Commonly asked questions:
Will my home insurance policy still payout if I have not told my insurer that I’m working from home during a lockdown?
If you would typically work from an office and not from home, your home insurance cover will not be affected. There is no need to contact your insurer to update them on your new work situation.
For anything other than clerical or office work, you should contact your insurer to discuss specific insurance requirements.
If you regularly have visitors to your home for business purposes, you should check with your insurance provider. There may be some cover restrictions, such as loss of money and theft not be included unless there is evidence of a break into the property.
Office equipment used (e.g. laptop) is likely not to be covered unless it is a personally owned. However, the employer should be liable for ensuring their equipment is insured for outside of the office.
I am renewing my home insurance and will be working for home more often for the foreseeable future. Should I inform my provider?
For office-type work, insurers waived the requirement to inform them of working from home during a lockdown, but if plans are in place to work from home more regularly such as once a week, or you will be expecting more visitors to your home for business purposes, you should inform your provider.
My property has fire or flood damage and unsuitable for living in. I need to self-isolate, will my insurer cover alternative living arrangements?
Your provider’s priority is the safety of customers. Insurers will continue to provide cover for customers as promised in their policy – including funding alternative living arrangements, always following the UK Government’s advice. You must contact your provider to discuss any claim. Providers will consider each one on a case-by-case basis.
Should I make visits to my unoccupied home if it is against government guidance during a lockdown?
Government guidance is to avoid non-essential travel during the lockdown. Providers are keen to take steps to support customers, which has led them to waive the requirement for people to check on their home regularly if this is difficult during a lockdown, as long as the property is secure to the insurer’s standards. This does cover holiday homes and unoccupied properties where construction work is taking place.
Securing these properties may include turning off the water, draining the radiators, or having low heating to protect the pipes from freezing.
A friend or relative is staying with me during the lockdown period. Will this affect my home insurance?
Insurers have a sensible approach to additional visitors during the lockdown. It is understandable that some individuals need extra care and help during these unparalleled times and will not need you to advise them that you have additional guests. This may be subject to change depending on the changing social distancing requirements.
I have friends and family staying with me during Coronavirus lockdown, will their belongings be covered while they stay with me?
If your friends and family have their own home insurance policy, they should cover their belongings away from home while living in your home. There may be a limit to this cover, so it is advisable to check their policy wording. If your home insurance policy includes ‘Visitor cover’ this should cover your friends or family’s belongings while staying with you.
Will home insurance cover the cost of cleaning my property should it become contaminated by COVID-19?
Standard home insurance policies do not cover the costs of cleaning the property.