What do I need to tell my business insurance provider?

So you’ve brought an insurance policy for the protection of your business, your clients & your staff. Well done...but your box of  ‘insurance responsibility’ is yet to be ticked unless you have also completed these tasks;

Private Car Insurance?

Did you know that “Social, Domestic, Pleasure & Commuting will only insure you to drive to & from a single place of work? As an employer, if your staff have to drive ANYWHERE that is not 1 place of work, you should be advising (and preferably checking) that your  staff take out ‘Business Use’ on their private car insurance policies.

This applies even if they drop the post off on their way home. If you don’t want your staff to have uninsured claims or be charged with ‘Driving Without Insurance’ (which could hold a hefty fine and an IN10 on their driving license – or worse, a driving ban) then I urge you to ensure you have explained this. 

Home Insurance?

Do your staff ever work from home? Have they told their home insurance provider? Have you told your Office/Electrical Equipment Insurance provider? If your staff work from home then you should advise them to let their home insurance provider know, just to ensure that any personal claims are insured. Some insurers may see this as a positive because the home is occupied more frequently.

If your staff are using your business equipment then you should also jump on the phone to your Insurance provider because unless your PCs/electrical equipment are listed to be insured for ‘All Risks’ or specifically listed at your employee’s home address, then they probably aren’t insured. 

Public Liability?

Do you or your staff ever have business visitors to a home address? Did you know that if your business visitor was to become injured whilst at your home address your office/business Public Liability Insurance wouldn’t cover the claim? If you or your team have anyone at their home address – or even outside of the office for that matter – then you need to let your Public Liability provider know. Your/the staff members home insurance will not extend to cover business activities. 

Employers Liability?

Have you told your Employers Liability provider that your staff work from home? Have you carried out a DSE assessment out on your employee’s home working set up? Have you sorted out your HSE policies and procedures, i.e. Lone Working?

Your Employers Liability Insurance will only cover claims if you have carried out your legal responsibilities. If you haven’t checked up on how safely your staff are working from home & documented this, then you can’t expect the claim to be paid when an employee trips over a phone cable. 

Conclusion

Of course these examples apply mainly to clerical activities, but perhaps your business does online yoga, or applies logos to merchandise, or makes jam?! In any scenario where your staff are in their home address – or otherwise - you need to ensure that those insurances that you hold at your business premises, still apply and protect them. 

Notifying your business insurance company needn’t cost an awful lot more. This isn’t about trying to squeeze more into your annual premiums, it is making sure that you aren’t paying for an insurance policy that doesn’t offer you that peace of mind and protection your business & staff actually need. 

Insurance is one of the last professional industries where you can obtain professional advice for ‘free’ – this won’t last forever so we strongly advise that you utilise this whilst you still can. 1Stop Insurance are always happy to give advice and assist you & your business with your insurance needs.

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