Lifting operations, rigging & crane hire

Lifting, rigging & crane contractors insurance

Lifting operations carry some of the highest severity in construction — a dropped load or an overturned crane is a catastrophe claim, so insurers underwrite the trade tightly. Apex arranges cover for crane hire, contract lifting, rigging and machinery-moving contractors, including the exposures standard schemes won’t touch.

Part of: Construction & contractor insurance at Apex

In short

Cover for contract lifting, crane hire, rigging and machinery installation: public and employers’ liability, owned and hired-in lifting plant, and damage to the goods being lifted.

Why lifting and rigging is hard to place

The exposure isn’t frequency, it’s severity. When a lift goes wrong the load, the crane, third-party property and people can all be involved at once, so a single event can be a very large claim. Custody of the goods being lifted sits outside ordinary public liability, and the LOLER duties on lifting equipment add a compliance layer most trades schemes aren’t built for. That combination is why mainstream markets shy away.

We place the trade through underwriters who rate lifting on its merits, and it dovetails with our plant and equipment and steel erection capacity.

What the insurance covers

Public and employers’ liability for lifting operations.
Contract lifting liability — when you take custody and control of the load.
Damage to the goods being lifted or moved.
Owned and hired-in plant — cranes, hoists, gantries, spreader beams and jacks.
Continuing hire charges when hired plant is damaged.
Plant in transit between sites.

Operations we place

Mobile and crawler crane hire with operator
Contract lifts and lift planning
Tower crane operation
Rigging and heavy-lift work
Machinery installation, moving and millwrighting
Steel and plant erection lifting support
Abnormal load handling

What underwriters want to see

Current LOLER thorough-examination certificates, your appointed person and lift-plan process, operator and slinger/signaller training (CPCS or NPORS), ground-condition and outrigger assessment, and a clear line on where you operate as a contract lift versus plain crane hire. These are the levers that move terms.

Related construction cover

Construction hubAll contractor cover Plant & equipmentCranes, hoists and gantries Steel erectorsStructural steelwork Erection all risksPlant & M&E installation

Frequently asked

Crane hire vs contract lift — does it matter?

A great deal. Under a contract lift you take custody of the load and the liability that comes with it; a plain hire shifts more responsibility to the hirer. We set the policy up to match how you actually operate.

Is damage to the load covered?

It can be. Goods being lifted or moved sit outside standard public liability, so we arrange specific cover for the load.

Do you cover hired-in cranes?

Yes, including continuing hire charges when a hired crane is damaged and off-hire.

Do you need LOLER records?

Underwriters expect current thorough-examination certificates for your lifting equipment. Having them to hand improves terms.

Machinery installation and moving?

Yes — factory relocations, plant installation and millwrighting are all placeable.

Lifting cover matched to how you operate

Tell us your plant, whether you do contract lifts and the loads you handle, and we’ll arrange the right cover. Or call 0117 325 0027.

Get a quote Call 0117 325 0027

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.