Helping businesses manage their risk in mining support industries

Based in Toowoomba, Elders Insurance agent Paul Humphreys works in a region with over 13,000 registered businesses.

Many of those businesses work in ancillary industries of the mining sector in Australia's second-biggest inland city.

Whether they be electricians, plumbers, builders or one of the many other small businesses profiting from resource activity, Mr Humphreys says that his team helps them develop a comprehensive business insurance policy to help manage their risks.

In particular, the Elders Insurance Toowoomba agent deals with many transport carriers, ranging from fleets of vehicles all the way down to single owner-operators

With a business vehicle insurance cover, businesses can gain financial protection from the costs of accidental damage of vehicles used in their business activities.

Any company that relies on vehicles - whether as mobile offices or for transporting materials - needs to make sure they have the ability to recover from the loss or temporary side-lining of one or more of them, so that their operations can continue with minimum disruption.

Just as important is ensuring that liability is covered when one of these vehicles is involved in an accident.

Elders Insurance helps businesses cover their liability in these instances and can also offer companies a range of additional benefits.

These include the removal of debris following an accident, the costs of towing, a choice of repairer and a repair guarantee.

Elders Insurance also offer a complimentary emergency assistance package for motor vehicle insurance policyholders that have vehicles with a carrying capacity of over five tonnes.

Mr Humphreys says that it is the strength of the Elders Insurance brand which continues to draw businesses in the area to their services.

He says that many of their clients come to them after having sounded out colleagues and partners for their advice.

"They associate quality with our brand, thanks to the reputation that Elders Insurance has in the agricultural sector and that it has built in rural Australia."