We all know that remote working has soared since the onset of the pandemic, with 30% of the population still working exclusively from home during the week ending 29 November 2020. But with millions of workers taking to their home offices, their kitchen tables and – let’s face it – their sofas, are they adequately insured?

Although the Association of British Insurers issued a statement in the early months of the pandemic stating
that office-based workers would not need to contact their insurer if working remotely during lockdown,
things may now have changed. A recent survey revealed that more than two in five homeworkers have not reported to their home insurance company they are now working remotely – potentially invalidating their policy.

What if I continue to work from home?
You may need to contact your insurer if you continue to work from home, or are allowed to return to the office but choose to work from home several days per week, to tell them that your working patterns have changed.

In addition, if you are now receiving business clients in your property instead of the office, you’ll likely need to check with your insurer for this, too. You may not be covered for certain aspects of your policy, such as loss of money or theft.

buy to let mortgageWill my work laptop be covered?
Your own home insurance policy is unlikely to cover business equipment such as laptops, tablets and other devices. You should check with your employer to see whether their business insurance covers equipment away from the office.

What about health and safety?
All employers are legally required to have employers’ liability insurance, which covers their legal liability if employees suffer an injury during the course of their work. While some policies extend automatically to remote working, others don’t – so have a word with your employer to ensure they’re covered in case you have an accident while working from home.

If in doubt – check!
If you’re in any doubt, check with your insurer – you don’t want to risk invalidating your policy! Meanwhile, if you’d like to review your home insurance needs, just have a chat with us – we can review a wide range of policies and recommend the one most suited to your circumstances.

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