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Equipment Breakdown Insurance in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's boiler code applies to boilers, pressure vessels, power piping, and solid-fuel-fired water-heating appliances at places of employment and in public buildings, and only partly to one- and two-family dwellings. Power boilers, miniature boilers, and organic- or synthetic-fluid heat-transfer boilers are inspected internally or externally at least every 12 months. Pressure vessels and low-pressure steam or hot-water heating boilers are inspected at least every 36 months. An insurer may provide those inspections only if it is authorized to write boiler and machinery insurance, is actively writing it for the public, and uses certified inspectors. 1,2,3

What Is Equipment Breakdown?

Equipment-breakdown coverage can help repair covered machinery or building equipment after a mechanical or electrical failure. It fits businesses that depend on equipment to operate; check whether lost income, spoilage and utility failures are included. Read the national Equipment breakdown guide.

Wisconsin Requirements

RequirementDetails
Power-boiler inspectionInternal or external inspection by a certified inspector at least every 12 months. 2
Heating boilers and pressure vesselsAt least every 36 months. 2
Permit to operateRequired for the owner or user, except boilers and pressure vessels in one- and two-family dwellings. 4

What to Watch for in Wisconsin

  • Only Very Large Power Boilers Can Stretch to 24 Months

    A power boiler, other than a chemical recovery boiler, with rated steam output of 100,000 pounds per hour or greater may be exempted from an internal inspection every 12 months, but not beyond 24 months, if the SPS 341.18 conditions are met, including a documented maintenance program. Smaller power boilers stay on the 12-month internal or external inspection. 2

  • The Carrier Must Be Writing Boiler and Machinery Insurance

    An insurance company may provide the inspections in place of the department or an authorized agent only if Wisconsin authorizes it to provide boiler and machinery insurance, it is actively engaged in writing that insurance for the general public, and it uses only certified inspectors. A carrier that does not write this line cannot be your inspection route. The rule does not require every owner to buy the policy. 3

  • One- and Two-Family Dwellings Skip the Operating Permit

    The chapter applies in part to one- and two-family dwellings, but subchapters V, VIII, and IX do not. The owner of a boiler or pressure vessel in a one- or two-family dwelling does not have to apply for a permit to operate. Places of employment and public buildings do. Gas systems within SPS 340 are outside this chapter. 1,4

  • Do Not Put a Heating Boiler on the Power-Boiler Calendar

    Low-pressure steam boilers and hot-water heating boilers are inspected at least once every 36 months, the same period as pressure vessels. Power boilers are on 12 months. Mixing those cycles will either shut a heating boiler down too often or leave a power boiler past its inspection. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance

The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance administers Wisconsin insurance laws, oversees insurers and insurance producers within its authority, and provides regulatory and consumer resources. You can use the department's complaint process to raise an insurance issue and its licensing resources to check insurance professionals. 5,6,7

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 3% of premium The NAIC's state chart lists a 3% of premium charge for surplus-lines coverage for Wisconsin (the chart's state entries were reviewed in October 2025). Your broker may collect the applicable amount with the premium. Surplus-lines insurers are not licensed in the state and generally are outside state guaranty-association protection; ask your broker to explain the insurer's financial protections and any diligent-search requirement that applies to your placement. 8,9

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Wisconsin

  1. Is each boiler a power boiler on a 12-month inspection, or a low-pressure or hot-water heating boiler on 36 months?
  2. If you want the 24-month internal exception, is steam output at least 100,000 pounds per hour and is the maintenance program documented?
  3. Is the insurer authorized in Wisconsin, actively writing boiler and machinery insurance for the public, and using certified inspectors?
  4. Does this location need a permit to operate, or is it a one- or two-family dwelling that does not?

Equipment Breakdown in Wisconsin: FAQ

How often does Wisconsin inspect a hot-water heating boiler? 2

At least once every 36 months. Power boilers, miniature boilers, and organic- or synthetic-fluid heat-transfer boilers are inspected at least every 12 months. 2

Must a Wisconsin employer buy boiler and machinery insurance to be inspected? 3

No. An insurer may provide the inspection instead of the department only when it is authorized, is actively writing boiler and machinery insurance for the public, and uses certified inspectors. Otherwise the department or an authorized agent inspects. 3

Equipment Breakdown in Other States

Other Coverage in Wisconsin

Sources

  1. SPS 341.02 Scope. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau; SPS 341.02(1)–(2). Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. SPS 341.17 Periodic inspections. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau; SPS 341.17(1)–(3) and SPS 341.18(3). Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. SPS 341.16 Installation inspections. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau; Page displays SPS 341.15(3) conditions for insurance-company inspections. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. SPS 341.24 Permit to operate. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau; SPS 341.24(1)(a). Accessed 2026-09-29.
  5. Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance; Official regulator website; insurance oversight and consumer/professional resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Insurance Department Directory. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance entry; official contact and website listing. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Surplus Lines Insurance Premium Taxes. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; WI row; state surplus-lines premium-tax rate reviewed October 2025. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Guaranty Associations & Funds. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Coverage of claims from insolvencies of insurers licensed in a state; surplus-lines insurers are nonadmitted. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  10. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  11. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  12. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  15. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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