Some insurers place restrictions on home insurance policies when it comes to working from home – you’re not necessarily covered automatically.
In an article on Admiral’s website (published prior to the COVID-19 outbreak), it says:
“Do I have to tell my insurer I work from home?
In short, yes. You may not need additional cover, but it’s best to check – if the worst were to happen, you could be left uninsured because you’ve invalidated your policy. You’ll need to inform your insurer what your work situation is. If your work situation changes in the middle of a policy, make your insurer aware as not doing so could invalidate your insurance.”
One would expect insurers to take a pragmatic view given the current pandemic and certainly most insurers seem to be saying that if you undertake clerical work you’re covered automatically. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to contact your home insurer to notify them that you’re working from home and to check that you are indeed covered. Make a note of the time and date of your call in case you need to refer to it. If the telephone lines are very busy, you could also check on your insurer’s website. Keep a picture clipping of anything relevant that you might need to rely on later.
If you’ve brought home employer-owned equipment such as laptops and printers, responsibility for insuring these items normally rests with employers; you should ask the Bank to confirm this in writing if it hasn’t already done so.
Please contact the Advice Team on 01234 716029 (choose Option 1) if you have any further questions.