Home workers reassured about insurance cover

Jenny Osborne, from Henshalls Insurance Brokers in Newport and Shrewsbury, said the Association of British Insurers had announced that home cover providers were offering enhanced help and support to all their customers.

“This means that if you are an office-based worker who now needs to work from home because of Government advice or because you need to self-isolate, your home insurance cover will not be affected.

“You don’t need to tell your insurer to update your details or extend your cover as you should still be covered by standard home insurance policies, as long as your work is office-related.

“The business equipment you use – such as a laptop – is not likely to be covered but in most cases your employer would be responsible for making sure their equipment is insured even if it’s being used away from the office.”

Jenny said insurers were taking a more flexible approach to their interpretation of policy rules, particularly when it came to having additional people staying in the home.

“They know that some people will need additional help and support during the crisis, and so you won’t need to contact them to explain that you have additional long-stay guests.

“So anyone who has a friend or relative staying with them during the lockdown period should not be concerned about invalidating their policy. But this is all subject to change depending on how long the Government keeps the current social distancing criteria in place.”

She said the lockdown guest’s possessions may be covered by the homeowner’s policy if it included visitor cover (up to a specified limit) or if they have their own home insurance cover, this may cover their possessions away from home while they are temporarily with you.

“If your insurance is due for renewal during the lockdown, contact your insurer as soon as you can to discuss your position – it may well be that after renewal, your policy will not cover claims due to Coronavirus.

“Some insurers are considering or have stopped selling new insurance policies to customers, so if you’re looking for cover, seek professional advice to ensure you buy the insurance that’s right for your circumstances and that fits your demands and needs.

“And if you already have cover in place paying monthly premiums but find yourself facing the prospect of being unable to pay, talk to your insurer and explain your situation – don’t just miss a payment or your cover could be wiped out altogether.”