Insurance Considerations for Remote Workers

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Working from home can affect your insurance coverage—here’s what to review and how to stay protected.

Working from home involves many unique insurance considerations. If you have a remote job, whether hybrid or full-time remote, taking these considerations into account can help ensure you have proper insurance coverage.

Insurance protects you from financial liability when belongings are damaged or someone becomes injured on your property. It’s important to ensure adequate insurance coverage – whether doing your job or engaging in personal activities.

Is Your Computer Equipment Protected By Insurance?

Many remote workers are provided with computer equipment by their employers. If your employer has provided you with equipment such as a computer, monitor, printer, and cell phone, these devices are likely covered by your employer’s insurance policy. Check with your employer to ensure that their commercial insurance will cover these items if they are damaged.

If you’re using your personal computer for work activities, your employer is likely not going to cover your personal computer with their insurance. Additionally, your personal computer may or may not be covered by your personal insurance policy, if you’re using it for work. Some insurance policies offer a lower level of coverage for personal items used for work purposes, while other insurance policies will not cover these items at all.

How Can You Ensure Coverage?

To find out if your work equipment is covered by your personal insurance policy, have a conversation with your insurance agent. Some home insurance policies offer additional endorsements to cover business-related content like equipment and products. Your insurance agent may need to know what type of equipment you use, whether the business is your own, and the approximate value of the equipment.

Expensive pieces of equipment may need special coverage. For example, if your computer has special capabilities that increase its value, your insurance policy may not have full coverage under a standard policy. Know the limits of coverage for individual pieces of equipment. Work with your insurance agent to ensure adequate coverage for your most valuable work devices.

Running Your Own Business? Consider Commercial Insurance

If you’re running a business out of your house, commercial insurance provides extra coverage that may benefit you. In addition to property coverage, commercial insurance may offer a range of coverages.

  • Property insurance: Commercial property insurance covers the physical location of your business, inventory, and equipment.
  • General liability insurance: General liability insurance provides coverage when a vendor or customer becomes injured on your property.
  • Professional liability insurance: Professional liability insurance, also known as “errors and omissions” insurance, covers lawsuits and settlements due to unsatisfactory work and costly errors.

Every business is different, so if you need commercial insurance, your insurance agent can provide you with a policy that offers the right protection for your business’s unique needs.

Are You Driving Less While Working From Home?

Working from home can change your insurance situation, including your car insurance. If you worked at an office until recently, you may have been driving tens or hundreds of miles every month, for which you may have been paying a higher insurance rate. Now that you’re spending most of your time at home, your risk may be lower.

Contact your insurance agent to revise your auto insurance policy with a new estimated number of miles driven annually. This may reduce your auto insurance policy and save you money.

Touch Base With Your Insurance Agent About Working From Home

Once you start working from home, ensure your work equipment and insurance policies are up-to-date. Have a conversation with your insurance agent to explore the ways your insurance may need revising to ensure that your work equipment and business have adequate insurance coverage. Call today to learn more.

Who is Responsible When a Neighbor’s Tree Falls onto your Property?

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Neighbors tree falls onto your yard Neighbors can be a great source of support and friendship, lending a helping hand when needed and creating a sense of community. However, living in close proximity to others can also give rise to uncomfortable situations, particularly when it comes to property damage caused by trees.

As winter transitions into spring, the mixture of high winds and wet soil can make trees vulnerable, increasing the risk of them toppling over. But who is responsible and which insurance company should be contacted when your tree damages your neighbor’s property? Let’s delve into the matter and shed some light on the subject.

In most cases, the answer is quite straightforward: the owner of the damaged property is responsible for repairing the damage, not the tree owner. Let’s consider a few specific scenarios to clarify the situation:

  • Your tree falls onto your neighbor’s house: In this case, your neighbor is responsible for mitigating the damages and should contact their own insurance company to handle the repairs.
  • Your neighbor’s tree falls on your car: If your neighbor’s tree damages your car, it is your responsibility to contact your insurance company for assistance in resolving the issue.

