After a morning dig, you leave a mini excavator loaded on a trailer while the crew grabs lunch. It is attached with chains and twist locks and the trailer has a coupling lock. When you return, both the trailer and excavator are gone.

May be covered if the mobile plant is listed, lashed to the trailer and the trailer is secured with an anti theft device, up to limits.

Your tool trailer is parked in the driveway for an early start. It is unattended and secured with a coupling lock and wheel clamp, but it is still stolen overnight. The anti theft devices are gone and there are scrape marks on the hitch.

May be covered if the trailer is listed on your policy and secured with a coupling lock or wheel clamp while unattended, up to limits.

You keep your kit in a locked garage at home. Overnight, someone breaks the deadbolt, gets inside and steals your nail gun, saw and tool bags. The door frame is splintered and the lock is bent when you open up.

May be covered if tools are stolen after forcible entry to a locked building at your home or authorised premises, up to limits.

You park your work ute in your suburb overnight. It is securely locked, but thieves force the canopy open and take your drill set, grinder and laser level. You find clear pry marks and a damaged lock in the morning.

May be covered when theft follows forcible entry with damage to a securely locked vehicle with your tools inside, up to limits.

You plug your battery chargers and laser level into a site generator. A sudden power surge trips the circuit and the charger and laser stop working. A technician confirms the internal wiring was damaged by the surge.

Not covered because loss or damage to an electrical device caused by a surge in electrical current is excluded under tools of trade cover.

On a Sydney build, an apprentice jumps into the mini excavator to reposition it during lunch. They are not licensed or trained for that machine. They clip a wall and bend the boom and ram, leaving the excavator unusable.

Not covered because mobile plant damage is excluded when the machine is operated by someone not authorised, licensed or trained under law.

You finish up and leave a few power tools behind temporary fencing on an open jobsite overnight. In the morning they are gone. There is no sign of forced entry, no cut locks and nothing damaged to show a break in.

Not covered because theft in the open air, or theft without forcible entry evidenced by damage, is excluded under tools of trade cover.

You are upgrading a switchboard when your impact driver stops. It has been used hard for years and is out of warranty. A repair shop says the motor has worn out and the gears have failed, not damage from a sudden insured event.

Not covered because wear and tear, machinery breakdown and maintenance or adjustment issues are excluded under tools of trade cover.