Crane Trucks/Hiabs
Trucks equipped with hydraulic arms for loading/unloading equipment or materials.
Insurance cover
Crane Truck and HIAB Insurance
Crane trucks and HIABs play an important role in industries like transport, logistics and construction. These dual-purpose vehicles can present unique risks, from equipment damage and loading incidents to third-party liabilities and compliance challenges. Whether managing a single unit or multiple vehicles, having relevant insurance in place may help support your risk management strategy and minimise potential downtime.
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- Crane Truck and HIAB Insurance
What Is Crane Truck/Hiab Insurance?
Crane truck insurance is a form of commercial motor insurance designed to help manage risks associated with operating heavy vehicles that include lifting or hydraulic loading equipment. These vehicles are commonly used by contractors, delivery operators and civil or infrastructure businesses where transporting and handling materials is part of the daily workflow.
Depending on the insurer and policy selected, cover may extend to vehicle damage, theft, fire, public liability or incidents occurring during operation or transit. At Insuregroup, we assist businesses across Australia in comparing insurance options aligned with their crane truck usage and operational requirements.
Do You Need Crane Truck/Hiab Insurance?
If your work involves transporting goods or operating a mounted crane or hydraulic arm, this type of insurance may be worth considering. Crane trucks are often exposed to additional risks during loading or unloading, operating on work sites or navigating through varying traffic environments.
Not all general commercial motor policies will cover the full scope of these activities, such as lifting operations or long-haul use. Assessing your policy with a broker may help clarify whether your current cover reflects your business needs, service area and equipment value.
Insuregroup
Why Insuregroup?
Flexible payment options may be available to assist with managing business cash flow while keeping your vehicle covered.
Expert Advice
Our brokers understand the transport and lifting sectors, helping you assess options for crane truck and HIAB insurance based on your usage and exposure.
Quick Quotes
Need cover quickly? We aim to provide efficient turnaround on quotes so you can assess your options without delay and stay focused on operations.
Range of Options
With access to a wide insurer network, we can help you compare products that reflect your business location, industry and equipment setup.
Types of Crane Trucks/Hiabs That Can Be Insured
We work with businesses across a range of sectors, helping them explore cover for different vehicle types used for material handling, freight and onsite lifting tasks.
Examples of insurable vehicles include:
Flatbeds With Lifting Equipment
Ideal for building supplies, site equipment or irregular loads.
Tippers With Crane Attachments
Common in excavation and landscaping for dual transport and lift use.
Pantechs With Cranes
Used for heavier boxed goods that need assisted unloading.
Curtainsiders With Hiabs
For palletised freight, where loading support is needed at delivery points.
Tabletops With Light Cranes
Frequently used for urban delivery of equipment or compact materials.
Tow Trucks With Cranes
Often used to recover or reposition vehicles or machinery.
Whether your vehicle is used locally or on longer routes, reviewing your insurance annually or as your operations grow can be an important step in managing risk and ensuring continuity. As a member of the Steadfast Insurance Group, Insuregroup gives you access to a wide panel of insurers across Australia. We assist in identifying suitable policies aligned with your vehicle’s purpose, industry and operational environment.
What to expect
Driving Versus Lifting: Where Crane Truck Cover Splits
A crane truck is a vehicle on the road and a crane once the outriggers go down. Motor policies are written for vehicles being driven and parked, and some limit or exclude liability arising from lifting operations. The lift itself often needs to be covered under a liability policy that includes lifting, or a specific extension.
- Crane and boom damage. Check the crane is included in the agreed value and whether damage while lifting is covered.
- Dropped loads. A customer’s goods being lifted are property in your care, custody or control, which general liability policies commonly exclude.
- Contract lifts versus your own goods. Lifting for others carries different exposures from unloading your own materials, so tell the insurer which you do.
- Principal requirements. Builders and principals often ask for specific liability limits and a certificate of currency before you lift on their site.
Our guide to lifting with a hiab and where the motor policy stops and our article on crane and hiab lifting liability explain these gaps in more detail. Mobile crane businesses should also see crane operators insurance.
What to expect
What Does Crane Truck/Hiab Insurance Cover?
The coverage offered under an insurance policy for a crane truck or HIAB vehicle will vary based on factors such as the insurer, vehicle type, lifting capacity and how the vehicle is used. However, many policies may include protection against key operational risks.
Cover may include:
- Accidental damage to the insured vehicle
- Theft, fire or malicious damage
- Public liability for injury or property damage
- Incidents during lifting, loading or transit
- Towing and recovery after an insured event
- Optional extras such as windscreen repair or rental vehicle assistance
Each policy will also have its own conditions and limits. As these can be complex, our brokers can assist in comparing insurers and navigating your options to help you find cover suited to your vehicle’s use and business operations.
What to expect
What Does Crane Truck/Hiab Insurance Not Cover?
Understanding the limitations of your policy is equally important as knowing what is included. Exclusions, just like inclusions, can vary between providers and may affect claims in certain situations.
