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Be careful of your home insurance if you work from home.

  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    3 years ago
    Been with the same insurer for 31 years for house and contents insurance.
    As the next years premium was due and had increased by 25% I called them to negotiate a better price.
    The phone call ended with them immediately cancelling my policy because I work from home.
    So beware of that you blokes if any of you work from home. I cannot believe I have been with this bunch all those years and if my place had burned to the ground I probably would not have been covered.
    What a rort.
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    3 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 01 Nov 2021 09:50 AM

    Been with the same insurer for 31 years for house and contents insurance.
    As the next years premium was due and had increased by 25% I called them to negotiate a better price.
    The phone call ended with them immediately cancelling my policy because I work from home.
    So beware of that you blokes if any of you work from home. I cannot believe I have been with this bunch all those years and if my place had burned to the ground I probably would not have been covered.
    What a rort.

    jeez FC , thats alomost in the WTF bascket.during the covid stuff, lots of people have been encouraged to work from home....potentially jepordising their cover without knowledge,did the company give you a reasonable reason why ?,if there could be one.i wonder what other insurers policy on working from home is ?
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    3 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 01 Nov 2021 09:50 AM

    Been with the same insurer for 31 years for house and contents insurance.
    As the next years premium was due and had increased by 25% I called them to negotiate a better price.
    The phone call ended with them immediately cancelling my policy because I work from home.
    So beware of that you blokes if any of you work from home. I cannot believe I have been with this bunch all those years and if my place had burned to the ground I probably would not have been covered.
    What a rort.

    Quoting brucefxdl on 01 Nov 2021 10:12 AM

    jeez FC , thats alomost in the WTF bascket.during the covid stuff, lots of people have been encouraged to work from home....potentially jepordising their cover without knowledge,did the company give you a reasonable reason why ?,if there could be one.i wonder what other insurers policy on working from home is ?

    Yeah Bruce, I am kind of flabbergasted and thankful my place has not burned to the ground all these years just to be told something like "you have a business from home therefore you are not covered".
    I have a cobber who works from home as a draughstman, on his computer for the most part but it is a business nonetheless.
    Like you say , many people have been working from home during covid.

  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    3 years ago
    FC that Insurance Company is a total crock of shite. Hint of the first letter name.. I mean are people not to be at their residence during the day, or work at home on home, if so your insurance is void.That is bullshit, that I can't understand why? Spose if ya have industrial welder or equipment that generates a shit load of heat, or uses shitload of electricity , but still can't grasp.
    Have my bikes, 4B and house/contents with YOUI. pay only 120 a month, but my shit is fuckall, I wonder if I tell em work from home, as a 'dreamer', that would can policy. Bloody insurance .
  • GGUser260
    GGUser260
    3 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 01 Nov 2021 09:50 AM

    Been with the same insurer for 31 years for house and contents insurance.
    As the next years premium was due and had increased by 25% I called them to negotiate a better price.
    The phone call ended with them immediately cancelling my policy because I work from home.
    So beware of that you blokes if any of you work from home. I cannot believe I have been with this bunch all those years and if my place had burned to the ground I probably would not have been covered.
    What a rort.

    Quoting brucefxdl on 01 Nov 2021 10:12 AM

    jeez FC , thats alomost in the WTF bascket.during the covid stuff, lots of people have been encouraged to work from home....potentially jepordising their cover without knowledge,did the company give you a reasonable reason why ?,if there could be one.i wonder what other insurers policy on working from home is ?

    Quoting Far Canal on 01 Nov 2021 10:36 AM

    Yeah Bruce, I am kind of flabbergasted and thankful my place has not burned to the ground all these years just to be told something like "you have a business from home therefore you are not covered".
    I have a cobber who works from home as a draughstman, on his computer for the most part but it is a business nonetheless.
    Like you say , many people have been working from home during covid.

    Was that which was said to you on the phone; "have a business from home", the exact wording of your policy?
    It would be worth checking the terms of that contract. 

  • robnicko
    robnicko
    3 years ago
    I think the main point will be if your working 'remotely' from home as opposed to operating a business, all its logistics, customers, deliveries etc attending your home which the opens up a can of worms in regards to public liability (business insurance required for the part of the home considered the 'business area'  & the ATO who are also interested in this

    Id wonder if the person from your insurance Co was also WFH when they took your call - most likely using MS Teams / Skype on their work supplied laptop ! 
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    3 years ago
    Quoting brucefxdl on 01 Nov 2021 10:12 AM

    jeez FC , thats alomost in the WTF bascket.during the covid stuff, lots of people have been encouraged to work from home....potentially jepordising their cover without knowledge,did the company give you a reasonable reason why ?,if there could be one.i wonder what other insurers policy on working from home is ?

    Quoting Far Canal on 01 Nov 2021 10:36 AM

    Yeah Bruce, I am kind of flabbergasted and thankful my place has not burned to the ground all these years just to be told something like "you have a business from home therefore you are not covered".
    I have a cobber who works from home as a draughstman, on his computer for the most part but it is a business nonetheless.
    Like you say , many people have been working from home during covid.

    Quoting GGUser260 on 03 Nov 2021 05:58 AM

    Was that which was said to you on the phone; "have a business from home", the exact wording of your policy?

    It would be worth checking the terms of that contract. 

    Not sure if they were the "exact" words GGU but if you run a business from home or anywhere on the same insured address then they will not insure you. They gave me a list of other insurance companies that have the same underwriters and told me not to bother calling any of them for a quote because they will have the same conditions.
    The good news is some insurance companies will insure you knowing you run a business from home. Well, they will insure the buildings you do your business in but they won't insure your stock or machines.
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