BREAKDOWN INSURANCE FOR STRATA PLANS

With an engineering breakdown insurance solution for your Strata Plan, you can arrange cover  cover for the repair or functional replacement of all fixed mechanical, pressure, electrical, and  electronic equipment that break down, including, automatic gates, computers, lifts, air conditioning equipment, security and fire systems, telephone systems and electrical panels.

 

Here are some actual claim examples through this type of insurance.

Sydney blackouts cause multiple headaches for building owner

This building lost power during the 2009 blackouts in the Sydney CBD. Upon turning the power back on a surge developed in the electrical infrastructure, damaging equipment including an air fan variable speed drive controller and two 3 phase motors, amongst other items of equipment.

The Insured was unfortunate enough to lose power in the second blackout to hit the Sydney CBD a couple of weeks later. Again, upon turning on the power a surge developed in the electrical infrastructure causing irreparable damage to another two motors and their respective control boards.

  • First Blackout $31,089.00
  • Second Blackout $22,590.00

 

Apartment Suffers Blown Electrical Panel

At approximately 7:00 p.m. the building superintendent of an apartment building discovered that a power failure had shut down all equipment in the mechanical room. An electrical contractor was  called and proceeded to replace a blown 400 Amp fuse.

The contractor then restored power without first determining the cause of the blown fuse. Upon switching on the 400 Amp breaker which controlled the power supply to the air conditioning unit, a small explosion resulted, completely destroying the panel. The control panel had not been fitted with a moisture barrier and was not of weather proof construction. Moisture accumulation, combined with insulation deterioration between the penthouse distribution panel and the chiller control switch are the suspected causes of the loss.

  • Settlement Amount $14,950.52

 

Office Building Fan Flies apart

At 3.00 a.m. in the morning a loud “bang” was heard from the top floor office area. Neighbours called the police who in turn called the building superintendent. Investigation revealed that a 1.5 metre diameter return fan was completely destroyed. Pieces of metal lay all over the fan’s housing chamber. This type of fan was found to no longer be in supply. A new type was needed and construction adjustments were required to the existing housing. The cause of loss is believed to be metal fatigue.

  • Settlement Amount $20,075.00

 

Fault in Fire Control Panel

Body Corporate representatives noticed an audible alarm on the EWIS panel, on which they found the charger and battery fault indicator lights flashing. A service technician was called in who disconnected the batteries, replaced a blown fuse and replaced the batteries, but he was unable to get the EWIS working normally. Eventually the manufacturers were brought in to diagnose the problem. The system was finally repaired with the replacement of a number of damaged CPU cards and boards. 

  • Settlement Amount $10,150.20

 

Unknown fault in the power supply leads to fusion of air conditioning compressor motors

After a complaint from a tenant about a fault with the air conditioning, a technician was called to inspect the equipment and established that the likely cause was as a result of an internal fault in the 100A circuit breaker.

The technician concluded that the circuit breaker had tripped and isolated only one of the three phases of the power supply. This increased current drawn by the remaining two phases led to the compressor motors burning out.

The Insured also incurred hire costs of fans whilst the A/C units were not functioning.

  • Repairing of the 2 fused compressors and hire costs totalled $35,237