Tool theft costs UK tradespeople an estimated hundreds of millions of pounds every year. The harder problem is not just losing the tools. It is the claims process that follows: proving you owned the tools, proving what they were worth, and waiting for a payout while the van stays empty.
A new partnership between digital tool registration platform KYNEKT and insurance provider Superscript aims to fix that.
What the Partnership Does
KYNEKT lets tradespeople log their tools into a digital catalogue before anything goes wrong. Each tool is registered with model, serial number, and condition, building a verified ownership record. When a theft occurs, that record becomes the evidence base for an insurance claim.
Superscript, an insurtech business specialising in business insurance, is now integrating with KYNEKT so that a tradesperson's registered tool list feeds directly into their policy. When a claim is made, the proof-of-ownership data is already in the system. There is no starting from scratch, no hunting for receipts, and no arguing about what was in the van.
The companies describe it as the first purpose-built end-to-end tool theft claim solution for UK tradespeople.
Why It Matters Right Now
Tool theft from vans is not a new problem, but the scale has grown alongside the value of cordless tools. A fully kitted-out M18 or DeWalt FLEXVOLT setup can represent several thousand pounds sitting in a van overnight. Traditional insurance often requires itemised receipts that most working tradespeople do not keep, and generic business policies can be slow to pay out on specialist equipment.
The KYNEKT and Superscript model turns the registration step into an insurance asset rather than a box-ticking exercise.
What Tradespeople Should Do
If you run a van and carry tools, the most useful thing you can do before any theft occurs is register what you own. Registration systems like KYNEKT create a timestamped record that is hard to dispute. Pairing that with an insurance policy that accepts the same data closes the gap between ownership proof and payout.
The advice here is practical: register tools when you buy them, not after they are stolen.
---
What is KYNEKT?
KYNEKT is a digital tool registration platform for tradespeople that creates a verified record of what tools a tradesperson owns, including model numbers and serial numbers.
What is Superscript?
Superscript is a UK-based business insurance provider with a focus on specialist trades and professional coverage.
How does linking tool registration to insurance help?
When tools are already registered in a digital system, proving ownership during a claim is straightforward. The registration record replaces the need for paper receipts and speeds up the claims process.
Is tool theft a big problem for UK tradespeople?
Yes. Tool theft from vans is consistently cited as one of the biggest costs facing sole traders and small contractors in the UK, particularly in urban areas.
Do I need to register every tool?
High-value power tools, battery platforms, and specialist equipment are the priority. The more you log, the easier any claim becomes. ---