cannot be identified should they be recovered, so get someone to inscribe a name or initials prominently on your tools.
- Lock them away at night: if you habitually leave your tools in your vehicle it’s time to get out of the habit. It adds extra time to the day but is worth it. Find somewhere secure – perhaps instal a locker in your garage or workshop or put them in a cupboard in the house – and make sure the vehicle has a sign declaring it empty, and you will deter thieves.
- Take only what you need: if you are heading to a specific job then take only the tools you need. Taking those that are unnecessary increases the possibility of loss or theft of tools that need not be there.
- Secure the workshop: if you do have a workshop then make sure it is as secure as it can possibly be, with not only locks and an alarm but also exterior motion-sensing lights as a further deterrent.
- Keep them out of sight: don’t make it obvious you have expensive tools in your van or place of work, and keep windows covered so thieves cannot take a look in and make a note to come back later when you’re not there.
These are just a few of many ideas you can draw upon to keep your tools and equipment as safe as possible, and there are many more. Remember that if something can be picked up and carried away it is of interest to those with bad intentions, so if workshop tools can be anchored to a base make sure they are.
If you want to find more information about insurance deals it’s worth spending some time investigating what is available from a range of insurers, and you can get quotes from as many as you want to compare. Make an inventory of your tools now and start enquiring with insurers.
