Not everything your business owns stays in one place—and that’s where traditional property insurance falls short. If your tools, equipment, or inventory travel with you, your company may be exposed to more risk than you realize. That’s why many New York businesses rely on inland marine insurance to fill in the gaps. New York Inland Marine Insurance is designed to protect high-value items while they’re on the move or stored away from your main location. From stolen tools to damaged trade show gear, this policy offers a layer of coverage that standard commercial property insurance usually doesn’t.
Understanding What Inland Marine Insurance Does
Despite the name, inland marine insurance has nothing to do with boats. Instead, it originated as a way to protect shipments that traveled over land. Today, it’s one of the most important coverages for any company that regularly moves equipment or goods.
Some examples of what’s covered:
- Contractor tools and machinery at job sites
- Electronics and equipment in transit
- Inventory sent between locations or stored offsite
- Displays, artwork, or merchandise used at temporary events
- Specialty equipment used at client premises
Let’s say you run an event business and some AV gear gets damaged while being set up at a venue. Or you’re a roofer whose trailer gets broken into overnight. These are the kinds of losses inland marine insurance is built to handle.
Why New York Businesses Need This Coverage
If you operate in New York, you already know that moving gear across the city or state comes with added risk. Busy streets, unpredictable weather, and high theft rates all add up. And with so many industries relying on mobility—from contracting to healthcare to media—it’s essential to have protection that goes beyond your building’s walls.
General property policies typically only cover loss or damage when items are at your main location. That means a laptop stolen from a truck or tools lost during transport may not be covered.
Inland marine insurance helps protect your business from these types of incidents. And because it’s flexible, the policy can be shaped to fit your business’s specific needs, whether you have one vehicle or a dozen, or you store equipment at a customer’s site or a shared warehouse.
When Coverage Really Matters
Here are a few real-world examples that show where inland marine insurance could make the difference:
- A construction team has equipment stolen from a locked trailer overnight in Queens.
- A business exhibits at a trade show and discovers their displays were damaged during shipment.
- A photographer’s gear gets lost while traveling to a client shoot.
- A catering company has food service equipment damaged while stored at a rented venue.
In each of these cases, inland marine coverage helps keep operations running without having to absorb a major financial loss.
What Isn’t Covered
Like any policy, inland marine insurance has limits. It generally doesn’t include:
- Damage caused by wear and tear or maintenance issues
- Items kept permanently at your main office (covered under standard property insurance)
- Company vehicles (covered by commercial auto)
- Large-scale shipments already insured under a separate transportation policy
This is why it’s so important to review the fine print with an insurance professional who understands your industry.
Signs Your Business Might Need Inland Marine Insurance
Not sure if this coverage applies to you? Ask yourself:
- Do your employees take tools or gear to job sites?
- Does your business transport inventory between locations?
- Do you attend trade shows or pop-ups with company property?
- Do you keep valuable equipment at temporary locations?
- Are you using rented equipment for business operations?
If you said yes to any of the above, inland marine coverage is worth exploring.
Use Kaplan Insurance to Find the Best Inland Marine Policy
Your inland marine policy should take into account the fact that no two businesses are alike. In order to determine risk exposures and develop customized policies that satisfy operational and industry requirements, the Kaplan Insurance team collaborates with New York business owners
You will benefit from:
- Availability of reputable carriers with affordable quotes
- Assist in checking for coverage gaps in your current auto and property policies.
- Suggestions for combining inland marine insurance with other business insurance to possibly save money