Skip Bin Truck Insurance
A skip truck earns on the drop and the pickup, and both happen in tight driveways with the arm in the air.
We arrange skip bin truck insurance that covers the vehicle, the lifting gear and the damage a bin can do on someone else's property.
Cover shaped around waste and bin hire work, not a generic motor template.
Cover for the Truck That Places the Bin
Skip loader or hook lift, it is the same job with two different set-ups. One lifts the bin on chains from a pair of arms, the other drags it on and off a rail with a single hook, and the cover we arrange treats them as one class of vehicle.
It is a different risk to a tipper. A tipper carts loose material and empties it at the other end. A skip truck lifts a loaded bin over its own cab height and sets it down on a customer's driveway, usually with an audience.
That means overhead strikes, chain and hydraulic failures, and property damage claims that have nothing to do with a collision.
We structure cover that follows the truck through the whole cycle, so one bad lift does not take the business off the road.
Skip Bin Truck Insurance is one of the vehicles we cover under our Commercial Vehicle Insurance.
“Most skip claims do not happen on the road. They happen in the driveway, with the arm up.”
Paul CohalanFounding Principal Broker, All Trucks InsuranceWhat Skip Bin Truck Insurance Typically Covers
Cover is tailored to how you run, and a skip truck policy generally includes the following.
- Accidental damage, collision and rollover to the truck
- Damage to the skip loader arm, hook lift gear, chains and hydraulics
- Damage caused while lifting, including contact with overhead lines, eaves and gantries
- Fire, theft and attempted theft of the vehicle
- Third-party property damage, including driveways, kerbs and fencing
- Towing, recovery and salvage after an incident
- Replacement vehicle or downtime options while repairs are arranged
- Cover while loading, unloading and placing bins
Cover varies by insurer and how you operate. We confirm exactly what is and isn’t included before you rely on it.
The Risks a Skip Bin Truck Faces
Bin work puts a truck in places a road policy was never written for.
Overhead Strikes While Lifting
A skip goes higher than the cab on every lift, and residential streets are full of powerlines, verandah eaves and tree limbs.
Damage to the Customer's Property
Cracked driveways, crushed kerbing and damaged lawns are the most common skip claim, and they are liability rather than motor damage.
Lifting Gear Failure
Chains, hooks, rams and hydraulics carry the whole load. When one lets go the bin, the truck and anything nearby are all in the way.
Cover Types That Work With Skip Bin Truck Insurance
Bin hire operators usually arrange one or two of these alongside the truck policy.
Get Skip Bin Truck Insurance Sorted Properly
Talk to a specialist transport and plant broker who knows what your asset is worth and how it works.
Call 1300 78 78 25Other Vehicles & Equipment We Cover
Most operators run more than one type of asset. These are the ones most often insured alongside it.
Get a Skip Bin Truck Insurance Quote
Tell us about your asset and how you use it. We’ll arrange cover that fits and respond within 1 business day.
Call us1300 78 78 25Skip Bin Truck Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions
For insurance purposes they sit in the same class. A skip loader lifts the bin on chains from a pair of arms, and a hook lift drags it on and off a rail with a single hook. Both carry one bin at a time and both put it down on a customer site. Tell us which set-up you run and we will make sure the policy describes it correctly.
No. They are different trucks doing different work. A skip truck carries one bin at a time, sets it down on a site and comes back for it later. A garbage truck runs a collection route, tips wheelie bins into a compaction body and carts the waste itself. The exposures are not the same, so the policy is not the same either. Tell us which one you run and we will arrange cover for that truck.
No. The truck policy covers the vehicle and the lifting gear fitted to it. Your bins are a separate asset sitting on customer sites, so they are usually scheduled under plant and equipment or general property cover. We will work out how many you run and where they sit before we place anything.
That is a liability claim rather than a motor claim, and it is the one skip operators make most often. Public and transport liability cover is what responds to damage you cause to someone else's property, so we make sure it is in place alongside the truck policy.
It can. Lifting is a known high-risk activity, so we check that the policy responds to incidents that happen mid-lift, including overhead strikes, where the insurer offers it. We confirm that in writing rather than assuming it.
Yes. If you run several trucks, motor fleet insurance can cover them under one renewal with a shared claims history, which usually reads better to an insurer than a handful of separate policies.
Compliance Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Please consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before making any decision.