If I have a home office space in my house, or have a dedicated building in the garden suited to performing a variety of self-employed or remote roles, is it insured or insurable?
Since the global pandemic, working from home has become such a normal aspect of working life and insuring a home office is something that has become more important to consumers than ever before.
That’s what Patrick Caulfield, certified insurance practitioner with Brokers Ireland, tells us when we consult him to discover more about policies for working from home.
“Finding the right cover for your needs is imperative to make sure you are not at a financial loss should anything happen to it,” adds Mr Caulfield.
The majority of home insurance policies allow working from home as standard, but you should always make your broker aware of it at the time the policy is being taken out, he advises.
“Most insurance companies will insure a home office as part of a home insurance policy up to a set sum insured by simply making them aware of it at the time of purchase,” says Mr Caulfield.
“Should you run a business from your home, this may not be the case as you may need a commercial policy for this as it falls under a different category.”
Always seek advice from your broker when looking for cover for a home office as they can search the market for a policy that best suits your needs.
“Every insurer will have different acceptance criteria for which they can offer cover for a home office,” adds Mr Caulfield.
Much of the time an office in an outbuilding would be seen as a decline due to outbuilding contents only being insured up to a certain amount.
Normally everything is judged on a case-by-case basis and the scenario would be assessed by the broker at the time of purchase, adds Mr Caulfield.
“From my own experience from working in general insurance, home offices are accepted once there is no public calling to the home and the value of equipment does not exceed a certain monetary value which differs for every insurer,” says Mr Caulfield.
“Every policy is different, but I know most insurers will accept them if they are a standard home office in a set room in the house.”
When renting a property or room, especially a home that is owner-occupied, ensure your landlord knows you intend to work from home, he adds.
Some classifieds make a stipulation against tenants working from the home, stating insurance issues.
Source: https://www.irishexaminer.com/property/homeandgardens/arid-40911191.html