More and more people are working from home. Before Coronavirus (Covid-19), this was about 1.7 million of us based on Business Comparison data. That’s about 5% of the British workforce, though 8.7 million said that they’ve worked from home at some point.
In January 2022, 36% of working adults worked from home at least once out of 7 days due to coronavirus. The landscape of where we work has likely changed forever. So, if you do work from home, it’s important to know if your home insurance covers this and what cover you need.
How does working from home affect my home insurance?
At MORE THAN, our Extra cover includes up to £10,000 cover for business equipment including laptops, computers, monitors, desks, and chairs. We insure you if your work includes clerical and admin tasks.
We don’t cover theft from the home if you have customers coming to your home for your business.
Here are some more examples to help you understand what’s included in your home insurance policy:
- Home-based therapists. The equipment you use to generate paperwork, like the ordering of stock and invoicing, would be covered. But specific products you use or having clients come to your home aren’t, so you may want to consider taking out business insurance.
- Decorators. The equipment you use to send quotes or complete your tax return are covered on our home policy, but the van you drive, your stock (paints, brushes), and working in different places aren’t included.
- Marketing professionals. You’ll be covered if you’re working on a laptop or computer with meetings being carried out by video conference calls.
It’s always worth reading your home insurance policy documents to check you have the cover you need. If you’re still not sure you can always call your provider. If you've got a quote or policy with us, you can find your policy documents online.
Business insurance
Please note that a number of MORE THAN business insurance products won’t renew this year as we’ve decided to no longer sell this insurance.
Brightside have a great range of products which can be custom-built to suit your needs, so you may wish to contact them for a quote.
Do I have to tell my insurer I am working from home?
You don’t need to tell us if you’re doing clerical work from home.
Some insurers do need you to tell them though, so it's always best to check.
Do I need extra home insurance cover to work from home?
No, you don’t need to add work equipment, like a phone or laptop, to your home policy if they’re owned by your employer.
If you choose MORE THAN Standard or Extra contents insurance, clerical business equipment owned by you is covered. This includes laptops, printers and desks. But we don’t cover other types of business equipment. We suggest you check your policy schedule and policy wording for more information.
With flexible working arrangements here to stay, more and more of us are creating dedicated office spaces outside of the home. Termed ‘shoffices’, these spaces include converted sheds, summerhouses and other outbuildings.
We cover the structure of these types of outbuildings and the contents inside. Contents we cover include office equipment, sofas, tables and TVs. You'll get up to £10,000 of cover for theft from outbuildings with MORE THAN Extra, and up to £5,000 with MORE THAN Standard. This cover isn't included with MORE THAN Essentials.
If your home insurance is with a different insurer, it’s best to check your cover with them.
Top tips
Extended your home or created a new outdoor space for an office? Please tell us if this is the case, but also remember to check the level of your buildings and contents cover to ensure you have enough if the worst should happen.
You may be able to claim tax relief back for additional household costs, such as heating or telephone calls if you have to work at home regularly. The GOV.UK website includes useful information about how to make a tax relief claim.
Now we’re spending more time at home, you may want to consider our accidental damage cover. This would cover you for mishaps such as accidentally spilling your drink over your laptop. You may notice you’re switching on the heating or using more heating and hot water, which puts extra strain on your boiler. If so, it’s worth getting your boiler serviced every year to keep it running efficiently. You can also take out boiler cover for peace of mind if it did break down.
If you choose our Extra cover, you'll get home emergency cover as standard. This cover includes up to £500 for boiler repairs if you lose heating. So long as your boiler is under 15 years old or has an output of less than 60kW.
Can I run my business from my home?
Our home insurance will cover you if you’re running a business from your home, but only for the clerical side of things.
Business stock, materials, tools, equipment, or business money aren’t insured. Our home insurance will also not cover you for any liability or regular visitors to your home related to your business. You'll need to let us know if people frequently visit your home for business.
What insurance do I need if my business is based from home?
Home insurance will not cover your business, so you'll need to consider business insurance.
If you work at home you may want to consider these 3 options to cover you for certain events.
These include:
- Public liability. Provides cover for your business against legal liability you may incur from third parties or members of the public if they’re injured or property is damaged as a result of your business activities.
- Professional indemnity. Protects your business if you provide designs, specifications, advice or instructions as part of your job. If any of your recommendations or advice leads to financial loss for a client and you’re found to be at fault, this cover will help safeguard you and your business.
- Employer's liability. Provides cover for your business against the cost of compensation claims, should an employee be injured or become ill as a result of working for your business.
Does home insurance cost more if I run a business from home?
There’s no additional charge to cover running a business from your home if you are carrying out clerical work.
If you have business stock and equipment, or have people connected to your business visiting your home, then please make sure you let us know as this will impact your insurance.
Do I need business insurance if I work from home?
If you’re carrying out clerical and admin tasks, you don’t need business insurance. Our home insurance policy will cover you. Always check with your provider to make sure if you have the right cover.
Get adequate cover
Make sure your home insurance is up-to-date and you have the right cover for your needs. If you’ve created any home office spaces, such as a converted summer house or shed, make sure you contact us to make sure these are covered. This includes all your office equipment.
If you run your own business, assess your business-related needs too, because you may need additional cover if the worst should happen.
