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You might think that a policy that is designed to protect autos and trucks that are used by a business would cover any type of vehicle. That is a dangerous assumption, at least with regards to providing complete protection. There are instances when coverage for damage to certain types of vehicles and the legal responsibility for their use may have to be covered by two different policies. Mobile equipment falls into that nether region of insurance coverage.

The simple distinction between regular commercial vehicles and mobile equipment is that, while vehicles have the primary purpose of transportation of persons or property, the primary purpose of mobile equipment is to perform the special function of the particular equipment. With the latter property, its mobility acts merely to get the equipment to a site in order to complete a given job.

Because of this difference, mobile equipment qualifies for coverage under:

  • A commercial automobile policy when the loss involves operation of the property as a vehicle, particularly traveling to and from job sites, while being loaded, entering in and out of it, and in similar circumstances.
  • A commercial property or commercial general liability policy when the loss involves operation of the property as equipment. Generally the equipment is parked and anchored during such use.

Many types of mobile equipment are used in construction, mining, farming, commercial cleaning, sign installation, roadwork and other heavy-duty work situations. The variety of mobile equipment, consisting of both self-propelled units and trailers, is endless.

Examples of Mobile Equipment

Though not an inclusive list, examples of mobile equipment include:

Asphalt pavers

Tractors

Graders

Backhoes

Mowers

Manlifts

Buckets

Scrapers

Power shovels

Rollers

Fellers/bunchers

Front-end loaders

Rear-end loaders

Stone crushing plants

Drilling rigs

Mounted generators

Borers

Concrete mixers

Trenchers

Off-highway trucks

Forklifts

Crew Transports

Shredders

Conveyors

Mobile Communication Centers

De-limbers

De-barkers

Chippers

Grinders

Compactors

Peeling Machines

Pile drivers

Tower cranes

Skidders

Slashers

Mobile cranes

Derricks

Excavators

Bulldozers

Traffic Light Service Trucks

Boom Trucks

Cranes with magnets

Track-type loaders

Log loaders

Pumpers

Recyclers

Grapplers

Distributors

   

When you have to protect a vehicle that also functions as equipment, be sure to discuss your proper coverage needs with an insurance professional.


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