Proving negligence on the part of the tree owner is an exceedingly rare occurrence. Trees can die naturally while remaining structurally sound for many years. However, if you or your neighbor have concerns about a dead tree on the property, it is advisable to consult an arborist. If the tree in question belongs to your neighbor, have an open conversation about the potential risks it poses and the harm it could cause if it were to fall. By addressing the issue together, you may be able to find a resolution that alleviates the problem.

Remember, maintaining a good relationship with your neighbors is essential, even in challenging situations. Open communication and a willingness to address concerns can help foster understanding and prevent disputes from escalating. By being proactive and taking steps to address any potential risks associated with trees on your property or your neighbor’s property, you can work towards ensuring a safe and harmonious living environment for everyone.

In conclusion, when a tree causes damage to a neighbor’s property, the owner of the damaged property is generally responsible for repairs. By approaching these situations with a sense of responsibility and good communication, you can navigate potential conflicts and maintain a positive relationship with your neighbors.

Seasonal Home Maintenance Tips to Prevent Insurance Claims

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Keep your home safe and avoid costly insurance claims with these seasonal maintenance tips.

Rain gutter full of autumn leaves with a baseball

Your home requires regular maintenance and upkeep. Taking care of your home can help you prevent damage that leads to insurance claims. Every home is unique in its seasonal care requirements, but this checklist can serve as a starting point for maintaining a beautiful, comfortable space house.

Spring

Repair Walkways, Driveways, and Stairs

Concrete is porous, so many homeowners seal concrete to prevent it from absorbing water. Water can seep into the concrete when the sealer wears off, causing cracks during freeze/thaw cycles.

Cracked concrete can be a safety hazard that can lead to accidents on your property. Re-seal your concrete every two to five years to prevent this from happening. When a crack forms, make repairs to prevent the crack from getting worse.

Maintain Your Deck

Decks need periodic maintenance. Wooden decks must be painted and sealed to prevent the wood from rotting. If you have a wooden deck, re-seal or re-paint every few years to keep the wood in good condition. If your deck is made of composite wood, clean it regularly.

Clean Your Dryer Vent

There were almost 16,000 structure fires involving washers and dryers between 2010 and 2014, and most of those fires were started by dryers. Cleaning your dryer vent every year can help prevent heat from becoming trapped, thus reducing the chances of a fire. This work can be done yourself, or you can hire a handyman.

Repair Siding and Roofing as Needed

Your home’s siding and roofing shield your house from the elements. Damage to your home’s siding and roof can lead to further damage if no repairs are made. Inspect your home’s roof and siding regularly to look for damage that needs to be fixed. Work with a contractor to get the job done.

Fall

Weatherstrip

Weatherstripping your home helps keep your house comfortable at the coldest times of the year. Install weatherstripping around windows and doors. Check for drafts on chilly days, and if needed, add more weatherstripping to maintain a comfortable home. Once weatherstripping is installed, it may last for two or three years before it needs to be replaced.

Trim Branches and Trees

Overhanging branches can become weighed down by ice during severe weather, leading branches to fall on your roof, driveway, and car. Keep branches and trees trimmed to prevent this kind of structural damage. Use pruning sheers to remove smaller branches, or hire a professional to remove larger branches.

Test and Maintain Your Furnace

Test your home’s furnace annually and have it serviced by an HVAC professional. This helps ensure your furnace will operate through the winter and may prevent problems like house fires caused by furnace defects.

Store Outside Furniture

Outdoor furniture can cause damage when the wind blows it away. Put away your outdoor furniture in a shed, garage, or somewhere safe from wind and rain.

Clean, Inspect, and Repair Your Chimney

If you use your fireplace, inspect the firebox and chimney every fall before using them in the winter. Chimneys need periodic maintenance and cleaning to prevent house fires.

Throughout The Year

Clean and Maintain Gutters

Your home’s gutters play an essential role in water management on your property. Keep your gutters clean and functional throughout the year to prevent ice dams in winter. Some homeowners need to clean their gutters once annually; others clean them twice yearly. Check your gutters in spring and fall for signs that they need to be cleaned.

Test Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors save lives and can prompt you to get help from the fire department when a fire begins. Test your smoke detectors at least once per month and replace batteries as needed.

Update Your Home Insurance

Here’s one more task to add to your list: update your home insurance once a year to ensure you have adequate coverage when needed. When was the last time you updated your home insurance policy? Call today to get started.