Working from home causes insurance confusion for millions of workers
More than two fifths (44%) of Brits say they are currently working from home – but do they need to tell their insurer?
- Expert advice suggests workers don’t need to update their insurer if they’re working from home during the coronavirus outbreak, unless it’s their full time place of work.
- Will my equipment be covered on my insurance? Confused.com clears up common questions in catch-all guide.
- More than one in five (21%) home-workers are concerned about the impact on their social life.
- Confused.com compiles activities to keep kids entertained, as nearly a third (31%) of home-workers will be juggling work responsibilities with childcare.
One week since millions of people across the UK were officially sent home to work, new research has revealed confusion on the impact this could have on their insurance.
That’s according to a new study from Confused.com, which found more than two fifths (44%) of UK adults admit they are currently working from home, with a further 7% expecting to be sent home to work soon.
Millions of Brits have already set up office at home, with valuable laptops, monitors and other work materials taking over dining tables and ‘spare rooms’ across the nation. But do workers need to let their insurer know of this change in work pattern? This seems to be a confusion for more than one in six (16%) home-workers, who don’t know if they need to update their insurer about their working situation. But expert advice from Confused.com offers some peace of mind, as it suggests workers who have set up office at home during the coronavirus outbreak will be covered on their insurance as it isn’t their full time place of work.
However, this isn’t the only concern home-workers are facing. In fact, a further one in eight (13%) are also unsure if their working equipment will be covered on their home policy. And more than one in 10 (11%) Brits are confused about if working from home is considered as “business use” on their home insurance. To clear up any confusion, Confused.com has created a catch-all guide to answer common questions around working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. According to the advice, there’s very little those newly working from home need to do, as even their equipment will be covered by their business’s insurance.
However, it isn’t just insurance confusion which is concerning people working from home. In fact, one in five (21%) are worried about the impact of working from home on their social life. And one in three (33%) are concerned about the impact on their well-being. But as the weeks pass, it’s likely people will start to feel the effects of isolating at home, especially those living alone. To help people battle through any difficulties they may face, the NHS has provided some supportive advice to keeping well at home.
Although, for some home-workers it isn’t just themselves they have to worry about. In fact, one in three (31%) will have the tricky task of juggling their work while looking after their children. More than a third (35%) of these parents would need to change their work pattern to look after their children. Meanwhile, more than a quarter (28%) will be working in shifts with their partners and other carers. However, not all parents have this flexibility, with nearly two in five (38%) sharing their concerns about how they will be able to look after their child and keep up with their work. Nearly half (46%) are also worried about how they will keep their children entertained. To relieve some of the pressure on working parents, Confused.com has some suggestions on activities for children to do to give parents some time to focus.
Jessica Willock, home insurance expert at Confused.com, says: “We’re living through unprecedented times, but we’re all in this together, which is why we’re listening to the concerns of people across the UK.
“We know that working from home is causing a lot of confusion for people who have recently been sent home to work. Naturally they’d expect to have to tell their insurer that their situation has changed, but this isn’t the case. And we hope our guide is able to offer some clarity and peace of mind for any other concerns they may have.”