Manufacturing insurance
Fire exposure
EPS
High-risk
Complex operations
From everyday operations to complex or hard-to-place risks, we make sure your business stays protected and keeps moving.
Why manufacturing businesses need specialised cover
Manufacturing businesses face risks that most other industries don’t. From machinery breakdown and fire exposure to product recalls and supply chain delays, a single disruption can quickly impact production, revenue, and customer relationships.
The right insurance helps protect your physical assets, your balance sheet, and your ability to keep operating, even when something unexpected happens.
Food & Beverage
- Product contamination
- Recall exposure
- Export delays
- Temperature control failures
Wood & Paper
- Fire risk from combustible dust
- Equipment breakdown
- Production shutdowns
Machinery & Equipment
- Mechanical failure
- Manual handling injuries
- Workplace safety exposure
Chemicals & Refining
- Hazardous materials
- Fire and explosion risk
- Environmental liability
Plastics & Rubber
- Custom machinery breakdown
- Product defects
- Maintenance risks
Metals & Fabrication
- Plant shutdowns
- Equipment wear
Types of Insurance
Extra cover to consider
Depending on how your business operates, you may need additional protection beyond standard policies. We can help you identify optional extensions and specialist cover that strengthen your protection and reduce potential gaps.
Business Insurance
Even if your main risk is the advice you provide, your physical assets still matter. Business insurance can protect your office contents, equipment, and income if you experience damage, theft, or an unexpected interruption. It brings together key covers like property, public liability, and business interruption into one practical policy — helping keep your business running if something disrupts operations.
Management Liability
If you run a professional services business, you carry responsibilities beyond client work. Management liability insurance helps protect you and your directors against claims relating to employment disputes, regulatory investigations, statutory breaches, and alleged mismanagement. It’s designed to safeguard your leadership team and business decisions — not just your professional advice.
Cyber Insurance
Professional service businesses often hold sensitive client information, financial data, and confidential records. Cyber insurance helps protect your business if you experience a data breach, ransomware attack, system outage, or cyber extortion event. It can cover response costs, legal expenses, client notification, and business interruption — helping you recover quickly and protect your reputation.
Specialist experience matters.
Why work with us?
With over 26 years’ experience, Sentinel Insurance understands New Zealand’s manufacturing environment; including fire risk exposure, EPS, plant dependency, and regulatory requirements.
You receive:
– Practical, tailored advice
– Clear explanations of what you are and aren’t covered for
– Access to quality insurance markets
– Ongoing support when your business evolves
Faq
Answers to common manufacturing insurance questions
Here are some of the most common questions New Zealand business owners ask when arranging cover. Not sure where to start? Contact us today.
Most manufacturers require a combination of cover including material damage (property and stock), public and product liability, machinery breakdown, business interruption, and often product recall. The exact mix depends on what you produce, where you operate, and whether you export.
Product liability isn’t legally mandatory in NZ, but it is often contractually required by suppliers, distributors, or retailers. If your product causes injury or property damage, you could be legally responsible, which is why this cover is considered essential.
Standard liability policies usually don’t automatically cover recall costs. If you manufacture food, beverages, chemicals, or consumer goods, you may need dedicated product recall or contamination insurance to cover withdrawal costs, testing, disposal, and reputational management.
Machinery breakdown insurance covers sudden and unforeseen damage to production equipment, including electrical or mechanical failure. If a key machine stops working, this cover can help pay for repairs, replacement, and sometimes lost income while operations are interrupted.
If an insured event (like fire, machinery breakdown, or natural disaster) forces you to stop or reduce operations, business interruption insurance can help cover lost gross profit and ongoing fixed costs while you recover.