★ Commercial · Equipment breakdown
When the machine that runs your business stops.
Equipment breakdown insurance (the modern name for boiler & machinery) covers the sudden failure of the equipment your business depends on: HVAC, refrigeration, production lines, electrical systems. And the spoilage and lost income while it's down.
Free quotes · No obligation · A licensed specialist answers, usually within one business day
The repair might be $15k; two weeks of lost production can be six figures.
★ What it covers
What’s covered and what isn’t.
Plain English, no fine-print games. Every policy has exclusions; here are the ones that actually matter for Equipment Breakdown.
What it covers
- Sudden mechanical breakdownA compressor seizes, a motor burns out, a gearbox fails. An actual sudden failure, not wear and tear.
- Electrical arcing & power surgeShort circuits and arcs that fry panels, controls, and connected equipment.
- HVAC & boiler failureThe systems that heat, cool, and pressurize your building. When they quit, everything downstream feels it.
- Refrigeration breakdownWalk-ins and display cases, plus spoilage coverage for the inventory inside when the cooling dies.
- Production machineryThe line stops, the coverage pays to repair or replace it and get you running again.
- Business interruption & extra expenseLost income while equipment is down, plus the cost of temporary fixes. Often the biggest part of the claim.
What it doesn’t cover
- Wear and tearGradual deterioration is maintenance, not insurance. Breakdown covers sudden failure. Upkeep is on you.
- Flood, earthquake, and other property exclusionsBreakdown doesn't override your property policy's exclusions. Those perils still need their own coverage.
- Equipment you don't ownLeased equipment is usually the lessor's responsibility. Check whose policy responds before you buy.
- Known deferred maintenanceCarriers investigate neglected equipment. A failure you saw coming and ignored is a denied claim.
- Cosmetic damageIf it still works fine, a scuff or dent isn't a breakdown.
- Testing and intentional overloadDamage during testing, or from running equipment past its rated capacity on purpose.
All quotes are subject to carrier underwriting and final approval. Coverage availability, terms, and pricing vary by state and carrier. The lists above describe typical Equipment Breakdown policies, not any specific carrier’s form.
★ Who needs it
If this sounds like you, you need breakdown coverage.
The businesses that buy Equipment Breakdown most, and the one-line reason each one does.
Manufacturers
A stopped production line is stopped revenue. The repair bill is the small part of the claim.
Restaurants & grocers
A walk-in failure overnight means a cooler of spoiled inventory by morning.
Healthcare facilities
Imaging, sterilization, and surgical-suite HVAC can't go down. Patients are on the schedule.
Hotels & hospitality
Guest comfort is the product. No AC, no hot water, no guests.
Laundromats & dry cleaners
The machines are the business. When they stop, revenue stops with them.
★ What it costs
What drives the price.
Carriers price Equipment Breakdown on exposure, not vibes. Here’s what moves your number, and what you can actually influence.
- Equipment age & value: Older, expensive gear costs more to insure. Replacement value drives the base rate.
- Maintenance contracts: Documented preventive maintenance earns credits and wins claim disputes. No records, no leverage.
- Backup & redundancy: A spare compressor or redundant system changes the risk math, and the price.
- Business interruption limits: Income coverage is priced on your revenue exposure. Underinsure the downtime and the claim won't make you whole.
- Loss history: A clean record earns preferred pricing; a pattern of breakdowns tells the carrier the maintenance story.
★ Often quoted together
Pairs well with Equipment Breakdown.
Most businesses don’t buy one policy in isolation. Most businesses don’t buy one policy in isolation. These are the lines breakdown buyers usually quote at the same time. One specialist quotes the whole package.
Commercial Property
Breakdown coverage usually starts as an endorsement on your property policy. Quote them together.
Business Owner's Policy
The cost-effective route for small operations: equipment breakdown as a BOP endorsement.
Inland Marine
Mobile equipment in transit needs inland marine; the fixed equipment back at the shop needs breakdown.
★ Straight answers
Questions breakdown coverage buyers actually ask.
The short version of what our licensed specialists explain on calls every week.
Isn't equipment breakdown already in my commercial property policy?
What's the difference between equipment breakdown and a maintenance contract?
Does it cover spoilage when my refrigeration fails?
Does business interruption really matter on this policy?
Will a claim be denied because my equipment is old?
Can I add this to my BOP instead of buying standalone?
Get my quote
Get your Equipment Breakdown quote. Two minutes.
Tell us about the business. A licensed specialist shops the carriers and comes back with real options.
- About 2 minutes, built for Equipment Breakdown
- A licensed specialist follows up, usually within one business day
- No bait prices, no call centers, no selling your information
Free quotes. No obligation. Written through Patriot Independent Insurance Partners, licensed in TX, FL, GA, SC, AL, MS, NC, CA, and CO. Your information is never sold to lead brokers.