Petrol Station & Service Station Insurance
Specialist cover for fuel retail, forecourt, and EV charging risk, Australia-wide.
Call Us: 1300 900 207
GET A QUOTE
Complete the form to request a QUOTE. Call us at 1300 900 207 for an immediate response.
Fuel Retail Insurance Built For Forecourt Risk
Running a petrol station or service station in Australia means operating more than a forecourt. Fuel retailing, a convenience store, vehicle servicing, and increasingly EV charging infrastructure all sit under one roof, each with its own exposure. A standard retail policy was never priced for flammable fuel storage, underground tanks, high-throughput vehicle traffic, and equipment running around the clock, and a generic business pack typically doesn’t contemplate any of it.
Coverscope arranges cover built around the actual risk profile of a fuel retail site, not a generic policy with fuel-related exclusions buried in the fine print.
What Does Petrol Station Insurance Cover?
The most commonly included cover sections are as follows:
- Property Damage: Building, forecourt canopy, fuel pumps and dispensers, signage, and underground storage infrastructure, following fire, storm, theft, or accidental damage.
- Equipment Breakdown & Fuel Plant: Mechanical or electrical failure of pumps, dispensers, refrigeration, and EV charging units.
- Business Interruption: Lost income and ongoing fixed costs if an insured event forces the site to close.
- Public & Products Liability: Third-party injury or property damage, including slip-and-fall injuries and contaminated fuel dispensing claims.
- Environmental Liability & Fuel Storage Risk: Underground tank leaks, soil and groundwater contamination, and related regulatory penalties.
Who Needs Fuel Retail Insurance?
- Fuel Retail and Forecourt Sites
- Underground and Above-Ground Storage Tanks
- Convenience Stores and Attached Cafés
- Vehicle Workshops and Service Bays
- EV Charging Infrastructure
- Single Site or Multi-Site Operators
- Franchise and Independent Operators
- Ageing or Newly Installed Fuel Systems
5 Star Google Reviews
We are proud to provide trusted business insurance solutions, backed by 5-star Google reviews. Experience peace of mind with coverage tailored to your needs and exceptional customer service you can rely on.
Legacy Fuel and Forecourt Sites
Underground and above-ground fuel tanks fall under state-based Underground Petroleum Storage Systems (UPSS) requirements, though the regulator varies significantly by state, in NSW this sits mainly with local councils rather than the EPA directly. Non-compliant or poorly maintained tanks can lead to a declined claim even where the rest of the policy responds.
EV Charging Infrastructure
EV charger faults, electrical fires, and the added third-party liability of high-voltage infrastructure on a public forecourt are risks many existing policies simply don’t contemplate. Installation must comply with AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules) and state-specific Service and Installation Rules, but compliant installation and adequate insurance are two separate questions, chargers need to be specifically disclosed and added to your policy, not assumed to be covered under an older fuel retail policy.
Your Trusted Business Insurance Partners, Wherever You Are
For immediate response please give us a call.
Our team continues to work remotely but you are welcome to arrange an appointment with one of our consultants.
Find The Right Cover
Complete the form to request a QUOTE. Call us at 1300 900 207 for an immediate response.
Insurance Solutions for Every Fuel Retail Site
Property Damage
Covers the building (if owned), forecourt canopy, fuel pumps and dispensers, convenience store fixtures, refrigeration, signage, and underground storage infrastructure, following fire, storm, theft, or accidental damage.
Equipment Breakdown & Fuel Plant
Covers mechanical or electrical failure of pumps, dispensers, refrigeration, air compressors, service hoists, and EV charging units.
Business Interruption
Covers lost income and ongoing fixed costs, wages, lease payments, if an insured event forces the site to close.
Public & Products Liability
Covers slip-and-fall injuries, forecourt vehicle collisions, contaminated fuel dispensing, and defective product claims arising from day-to-day site operation.
Environmental Liability & Fuel Storage Risk
This is the exposure most standard policies handle worst. A leaking underground tank can contaminate soil or groundwater, triggering cleanup costs well beyond the value of the tank itself, plus regulatory penalties. Environmental liability needs to be arranged specifically, most generic business packs exclude gradual pollution and tank-related contamination outright.
Retail & Convenience Liability
Covers a shop, café, or drive-through attached to the site: food service liability, stock spoilage, café slip-and-falls, and glass breakage, separate from the core fuel and forecourt cover.
EV Charging Station Cover
Covers charger faults, electrical fires, and equipment downtime. Most standard fuel retail policies predate widespread EV infrastructure and won’t automatically extend to it.
What Usually Isn’t Covered?
Exclusions, excesses and limits of liability vary depending on your insurer and site type. Common exclusions and considerations include:
- Gradual Pollution: Undisclosed or poorly maintained tank condition is one of the most common reasons a fuel retail claim gets declined. Tank age and testing history need to be disclosed upfront.
- “Drive-Off” Fuel Theft: Customers leaving without paying is a real and costly risk, estimated at $80 million a year industry-wide. This isn’t automatically covered under standard theft cover and typically needs a specific extension, often capped at a set dollar value per year rather than covered in full.
- Unlicensed EV Charger Installation: A charger installed outside AS/NZS 3000 requirements may fall outside what your policy was priced to cover.
- Wear and Tear: Equipment that was already faulty before the policy started isn’t covered under equipment breakdown.
- Claims by Employees: Handled under Workers’ Compensation, arranged separately.
Do I need separate petrol station insurance, or can I use a standard business pack?
A specialist policy is strongly recommended. Fuel, tanks, equipment, and environmental exposure sit outside what most generic business packs are priced or worded to cover, and gaps often only surface at claim time.
Does insurance cover forecourt fuel spills and underground tank leaks?
Only if the policy explicitly includes environmental liability and fuel storage tank cover. Undisclosed or poorly maintained tanks are a common reason a claim is declined, so tank age and testing history need to be disclosed upfront.
If I install EV chargers, is that automatically covered?
No. EV charging infrastructure introduces risks many older policies never contemplated, and installation must comply with AS/NZS 3000 and applicable state Service and Installation Rules. Chargers need to be disclosed to your broker and added to the policy specifically.
Are underground storage tanks separately regulated?
Yes, but the regulator varies by state, it isn’t uniformly the EPA. NSW transferred most UPSS regulation to local councils in 2019, while other states regulate through the EPA, mines and petroleum safety regulators, or dangerous goods legislation. AS 4897-2008 is the national technical standard for UPSS design, installation, and operation across jurisdictions.
Is "drive-off" fuel theft covered under standard insurance?
Not automatically. Fuel theft by customers leaving without paying is a well-documented, costly risk industry-wide, but it typically needs a specific extension rather than falling under general theft cover, and is often capped at a set annual dollar value rather than covered without limit.
Get in Touch
Simply fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch shortly, or feel free to call and tell us about your specific requirements.
-
Suite 10B, Level 10, 2 Corporate Court, Bundall QLD 4217
-
PO Box 7005, Mount Crosby QLD 4306
Our team continues to work remotely but you are welcome to arrange an appointment with one of our consultants.
Please complete the form to submit an enquiry.
