Can you get Survey Equipment Insurance?
Yes, you can. But finding the right type of survey equipment insurance for your survey equipment can be difficult. You need insurance cover that covers you for whatever might happen to your surveying equipment when either in use or not in use.
I do not sell insurance for surveying equipment and there are no affiliate links in this article. The information and links are purely based on my experience. Experience that I am sharing so that you can find the right insurance for your survey equipment.
All Risk Land Survey Equipment Insurance.
Finding the right insurance for surveying equipment can be exceedingly difficult. Surveying equipment can be extremely expensive and is used in all conditions and locations. Insurance is one of those things that you do not need until things go wrong. But when thing do go wrong you need to be back working quickly and with minimal hassle.
Do you have your survey equipment insured for any eventuality in any location?
I have been hiring or owned Robotic Total Stations and GPS Surveying Equipment since 2004 and have had them insured with HLI Registered Insurance Brokers (www.hlib.co.uk) and Anchorman Insurance Consultants Ltd. Both of these companies provide an all risk insurance for surveying equipment which also covers your instruments away from the office.
Survey Equipment Insurance Experience.
Insurance is one of those things that you do not need until things go wrong. And, I have had things go wrong a couple of times that required the services of HLI Registered Insurance Brokers. Both times have been due to accidental damage, not all my fault I hasten to add, but these things do happen. In both cases HLI Registered Insurance Brokers dealt with the claims efficiently and proactively.
What about theft of Survey Equipment?
It seems that recently there has been more thefts of surveying equipment. Usually this is from drive by collections of instruments or stolen from vehicles. Below is a few of the thefts of Survey Equipment that I have found recently. These links will take you to other sites and may not always be maintained.
- £60,000 worth of surveying equipment stolen from a street corner in Oswaldtwistle in broad daylight. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/15697161.60-000-worth-surveying-equipment-stolen-street-corner-oswaldtwistle-broad-daylight/
- Survey Equipment Stolen and car damaged in Bromsgrove theft. https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/regional/18536173.equipment-stolen-car-damaged-bromsgrove-theft/
- Survey Equipment Stolen at South Mimms. https://www.herts.police.uk/news-and-appeals/who-has-stolen-surveying-equipment-in-south-mimms-0233j
- Surveying Equipment Stolen from van in Handforth. https://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/18259259.surveying-equipment-taken-van-handforth/
- Workmen threatened surveying Equipment Stolen. https://coalville.nub.news/n/workmen-threatened-with-metal-pipe-during-survey-equipment-raid-in-whitwick
- Surveying Equipment stolen from A52. https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/news/derbyshire/news/appeals/south/2019/september/appeal-after-surveying-equipment-stolen-from-a52/
- Surveying Equipment Stolen in Coquitlam. https://www.tricitynews.com/news/someone-made-off-with-85k-worth-of-coquitlam-surveyor-s-gear-1.24074621
How can you protect your Survey Equipment?
There are numerous ways that you can protect your survey equipment from being stolen. These can be both physical and electronic types of protection. There is no best solution that will fit your circumstances, that I can recommend. But here are some of the options that are available to you.
- Wren A Guard. This is a physical system that attaches to the tripod. The kit comprises of a lock, an alarm and a lanyard to secure the tripod of the survey equipment. https://www.mpsurvey.co.uk/product/wren-a-guard/
- DataTag. DataTag is recognised as one of the leading anti-theft systems in the UK. There is also special rates for members of The Survey Association. https://www.datatag.co.uk/survey-equipment.php
- Leica LOC8. The Leica LOC8 system provides tracking information for Leica Total Stations and GPS Equipment. For more in formation about the Leica LOC8 System either visit the Leica website or read this article about Leica LOC8. For a story about how the Leica LOC8 works read about how a total station was recovered in under 3 hours. https://www.mpsurvey.co.uk/high-value-equipment-stolen-and-recovered-within-3-hours/
- Topcon TS Shield. For more information on the Topcon TSshield look at this website https://www.topcon.co.jp/en/positioning/products/product/tss/TSshield_E.html
- Trimble L2P. The Trimble L2P works in a similar way to that of the Leica LOC8 system. Here Survey Solutions detail how they managed to recover a stolen total station in under two hours. https://www.survey-solutions.co.uk/news/2018/03/stolen-instrument-recovered-in-under-2-hours/
Even if you do not have any of the above devices, there is still a chance you could get your survey equipment back. Just make sure that you have the serial numbers and inform your manufacturer.
And when buying any second hand surveying equipment always check the serial numbers with manufacturers, as they may well be able to tell you the history of the equipment. Here is an article about what can happen when survey equipment serial numbers are checked prior to purchase. https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2020/07/23/man-caught-selling-stolen-high-tech-survey-gear-online/
Where can you buy Survey Equipment Insurance.
The two places that I know about that do insurance for land surveying equipment are HLI Registered Insurance Brokers and Anchorman Insurance Consultants Ltd.
Links to Survey Equipment Insurance Suppliers.
I have used both of the above-mentioned companies to insure survey equipment. Both give good service and well worth getting a quote from both. The insurance will usually include public liability and employer’s liability insurance also as standard.
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