Common exclusions may include:
- Gradual wear, rust or deterioration
- Mechanical or electrical breakdowns not linked to an insured event
- Use by unlicensed or unauthorised drivers
- Operations outside the agreed business purpose
- Damage resulting from illegal activity
- Modifications not disclosed to the insurer
We recommend reading through the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully to understand any exclusions. Our team is available to assist you in assessing and making sense of these details, supporting informed decisions concerning your cover.
Request a quote
Crane Truck and HIAB Insurance Online Quote
Please select from the options as required. You can select one or more options. Complete the form below to receive a quote. Completing the form usually takes 5 minutes. Having trouble with the form? Contact Insuregroup
How it runs
Our Process
The Insuregroup Insurance Process – Insurance Solutions on Demand.
We’ve streamlined our process to make arranging insurance fast and straightforward. Simply complete our online quote form with a few details and we’ll compare options from our network of insurers. Most quotes are turned around within 24 hours.
Submit a Quote Request, Online or by Phone
Start by submitting a quote request through our online form or by calling our team. Provide your business and vehicle details, and we’ll begin sourcing the most suitable crane truck insurance options for you.
We Source Competitive Quotes
We search a wide network of reputable insurers to find the most competitive and relevant policies for your crane trucks, drivers and equipment – typically within 24 hours.
Receive a Clear, Detailed Quote Summary
We present the available options in a clear, easy-to-understand email summary, outlining coverage, pricing and key inclusions tailored to your needs.
Finalise and Get Covered
Once you’re satisfied with the recommended policy, simply accept the quote. We’ll handle the paperwork and activate your cover quickly – often on the same day.
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Your Broker
Stirling Sanderson, Principal Broker
Stirling set up Insuregroup in 2014 after many years as an insurance underwriter and broker. He oversees the day-to-day broking, negotiates with insurers for clients and helps with claims, for everyone from single-truck owner-drivers to large fleets of trucks and heavy plant.
- Qualifications
- Bachelor of Business, majoring in Insurance; Diploma of Financial Services (Australian Institute of Insurance and Finance)
- Experience
- Licensed authorised broker for over 10 years
- Authorised Representative No.
- 453069
Insuregroup have been very professional and prompt in dealing with the management of our insurances for the last 3 years.
Questions We Get Asked
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference in insurance between a crane truck and HIAB?
While often used interchangeably, HIAB refers to a brand of loader cranes rather than a different vehicle type. Insurance needs may differ slightly based on equipment type and usage, so it’s worth reviewing the specifics with a broker.
How does crane truck insurance differ from crane operators insurance?
Crane truck insurance focuses on the vehicle and its equipment, while crane operators insurance generally relates to standalone cranes and operator liability. Selecting an appropriate policy generally requires an assessment of how the machinery is integrated into your business.
What does crane truck/HIAB insurance cost?
The cost of crane truck or HIAB insurance in Australia depends on several factors, including the make and model of the truck, the value of the vehicle and equipment, how and where the vehicle is operated, the level of cover selected and more. Speaking with a broker can help you understand which factors are most relevant to your situation and provide a clearer estimate based on your operational profile.
How can I get a quote for crane truck/HIAB Insurance?
You can request a quote using our online form or by contacting our team directly to discuss your vehicle, usage and cover requirements. We’ll help gather the relevant details and present options from our network of insurers to support a well-informed decision.
How long does the process take?
We aim to respond to every enquiry promptly. With a great deal of experience in our field, we can generally turn around a quote and bind a policy within 24 hours.
Can you produce certificates of insurance immediately?
With access to advanced technology, we can provide electronic certificates of insurance for you in a prompt and timely manner. We do require payment prior to issuing the certificates, however.
Does Insuregroup shop around extensively?
Insuregroup has access to over 100 insurance markets both nationally and internationally. We routinely research these markets to ensure our customers get the right cover and the best available price.
What if I need to know more about insurance covers?
Choosing an insurance policy is a significant investment – it is important to feel informed and involved in the process and our team recognises that you might want clarification on a few points before committing to anything.If you feel you would like to learn more, we invite you to email us at hello@insuregroup.com.au so our friendly team can answer any queries you may have. View our latest guides on insurance, regulatory considerations and managing risk.
Guides and articles
More on Crane Truck and HIAB Insurance
Lifting With a Hiab or Crane Truck: Where the Motor Policy Stops
A hiab truck is a vehicle on the road and a crane on site. Motor and liability policies…
Heavy Equipment Insurance Cost: What Drives the Premium
A plant premium reflects how machines work, move and are secured as much as what they are worth…
How Much Does Truck Insurance Cost in Australia?
What sets the price of truck insurance in Australia: the vehicle, how it is used, radius, goods carried…
Crane and Hiab Insurance: Lifting Liability Explained
Standard liability covers what you damage — except, very often, the thing on the hook.