DOES MY INSURANCE POLICY COVER WORK FROM HOME?

Work meetings at home, use of work equipment at home and data security can all have insurance considerations. As more and more companies look to offer the option of remote working, one insurance company is advising employers and employees alike that the practice has potential insurance implications, which are less understood.

Motor and home insurer, Liberty Insurance, recently partnered with award-winning social enterprise Grow Remote and welcomes the #MakingRemoteWork campaign launched on Monday by Grow Remote, alongside Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar.

This campaign aims to make remote and home working a much bigger part of working life after the Covid-19 pandemic. Liberty, as an employer who recently committed to remote working for all its people in Ireland, brings its own experience to bear and has listed five of the most important insurance considerations for employees working from home and employers considering a more permanent role for out-of-office remote work.

1. COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS MIGHT NOT BE COV

ERED BY HOME INSURANCE

Most home insurance policies that include contents cover will include cover for a limited amount of home office equipment, such as a computer and printer. However, some home insurance policies may not give any cover for ‘office contents’, as they are not deemed to be ‘household goods’.

2. OFFICE EQUIPMENT REMOVED FROM THE OFFICE CAN LOSE BUSINESS INSURANCE COVER

The main purpose of business insurance is typically to cover company assets in a specific workplace, although some commercial business policies allow for an element of cover for business equipment being temporarily removed. Therefore, if an employer is moving to a remote working model, they will need to speak with their insurer and update their insurance policy accordingly.

3. PREPARE FOR HACKS, DATA BREACHES AND LOST DEVICES

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure all computer hardware is provided to an employee to enable remote working. Typically, this is covered under the business’s material damage section of its insurance policy. What’s most important is that employers update and communicate their security policies to reflect emerging teleworking practices and the rapidly evolving space of data security.

4. ACCIDENTS IN A REMOTE WORK ENVIRONMENT ARE STILL WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS

All employers have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure employees have a safe and ergonomic place to work, regardless of whether that is on-site or at home. Accidents in a remote work environment are still workplace accidents. If remote working is a relatively new development within an organisation, employers should ensure their employer liability policy provides the appropriate level of coverage.

5. MEETINGS HELD AT HOME SHOULD BE DIGITAL ONLY

Remote workers hosting meetings at home has implications for the employer and employee. Most home insurance policies require people to specify that their home is not used in connection with their business or profession. Therefore, were an accident to occur in the home during a meeting with a client or customer, this would not be covered by their insurer. Liberty advises employees and employers to hold only digital meetings at home and go to a co-working space or the office for in-person meetings.