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Industrial special risk insurance

Help protect property, equipment, stock and business income from insured damage with industrial special risk insurance arranged by Marsh.

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What is industrial special risk insurance?

Industrial special risk insurance generally suits larger or more complex businesses with physical assets of more than $10 million. It is designed for businesses with higher value property, commercial premises, machinery, equipment and stock.

The two main covers usually provided under an ISR policy are material damage and business interruption.

  • Material damage can respond to insured property damage.
  • Business interruption can respond to the loss of income after insured property damage.

Who may need ISR insurance?

ISR insurance may be worth considering if your business relies on property, equipment or stock to keep trading. 

ISR risks by industry

Examples of industries that may need to consider ISR cover, the risks they face and how ISR insurance may help include:

 

Industry

Property or interruption risks to consider

How ISR insurance may help

Commercial property and real estate

Commercial landlords, multi-site shopping centres, office towers and mixed-use strata properties may face fire, storm, theft, glass, plant and rent interruption risks.

ISR insurance may help cover insured property damage and related interruption losses, depending on the policy schedule.

Health care, aged care and pharmacies

 These businesses may rely on equipment, refrigeration, stock, medicines, supplies and access to the premises to keep operating.

ISR insurance may help respond to insured damage to property, stock or equipment, and business interruption where selected.

Higher hazard sectors

Timber mills, plastic manufacturing and chemical production may have fire, machinery, stock and interruption exposures.

ISR insurance may help arrange property and interruption cover that reflects the nature of the site, subject to underwriting.

Hospitality and accommodation

Hotels, resorts and entertainment venues may lose income quickly if fire, storm, theft or equipment damage affects trading.

ISR insurance may help cover insured property damage and loss of income or extra operating costs after an insured event.

Sporting national and community clubs

Clubs may own or use clubhouses, contents, stock, sporting equipment, canteen equipment, money and portable property.

Marsh’s Asset Protect includes material loss or damage, business interruption, glass, money, machinery breakdown, burglary, computer and electronic equipment and general property.

Key product highlights of ISR cover

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Material loss or damage

If a fire or storm damages your premises, this can help cover repairing your premises and assets including buildings, contents and stock.

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Machinery breakdown

When equipment is at the core of your operations, this cover is critical. It helps reduce the impact to your business when equipment unexpectedly fails.

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Business interruption

Events such as fire, floods, storms and supply chain disruptions can stall your operations. Business interruption cover can help cover the financial loss to keep things moving.

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Theft and burglary

This can help cover the loss of your contents and stock due to theft at your premises, even by your own employees.

What ISR insurance may cover and where limits can apply

selected option

Cover for property and income risks

ISR insurance can help businesses manage insured property damage and the financial impact that may follow, depending on the cover selected and policy wording.

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Material loss or damage

Can help respond when insured property, such as buildings, contents, stock, plant or equipment, is physically damaged by an insured event.

Business interruption

Can help respond to loss of income or increased operating costs after insured property damage interrupts the business.

Machinery breakdown

May help cover mechanical breakdown of machinery and equipment, such as air-conditioning units or fridges, where selected.

Theft and burglary

Can help cover loss of contents or stock due to theft from forcible and violent entry, subject to the policy wording.

Glass and money

May help cover accidental glass damage and business money on the premises or in transit, subject to policy limits.

Portable property

May help cover loss or damage to portable property, such as laptops or equipment used away from the premises.

Check the wording before you decide

ISR policies include exclusions, limits and conditions. Marsh can help you review the wording and understand what may apply to your business.

Speak with Marsh

Wear and tear

Wear and tear, gradual deterioration, and some maintenance-related issues are typical exclusions under ISR insurance.

Design error

Design error is listed as a typical exclusion under Marsh’s ISR insurance page. Always check the full wording.

Registered vehicles

Registered vehicles are listed as a typical exclusion under ISR insurance and may need separate motor insurance.

Livestock and aircraft

Livestock and aircraft are listed as typical exclusions under ISR insurance and may need separate cover.

War and nuclear risks

War, revolution and nuclear radioactivity are listed as typical exclusions under ISR insurance.

Flood or sea action

Flood may be excluded or require a separate agreement. Some sports program material also excludes the action of the sea.

Why work with Marsh?

ISR insurance can involve detailed questions about property values, business income, stock, machinery, occupancy, construction, fire protection, location and claims history.

Marsh can help you work through these details and speak with insurers about your risk.

We can help you:

  • Review your property and business interruption exposures
  • Understand the information insurers may ask for
  • Compare policy terms, limits, sub-limits and exclusions
  • Review the wording before you make a decision
  • Update your cover when your assets or operations change

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Frequently asked questions

Industrial special risk insurance is a type of property insurance generally used by businesses with larger or more complex property risks. It can help cover insured physical damage to property and, where selected, business interruption that follows insured damage.

ISR insurance usually includes material damage and business interruption. Depending on the policy, it may also include cover areas such as machinery breakdown, theft, money, glass, debris removal, additional expenditure and claims preparation costs. 

Business interruption can be included under an ISR policy, but it depends on the cover selected. It may help cover loss of income, increased operating costs or additional expenditure after insured property damage.

Not always. Flood cover depends on the policy and insurer. Marsh’s Asset Protect page states that flood cover is excluded and can be requested as an endorsement at additional cost.

ISR insurance is not the same as cyber insurance. The Asset Protect policy wording includes a cyber and data endorsement that excludes cyber loss, with limited exceptions for certain resulting physical loss or damage.

No. Workers compensation is not included in ISR insurance. Marsh’s ISR page also states that workers compensation is not included.

It may be, especially if the business has valuable property, stock, machinery or equipment. Marsh’s ISR page says ISR generally suits larger or more complex businesses with physical assets of more than $10 million.

This depends on your asset values, stock levels, income, replacement costs, business interruption exposure and how long it may take to recover after damage. A Marsh advisor can help you review these details.

Forms and documents

Industrial special risk insurance articles and resources

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ISR vs Business Package insurance

03/09/2026

Compare industrial special risk and business insurance, Learn when a growing business may need to review its assets, risks and cover options.

This website contains general information, does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs and may not suit your personal circumstances.

Marsh Pty Ltd (ABN 86 004 651 512, AFSL 238 983) (“Marsh”) and Marsh Advantage Insurance Pty Ltd (ABN 31 081 358 303, AFSL 238 369) (“MAI”) arrange the general insurance (i.e. not the Discretionary Trust Arrangement) and are not the insurer.

Discretionary Trust Arrangements are issued by the Trustee, JLT Group Services Pty Ltd (ABN 26 004 485 214, AFSL 417 964) (“JGS”). Any advice or dealing in relation to a Discretionary Trust Arrangement is provided by JLT Risk Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN 69 009 098 864, AFSL 226 827) (“JLT”). The cover provided by a Discretionary Trust Arrangement is subject to the Trustee’s discretion and/or the relevant policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

For full details of the terms, conditions and limitations of the covers and before making any decision about whether to acquire a product, refer to the specific policy wordings and/or Product Disclosure Statements (PDSs) available from the relevant product issuer. Target Market Determinations (TMDs) are available here.

Marsh, MAI, JGS and JLT are all businesses of the Marsh group.

LCPA 26/3449