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TOOLS INSURANCE
FOR TRADESMEN
TOOLS THEFT IS ON THE RISE. COVER YOUR TOOLS WITH RHINO.
Last updated: 17/02/2026
Your tools aren’t just equipment, they’re how you earn a living. Without them, work stops. And when work stops, income usually stops too.
Tool theft remains one of the biggest risks and concerns amongst UK tradespeople. Vans are targeted daily, sites aren’t always secure, and even careful workers can be caught out. When tools are stolen or damaged, the cost of replacing them can be enough to put you off the tools for weeks.
Tools Insurance helps soften that blow. Covering the cost of replacing stolen or damaged tools, it helps you get back to work faster without eating into your business’s finances.
Rhino’s low-cost Tools In Transit Insurance is designed specifically for tradespeople. It protects your tools if they’re lost, stolen or damaged, and even covers tools left in your vehicle overnight, as long as certain security requirements are met.
What is tools insurance?
Tools insurance is designed to protect the equipment you rely on every day. With Rhino, your tools are covered if they’re stolen, lost, or damaged whilst stored in your vehicle.
While insurance can’t prevent theft or accidents, it can make recovery far less painful. Instead of facing the full cost of replacing your kit yourself, tool insurance helps cover the financial loss so you can get back on the job quicker.
If you can’t work without your tools, protecting them makes sense.
Up to £7,500 cover for tool damage or theft
Cover for the cost of tool repair or replacement
Overnight tool cover (subject to security conditions)
Please note: you must hold a Public Liability Insurance policy with Rhino in order to take out cover.
How much does tools insurance cost?
Tools Insurance with Rhino starts from £4.74 per month, with cover available from £500 up to £7,500.
Your premium is based on two factors:
The total value of tools you want to insure (up to £7,500)
The number of vehicles that need to be covered
If you’re unsure of the exact level of cover required, our team of experts are on hand to help.
Why do I need tools insurance?
Tool theft continues to be a major issue across the trades. When we ran our 2026 customer survey, 80% of Rhino customers were worried that they’d be a victim of tool theft. Break-ins happen on driveways, on jobsites, and even on busy, well-lit streets, and it’s a problem that’s showing no sign of slowing down.
The nature of trade work means that items can get damaged easily, and tools are often first in the firing line simply because of the volume of use.
Without tools insurance, a single incident could:
Stop you from working immediately
Cost thousands of pounds to replace equipment
Cause you to delay or cancel jobs
Damage relationships with customers
Replacing tools is expensive and disruptive. Borrowing kit, chasing replacements, and missing deadlines all add pressure at the worst possible time.
Tools insurance helps protect your ability to keep earning, not just your equipment.
All you have to do is follow our simple claims procedure which can be found on our Claims page.
What does tools insurance cover?
Tools in Transit Cover from Rhino Trade Insurance will cover the cost of repair or replacement for your tools if they are stolen or damaged whilst being loaded into or unloaded from, carried by, or stored in your vehicle. Rhino’s Tools in Transit Cover offers protection for your tools being left in your van overnight as standard, not as a costly add-on.
Up to £7,500 cover for tool damage or theft
Cover for the cost of tool repair or replacement
Overnight tool cover (subject to security conditions)
Instant cover with documents issued immediately
Monthly or annual payment options
UK telephone support five days a week
Tools insurance includes cover for:
Theft of tools from your vehicle and accidental damage to tools, including while loading or unloading them from your vehicle
Fire or flood damage to tools while stored in your vehicle
Overnight storage of tools in your vehicle, provided it’s locked and parked securely (for example in a locked garage, on your driveway, or on the same street and clearly visible from where you’re staying)
Malicious damage caused by a third party
For full details, please see our Ultimate Guide to Tools Insurance.
What doesn't tools insurance cover?
Tools insurance doesn’t cover every scenario. Common exclusions include:
Tools left on display in an unlocked vehicle
Theft with no signs of forced entry
Tools stored anywhere other than your vehicle
Wear and tear or gradual deterioration
Tools without receipts or proof of purchase
Phones, laptops, tablets or non-work electronics (covered separately under Gadget Insurance)
Policy Docs
Useful Links
Tools Insurance FAQs
No. Tools insurance is only available when taken alongside an active Public Liability Insurance policy with Rhino.
Yes, you do. Proof of purchase is required to validate ownership and values. Without receipts, invoices or original purchase confirmations, claims for those tools are likely to be declined.
Claims are settled based on the tool’s value at the time of the claim, after depreciation is applied (more on that below).
Depreciation reflects how tools lose value over time through use and age.
Under Rhino’s Tool Insurance policy:
- 10% depreciation is applied per year
- This is capped at a maximum of 50%
Tools older than five years still retain value at 50% of their original price providing proof of purchase is filed.
Actual cash value is the value of a tool at the time of a claim, after depreciation.
It reflects age, usage, and wear - not the cost of buying a brand-new replacement. This ensures claims remain fair and premiums stay affordable.
It reflects age, usage, and wear - not the cost of buying a brand-new replacement. This ensures claims remain fair and premiums stay affordable.
No. Tools insurance is settled on an actual cash value basis, with depreciation applied up to 50%.
This reflects how tools are used in real working environments and keeps cover affordable while still offering meaningful protection.
This reflects how tools are used in real working environments and keeps cover affordable while still offering meaningful protection.
Tools are covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Additional security requirements apply when tools are left in a vehicle overnight, defined as 10pm to 6am. These requirements are outlined in the policy documents.
Additional security requirements apply when tools are left in a vehicle overnight, defined as 10pm to 6am. These requirements are outlined in the policy documents.
Up to 10 vehicles can be included on a policy.
The policy excess is £100 for each and every claim.
