Building Material Dealer Insurance

Equipment Breakdown for building material dealers.

Equipment breakdown (boiler & machinery) coverage for the systems that keep a building supply operation running — kilns, air compressors, dust collection, forklift chargers, boilers, pressure vessels, and electrical panels. Standard property policies exclude this.

Get a Quote 844-967-5247

What this coverage does

Equipment breakdown — historically called boiler and machinery — covers the sudden, accidental mechanical or electrical failure of equipment that a property policy excludes. For a building material dealer, the systems at risk are the operational backbone: kilns at a sawmill or lumber operation, large air compressors that power the yard, dust collection systems, forklift and EV chargers, boilers and pressure vessels, and the electrical panels and switchgear that feed the facility.

When one of these fails — a kiln cracks, a compressor seizes, a panel short-circuits, a pressure vessel ruptures — the repair or replacement cost is often in five or six figures, the business interruption is real, and the property policy will not respond because the failure is mechanical or electrical rather than a covered cause of loss. Equipment breakdown closes that gap.

What's covered

The coverages that matter for a dealer.

Structured into one policy — not a list of disconnected line items.

Pressure vessels & boilers

Coverage for the rupture or mechanical failure of boilers, pressure vessels, steam systems, and similar equipment — the classic boiler-and-machinery exposure and the line's namesake.

Electrical equipment

Sudden damage to electrical panels, switchgear, transformers, and motors from short circuits, arcing, or electrical failure — a frequent and expensive loss at any facility, and excluded by standard property.

Production & mechanical equipment

Mechanical breakdown of compressors, pumps, conveyors, dust collection, saw motors, kiln heating systems, and similar mechanical equipment central to the operation.

Computer & communications equipment

Sudden failure of computers, servers, point-of-sale, and communications equipment from electrical disturbance — increasingly relevant as dealers rely on inventory and logistics systems.

Business interruption from breakdown

Lost income and continuing expense while equipment is being repaired or replaced — the indirect cost of a breakdown that frequently exceeds the direct repair cost, especially for a kiln or compressor that brings the operation to a halt.

Expediting expense

The cost of expediting repairs — overtime, rush parts, temporary equipment — to get back to operation faster. Often the difference between a 2-week and an 8-week outage.

Who it's for

Built for dealers, by a former contractor.

If you sell, store, or deliver building materials, this coverage line is part of your program. Common operations we insure:

Sawmills and lumber operations with kilns
Dealers with large compressed-air systems powering the yard
Operations with dust collection or material-handling machinery
Facilities with significant electrical infrastructure
Dealers operating pressure vessels or steam equipment
Operations where equipment downtime means days of lost revenue

Why Contractors Choice Agency

The difference is in how it's built.

1
We identify the equipment at your facility that property excludes — kilns, compressors, panels, pressure vessels — and size the breakdown coverage to the replacement cost and business-interruption exposure of each.
2
We coordinate equipment breakdown with property and business income so a single event (a fire that also damages the compressor) is covered cleanly across lines, not argued between them.
3
We help you satisfy the inspection and jurisdictional requirements that often accompany pressure vessels and boilers — keeping the coverage in force and the operation compliant.
4
20+ years, all 50 states, 15-minute quotes, 2-hour claims response.

Quote your equipment breakdown today.

15-minute quote. 2-hour claims response. Licensed all 50 states.

Get a Quote 844-967-5247

FAQ

Common questions about equipment breakdown.

Isn't equipment breakdown covered by my property policy?

No. Standard commercial property policies exclude sudden mechanical, electrical, or pressure-system breakdown of equipment. A boiler rupture, a compressor seizure, an electrical-panel short, or a kiln crack are all equipment-breakdown events that the property policy will not pay. Equipment breakdown is a separate coverage — often inexpensive relative to the exposure — that fills this gap.

What equipment at a building supply dealer needs breakdown coverage?

The list depends on the operation, but commonly: kilns (sawmill and lumber operations), large air compressors, dust collection systems, material-handling and conveyor equipment, saw motors, forklift and equipment chargers, boilers and pressure vessels, and the main electrical panels and switchgear. We walk the facility with you to identify the equipment that matters and size the coverage to it.

Does equipment breakdown cover business interruption?

Yes — most equipment-breakdown policies include time-element (business interruption and extra expense) coverage for the income lost while the failed equipment is being repaired or replaced. For a kiln or main compressor, this is often the larger part of the loss. We size the time element to your realistic repair timeline.