Short answer
Lidar scanner insurance usually comes from an equipment policy, often called an equipment floater or inland marine, not from professional or general liability. Those liability policies protect you from claims by others and don’t generally pay to replace your own gear. Drones often need separate drone liability and drone hull coverage. Terms vary by carrier, so read the actual policy.
Why lidar scanner insurance sits outside your liability policies
Professional liability responds to claims about your work, such as a scanning or registration error. General liability responds to bodily injury and property damage you cause to others. Neither is built to pay when your own scanner is stolen or damaged.
That gap surprises many surveyors and scanning firms. A scanner, total station or drone represents a large investment, yet it often sits outside the policies a firm buys first. Our 3D laser scanning and LiDAR insurance page shows where equipment coverage fits in the typical stack for these firms.
Property coverage inside a business owner’s policy may cover some equipment. Check whether it applies away from your office, since scanners spend most of their time in the field.
What lidar scanner insurance usually looks at
An equipment floater is designed to travel with the gear. It can respond when equipment is damaged or stolen away from your premises, depending on the policy.
Several terms decide how well the coverage fits:
- Which items are listed, such as scanners, total stations, tripods, tablets and drones.
- Whether the policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value.
- The deductible per loss.
- Whether theft from a vehicle, damage in transit or use on active sites is covered.
- Any conditions on how the equipment is stored or secured.
Ask how the policy treats gear used on construction sites, roofs or in active plants. Those settings add risk, and some carriers ask about them.
A simple example
A scanning firm leaves a scanner case in a locked vehicle during a site visit. The vehicle is broken into overnight. The firm’s professional and general liability policies don’t respond, since no one made a claim against the firm. An equipment floater may respond, depending on its theft conditions and any vehicle requirements.
Insuring a drone used for LiDAR
Drones add a separate question. Many general liability policies exclude aircraft, and that can include drones. Drone liability and drone hull coverage are usually placed separately.
Liability coverage addresses injury or damage to others. Hull coverage addresses damage to the drone itself. Tell your insurance agent who flies, how often and where, since carriers ask about it.
What professional liability covers instead
Professional liability can respond when a scanning or registration error leads to a claim, if the policy defines professional services to include data capture, scanning and modeling. Many forms written for designers don’t say this clearly, so the definition deserves a close read.
Our article on E&O for 3D scanning companies explains how a scanning firm can get named in a lawsuit. You can also review how professional liability works for technical firms.
If your scan data sets boundaries or control, some states treat that as land surveying. Our surveying and geospatial page covers the firms that work near that line.
When contracts ask for lidar scanner insurance
Some clients ask for proof of equipment coverage, particularly on industrial or government work. The request may sit inside general insurance language that doesn’t name equipment at all.
Send the contract to us before you sign. Our insurance requirements check can help you see what the client is asking for and what your current policies meet.
What to check before buying lidar scanner insurance
- Which scanners, drones and accessories do you own, and what would each cost to replace?
- Does your current property coverage apply away from your office?
- Does the policy cover theft from a vehicle and damage in transit?
- Does your liability policy exclude aircraft or drones?
- Is the policy replacement cost or actual cash value?
- Does any contract require specific equipment or drone coverage?
Related questions
Is my scanner covered if it is damaged or stolen?
Generally not under professional or general liability. Scanners usually need equipment coverage, often called an equipment floater or inland marine.
Does lidar scanner insurance cover drones?
It can, depending on the policy. Drone liability and hull coverage are often placed separately, so confirm what your equipment policy includes.
Does my general liability cover drone flights?
Many general liability policies exclude aircraft, including drones. Read the exclusions and ask your insurance agent before you fly.
Does professional liability cover a scanning error?
It can, if the policy defines professional services to include scanning and modeling. The policy wording and exclusions control the outcome.