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You run a business. A shop, a restaurant, an office, a warehouse. Inside, you have much more than walls: machinery, furniture, tech, inventory, products.

That’s what insurers call “contents”. And if something goes wrong — fire, flood, theft — you could suffer a total loss of everything inside.

So the big question is: Is your business content properly insured?

This article explains what contents insurance covers, how to insure your professional machinery, technical furniture, stock, and why you should never underestimate the value of your commercial equipment.

What is contents insurance?

Contents insurance protects everything inside your business premises that isn’t part of the structure (the building).

It usually covers:

🪑 Furniture and fittings

🖥️ Computers, POS systems, cash registers

🛠️ Industrial or professional machinery

📦 Stock, products, fixed or rotating inventory

🔌 Non-structural installations: shelves, counters, displays

📁 Business documents (in some policies)

🎯 If you can take it with you when leaving the premises, it’s probably contents.

Why is it so important to insure your contents correctly?

Because when disaster strikes, losses can be huge.

And if you have a poorly calculated insurance policy, or you haven’t declared your machines or stock properly, your insurer might reduce or even reject your claim.

Think about it:

A restaurant without its ovens.

A store with no products.

A medical centre with no equipment.

Without contents, your business stops.

What does contents insurance usually cover?

Coverage varies by policy, but typically includes:

✅ Property damage

From fire, explosion, theft, vandalism, water damage, vehicle impact, storms, etc.

✅ Theft and burglary

Includes forced entry, internal theft, theft by customers or employees (depending on the policy).

✅ Electrical damage

Covers power surges or short circuits affecting your equipment.

✅ Water damage

Covers leaks, burst pipes and damage to equipment, stock, or furniture.

✅ Total loss of contents

In case of fire or flooding that destroys everything, compensation is based on declared value.

How to properly insure your business contents

It’s not enough to declare "€10,000 in contents". You need to do it right — or risk being underinsured.

Here’s how:

1. Create a real and up-to-date inventory

📦 Include everything: machines, tools, furniture, electronics, stock...

🧾 Add brand names, models, quantities, purchase receipts if possible

📅 Update it every year or when you make big purchases

💡 A good inventory is your best evidence in a claim.

2. Use real replacement values

Your insured value should reflect replacement cost — what it would cost to buy it again today.

Don’t estimate from memory

Don’t lower the number to reduce your premium — it could backfire

3. List professional machinery separately

If you use specialist machinery (hospitality, manufacturing, clinics…), declare it specifically:

🧾 Include technical sheets, models, purchase price

💰 Use replacement value, even if the item is a few years old

🔧 Confirm whether the policy treats it as contents or fixed installation

4. Don’t forget stock and inventory

Estimate average value of inventory at your premises

If it fluctuates seasonally, make sure your policy covers the high points

Some policies let you declare an average and justify higher value during claims

📦 A store with €100,000 of stock in peak season shouldn’t be insured for €30,000 all year round.

5. Review policy limits and exclusions

Some policies limit:

Max compensation per item

Cash kept on premises

Value of electronics or high-value items

✅ Make sure your entire commercial setup is fully covered.

What happens if contents are underinsured?

❌ Underinsurance: insured for €20,000, lose €40,000 — insurer may apply proportional rule.

❌ Undeclared items: machines not listed may not be compensated.

❌ Category limits: coverage for electronics capped at €3,000, you lose €8,000.

❌ Business stops: no machinery, no stock = no revenue.

❌ Total financial loss: many businesses never recover without proper coverage.

Not sure if your contents are correctly insured?

Ask yourself:

✅ Do I have a recent inventory? ✅ Do I know what it would cost to replace everything today? ✅ Is my equipment and stock declared in the policy? ✅ Have I reviewed my policy this year? ✅ Do I understand the policy’s limits?

If you said "no" to any, it's time to act.

Conclusion

Your business contents aren’t just "things". They’re what keep you running, producing, selling and growing.

With the right contents insurance, what gets damaged can be replaced.

What’s not covered… is lost.

If you're not sure your coverage is right, we're here to help.