On CAR's map, the site is the main character – but a significant part of the life of materials and equipment plays out elsewhere: in the storage yard, at the prefabrication works, and on the road between the two. If cover only lives on site, the most exposed stages of the risk are left in the dark. That's what the storage-and-transit extension is for.
- CAR cover typically applies to the site – off-site storage and transit are a separate extension.
- Typical gaps: materials stored at the yard, prefabricated elements at the manufacturing works, and the delivery route.
- For high-value, bespoke equipment (EAR!), transit is one of the project's biggest risks.
- The extension typically works with limits and route conditions.
Where are the gaps?
Three typical situations. Pre-ordered materials: cladding or mechanical equipment bought ahead of a price rise sits waiting at the company's yard – site cover doesn't reach that far. Prefabrication: the precast concrete unit or the steel structure is made at the manufacturer's works, and only reaches the site when it's lifted into place. And transit: the journey from the yard or the manufacturer to the site, where damage to the load, an accident, or theft is a threat. All three can be added by extension – but they have to be added.
The special case of EAR projects
On technological erection projects, the equipment is often a substantial share of the project value – and frequently a bespoke item with a long lead time. If it's damaged in transit, the loss isn't just the price of the item: replacement can take months, and the whole project slips. That's why, for large equipment, cover for the transit stage (and its route, lifting and temporary storage) is a key question when preparing to place cover – best read alongside the mechanical erection article.
What does the insurer expect?
For storage, typically: a locked or secured area, orderly warehousing, and the same security expectations as apply to theft on site. For transit: proper securing of the load, competent loading, and, for large items, notifying the route or value where appropriate. Wordings work with limits: a maximum sum for a given storage location or consignment – this needs to be matched to the project's actual logistics.
Setting it up in practice
When requesting a quote, three questions need a precise answer: where is material stored off-site (and at what value), where do the critical items come from, and what's the largest value ever in transit at once? These determine the size of the extension. The project data sheet includes this set of questions; for the full cover map: what's covered and what isn't.
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