Insurance of forest machines – what is worth knowing?
When acquiring a forestry machine, e.g. a harvester or a forwarder, you should start with insurance and inspection of the Office of Technical Inspection. These two aspects are interdependent, because insurance companies control whether the machine has an up-to-date inspection. This is a factor that affects insurance risk. Lack of UDT may result in refusal to pay compensation.
A forest machine is a motor vehicle that does not require registration. What does this mean in practice? When using this low-speed vehicle, you are obliged to purchase third party liability insurance when the vehicle enters the road traffic. It often happens that the machine does not have such insurance, so it is important to check before going on a public or private road whether it covers damage caused while moving on them.
The same situation applies to taking out a new policy. It is worth considering how we will move from point A to point B and whether we will need third party liability insurance.
Basic third party liability insurance can be additionally extended by:
- AC insurance
- accident insurance (NNW)
- and Assistance insurance.
Depending on the scope of the conditions of the above-mentioned insurances, it is also worth buying property insurance covering protection against:
- damage
- intentional damage
- failure
- theft of both the machine itself and parts or accessories
- fire
It is important that the insurance is valid both during the operation of the machine, but also during standstill, repairs, repairs and maintenance.
In addition, it is worth asking the insurer whether a machine left in the forest, unattended, requires additional protection.
Such a wide range of possibilities means that policies can be very different from each other. Therefore, it is important to read the terms of the contract so as not to expose yourself to possible losses.
In the case of machine leasing, the conclusion of such a policy may be made by the lessor or the lessee. The first variant is the most common, as it seems the most convenient for both parties, and the insurance can be paid for once or in leasing installments. However, it is possible for the lessee to look for a more advantageous offer on his own. In this case, he must remember that the policy meets the requirements of the leasing company and is additionally obliged to pay the so-called handling fee. External insurance is paid once or in selected installments, e.g. quarterly, half-yearly.
If you have any questions or would like to use our help in choosing insurance, call us. We have extensive knowledge and extensive experience.
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