Secure your tools, secure your business

Here’s the thing: Without your tools, you can’t do your job, and if you can’t do your job, you’re not earning. Whatever your trade, you’re likely to have a good few tools you’ve acquired over the years. Some will be worth a few quid each, others closer to a few thousand.

If you’re working on a site for a while, it may be tempting to leave your tools on site, but while this may be more convenient, it may not be as secure. Even if they’re insured, losing them will be anything but convenient.

The good news? It can be easy to keep your tools safe. In this article we look at a few simple ways to keep your tools security strong, so you hopefully never have need to make a claim.

Should I leave my tools on a construction site?

Not all construction sites are fully secured, and any tools left overnight may be vulnerable to theft. Think carefully about the security of the site and whether leaving your tools on site is really necessary. Does the greater convenience outweigh the risk?

Many insurers will not pay for personal tools left unattended, unless they are contained within a locked building or storage unit. If you really do have to leave tools on site overnight, consider what you can do to secure them.

Take all reasonable precautions

Many insurers expect tradespeople to take reasonable precautions to protect their personal tools. Most of it isn’t rocket science, but failure to do so could leave you uninsured.

One tools security step you can take is to secure your toolbox or tool-chest with a strong lock. Also, try to make it as difficult as possible to remove it from the site. This might just be enough to deter any opportunists lurking around.

What other security measures can I take?

There are a number of affordable GPS tracking devices available nowadays, so that you can monitor where your tools are at any point and track them down if they are stolen.

This provides an added layer of tools security, which again might be enough to make any would-be thieves think twice before trying to steal your tools.

Attended vs non-attended

Some insurers draw a distinction between 'attended' and 'non-attended' theft. This broadly means whether the owner of the goods is present or not when the theft happens. In the latter case, the insurer may not cover items which have been stolen while unattended.

This is an important issue in terms of leaving tools on site overnight. Read through the different tools insurance policies thoroughly, and find the provisions that matter to you.

What about accidental damage?

Tools left on site overnight may be vulnerable to accidental damage, an important factor to consider when investigating different tools insurance policies.

For example, some policies don't offer protection against the disappearance of a tool, or damage caused by its own breakdown.

Bottom line? make sure you know when your tools will be protected, and when they won't be.

You can get more information on the tools insurance policy available at ToolsInsuranceOnline.

Full details of our Terms & Conditions, Limits, Excesses and Policy Exclusions can be found in our Policy Wording. ToolsInsuranceOnline do not offer advice relating to insurance, and you need to ensure that personal tools insurance you choose meets your demands and needs.