Scheduled attachment
Damage to the breaker itself, which usually needs to be listed by make, model and value rather than assumed under the machine.
Hydraulic Breaker Insurance
0418 166 122Compare hydraulic breaker insurance quotes from multiple Australian insurers. Insurance quotes from a licensed Australian broker with Steadfast network access.
By requesting a quote you accept our financial services guide and privacy policy. General information only.
Hydraulic Breaker Insurance
Cover for rock breakers and hydraulic hammers used as excavator attachments.
A hydraulic breaker spends its life doing the most violent work on site, and that shows up in claims. Constant vibration loosens hoses and mounts, the tool bushings wear fast, and the host excavator takes punishment through its boom and pins. Breakers are also small enough to lift off a machine and drive away, so theft sits alongside damage as a real exposure.
What is it?
A hydraulic breaker, also called a rock breaker or hammer, is an excavator or skid steer attachment that drives a steel tool with hydraulic percussion. Sizes run from small units on 1.7t mini excavators to large hammers on 30t-plus machines. Common brands in Australia include Epiroc, Rammer, Indeco, Montabert, NPK and Furukawa, alongside imported units used widely in hire fleets.
What does hydraulic breaker insurance cover?
Host machine damage
Damage transmitted into the excavator's boom, pins and hydraulics, which is assessed differently from damage to the hammer.
Theft from site
Breakers left on machines or in yards overnight are a frequent theft target, generally subject to security conditions.
What affects the cost?
- Breaker size and replacement value
- Material being broken, such as concrete or hard rock
- Whether the unit is hired out
- Overnight storage and yard security
- Age and service history of the hammer
Worth raising on the call
- Wear parts such as tools, bushings and retainer pins are commonly excluded as maintenance items.
- Confirm the breaker is scheduled in its own right rather than assumed to sit inside the excavator's value.
- Damage the hammer causes to the host machine is often argued, so raise it before you buy the cover.
Claims we are commonly asked about
Hose lets go mid-shift
Constant percussion works a hydraulic line fitting loose on a hard rock job and the hose bursts, spraying oil down the boom and into the ground under the machine. The hose itself is a cheap fix, but the environmental clean-up and soil removal is often the larger part of the claim and is generally assessed under a separate section of the policy.
Hammer lifted off overnight
A mid-size breaker is left pinned to an excavator on a partly fenced civil site over a long weekend and is gone by Tuesday morning. Claims like this commonly turn on whether the site security described when the cover was arranged was actually in place on the night, so photographs and site records matter.
Cracked boom after long hammering
An operator runs the breaker at full stroke against a stubborn concrete slab for most of a shift and a crack appears around a weld on the excavator's boom. The discussion that follows is usually whether this is sudden accidental damage or accumulated fatigue from the way the hammer was used.
Worth confirming in the wording
- Worth confirming whether damage the hammer transmits into the host excavator's boom, pins and hydraulics is treated as insured damage or as gradual wear.
- Worth confirming whether the breaker is covered while detached from the machine and sitting on a stand, in the yard or on the back of a truck.
- Worth confirming whether theft cover responds when the hammer is left pinned to a machine on an open site overnight rather than locked inside a compound.
Common questions
Is my rock breaker covered automatically under my excavator policy?
Not necessarily. Attachments commonly need to be listed on the schedule by make, model and value, and an unscheduled breaker may not be picked up just because it happened to be pinned to the machine. It is worth reading the schedule rather than assuming the excavator's sum insured stretches far enough to cover it.
Does the policy cover a broken tool steel or worn bushings?
Generally not. Tools, bushings, retainer pins and seals are typically treated as consumable wear items that fail through normal use rather than through a sudden accidental event. Damage that follows a genuine insured incident, such as a fire or a collision, is usually looked at differently, subject to the policy terms.
What does hydraulic breaker insurance cost?
It depends, and any figure quoted without knowing your situation would be guesswork. The main drivers are the replacement value of the hammer, the material you break, whether the unit is hired out to others, how and where it is stored overnight, and your claims history. A broker can price it properly once those details are on the table.
Do I need to tell my insurer if I hire the breaker out to other operators?
Yes. Putting the attachment into someone else's hands is generally treated as a material change to the risk, because you no longer control how it is operated or secured. Insurers commonly rate hire-out use differently, and failing to disclose it can affect how a later claim is handled.
General information only. Cover, limits and exclusions depend on the PDS, TMD, eligibility, underwriting and the policy terms. See mobile plant machinery insurance for the wider picture.
10 Years Advising Steadfast Network Access Licensed Australian Brokers Australia-Wide
Quotes That Are Fast And Easy
Get a quote fast. Compare quotes from multiple insurers. Get the best deal for your hydraulic breaker insurance.
How Do You Get Started?
We make hydraulic breaker insurance fast and easy at Insurance Time. Get a quote today.
-
Start a quote.
Fill the quote form above, or call us on 0418 166 122.
-
Quotes gathered.
Our team will approach insurers and gather your options.
-
You're covered.
Choose your option and receive your policy documents.
Why Choose Insurance Time
Protect yourself with cover arranged by a licensed Australian broker who explains it in plain English.
Professional
Our team are experienced in hydraulic breaker insurance and licensed to advise on it.
Experienced
Ten years advising Australian families and businesses, with Steadfast network access.
Renewal management
Our team will manage your renewals and keep you informed and up to date.
24/7 claims
Notify us of a claim 24/7, 365 days a year.
Cover Options
We can arrange different levels of cover for you and your business.
Motor vehicles and fleets
Third party to comprehensive motor and fleet cover.
Public liability
Protection for third party property damage or personal injury.
Business package
Customised cover for your business assets and liabilities.
Personal insurance
Protection for you and your family.
Property
Protection for your personal and business premises and contents.
Workers compensation
Cover questions for your employees and workers.
Get A Quote. It's Complimentary.
It's time to review your hydraulic breaker insurance.
General information only. Any cover depends on the PDS, TMD, eligibility, underwriting, and policy terms. We use your details to respond to this enquiry.