Inland Marine / Equipment Insurance for marine contractors

An equipment floater (contractors equipment) covers movable construction gear like cranes, pile drivers, and compressors wherever they go. Hull insurance covers the vessel itself (barge, tug, workboat) and its machinery. P&I (protection & indemnity) is the liability side for vessels. We coordinate all three for marine contractors.

We write marine equipment at replacement cost so a sunk barge or a crane that goes over is replaced or repaired new, not depreciated to pennies. Given the cost of marine gear, that's the difference between surviving a loss and going under.

Yes — a marine equipment floater follows your gear wherever it goes: on the barge, on the water, in transit on a lowboy, and staged at the yard. That portability is exactly what marine contractors need, and it's why inland marine is the right form.

We build a schedule listing each major piece — barges, cranes, pile drivers, dredges, workboats — and its replacement value. You can update the schedule as you add or sell gear. Accurate scheduling keeps premiums fair and claims fast.

Yes — sinking, collision, capsize, and going-over are covered causes of loss under a marine equipment floater, subject to the policy terms and deductible. These are exactly the high-severity losses that make this coverage essential.

It can. We can extend coverage to rented and leased equipment — which matters if you rent a crane, barge, or specialty dredge for a job. Tell us what you rent and we'll structure it, including coverage for the rental company's required limits.

Once you document the loss (photos, repair estimate, police/marine report for theft or sinking), marine equipment claims are typically processed quickly so you can repair or replace gear and get back on the water. We help you document to keep it moving.

Most marina contractors pay $2,500–$9,000 a year for $1M/$2M marine general liability, with Jones Act/USL&H rated on over-water payroll and equipment floaters based on scheduled marine gear. We quote the full program in about 15 minutes and show every market's price.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes marine construction crews from the Gulf Coast and Florida to the Chesapeake, New England, the Great Lakes, and the Pacific coast.

About 15 minutes for a standard program. Once bound, we turn around additional-insured certificates, waivers of subrogation, and primary/non-contributory endorsements usually within minutes.

The Jones Act covers crew members who work on navigable waters as 'seamen.' If your crew works on a barge, tug, or over navigable water, standard workers' comp does not apply — you need Jones Act coverage. We'll confirm exactly where your operations fall.

Only upland. Over-water work on navigable waters falls under the Jones Act and USL&H (Longshore), not state workers' comp. We coordinate all three so every crew member is covered everywhere they work.

Equipment is covered under an inland marine / contractors equipment floater (and watercraft may need a separate hull/P&I policy), not under GL. We schedule barges, cranes, pile drivers, and dredges at replacement cost so a loss over water is covered.

Most marine contractors carry $1M/$2M marine GL with a $2M–$5M umbrella. Ports and large marina owners often require $2M–$10M limits plus additional-insured status. We size limits to your actual contract requirements.

Yes — personal auto excludes business use and will deny claims when you haul dock sections or materials. Commercial auto covers your trucks, trailers, and lowboys, including hired/non-owned vehicles.

Often, yes. We have excess-and-surplus (E&S) markets for marine contractors with loss runs, USL&H claims, cancellations, or tough exposures that standard markets decline.

Your marine GL doesn't cover independent subs — they should carry their own (including Jones Act/USL&H) and name you additional insured. We set up certificate tracking and additional-insured requirements so subcontracted work doesn't become your liability.

You reach a person with context, not a queue. We respond within 2 hours, help you document the loss, and manage the claim with the carrier so it's paid correctly and your operation keeps moving.

Marine construction has Jones Act, USL&H, and over-water GL traps that generic carriers miss or deny. A specialty broker knows the maritime statutes, the markets that write marine work, and how to manage a maritime claim.