Robot rental insurance: what's covered and what's not

Renting a machine that costs $20K-$150K comes with obvious risk. Something breaks, someone trips over it, a forklift backs into it — things happen. That's what our insurance plans are for.

Here's how each tier actually works.

No insurance ($0)

You're responsible for the full repair or replacement cost if anything happens. This is fine for low-risk, short-duration rentals in controlled environments — like a research lab or a trade show booth where the robot is mostly stationary and supervised. Some large companies self-insure because their corporate policy already covers rented equipment.

Not recommended for: warehouse deployments, outdoor use, events with public access, or any situation where the robot is moving through shared spaces.

Basic Protection ($29/day)

Covers accidental damage and mechanical failure. If the robot's arm gets caught in machinery or a sensor fails mid-shift, you're covered. The $2,500 deductible means you're on the hook for the first $2,500 of any claim, and repair costs above that are covered up to $15,000.

What's NOT covered: theft, vandalism, intentional misuse, water damage beyond the robot's IP rating, or using the robot outside its rated operating conditions (extreme heat, cold, or altitude).

Claims are processed within 24 hours. If the robot is non-functional, we'll start repair or replacement immediately.

Premium Protection ($59/day)

Everything in Basic plus theft, vandalism, and third-party liability up to $1M. If someone trips over the robot's charging cable or the robot bumps a shelf and damages product, this covers it. Deductible drops to $500, and coverage goes up to $50,000.

The big addition: replacement unit guarantee. If your robot can't be repaired on-site within 4 hours, we ship a replacement within 24 hours. For operations that can't afford downtime, this is the plan.

Enterprise Shield ($99/day)

Zero deductible, unlimited coverage, $5M third-party liability, business interruption insurance, and a dedicated claims manager. The business interruption piece means if a robot failure causes provable lost revenue, the policy covers it.

This tier makes sense for: multi-robot fleet deployments, 24/7 operations, public-facing environments (hotels, retail, events), and any situation where a robot failure could cascade into significant business impact.

Which plan should you pick?

• •Trade show or demo: Basic or none
• •Warehouse pilot (1-2 robots): Premium
• •Production deployment (3+ robots): Enterprise
• •Research lab: None (university insurance usually covers it)
• •Public-facing (hotel, retail): Enterprise (the liability coverage alone is worth it)