Is working from home covered by my home insurance?

Key takeaways

• Your home insurance will usually cover items you own, but it might not cover equipment provided by your employer

• You might need additional cover if you store stock at your home, have employees coming to your home to work, or have business-related visitors

• If you run a business from home, you might need business insurance, while using your car for business will affect your car insurance

Is working from home covered by my home insurance?

Yes, working from home is usually covered by your home insurance if you only do office-based work, such as using a laptop or making phone calls. But you may need extra cover if you run a business from home, store stock, have business visitors or use expensive equipment.

According to Statista, around 24% of working adults in Great Britain worked in a hybrid routine in April 2026, while 13% were fully remote.

What does home insurance cover?

Home contents insurance generally covers possessions such as your furniture, clothes, and electrical appliances against theft and damage, but not all policies cover everything you need to work from home. While most insurance policies may cover office equipment for basic administrative tasks, they might exclude items used for business purposes.

You should check if your contents insurance covers accidental damage to mobile phones, laptops, or other equipment once the items are outside the home. It’s also a good idea to check single item limits if you have expensive equipment.

Households typically paid £248.37^{^} for combined buildings and contents insurance in March 2026 (median price based on policy type).

Is my work laptop covered by home insurance?

No, you work laptop usually won’t be covered by your home contents insurance if it belongs to your employer. Your employer’s business insurance should normally cover equipment they provide, but you should check with your employer and your home insurer.

Do I need to tell my home insurer I work from home?

Yes, you should tell your home insurer if you work from home, especially if you run a business from home or have expensive work equipment. If you only do basic office work, your policy may not change, but it’s still worth checking your policy documents.

Does working from home affect my home insurance?

If you just do administrative work from home – at a computer, for example – you usually won’t need extra insurance.

If you take work-related equipment out and about – for example, if you work on your laptop in a café – you should make sure you have all risks/personal possessions cover. This can cover loss or accidental damage to your possessions outside the home.

Depending on the nature of your business, you might need business insurance.

What’s the difference between working from home and running a business from home?

Working from home usually means doing your normal employed job from your home, while running a business from home means using your property as part of your business. Your insurer may treat these differently, especially if you store stock, see clients, employ staff or adapt your home for work.

Do I need business insurance if I work from home?

You may need business insurance if:

• Stock is stored at your home

• You employ other people

• Customers visit you at your home

• You have business premises

• You have adapted your home for business use – building a garden office, for example

Business insurance can include:

Business insurance policies might also include:

• Business interruption

• Supply chain breakdown

• Cyber insurance

If you only work from home for an employer, you may not need a separate business insurance policy.

Do I need to tell my car insurer if I work from home?

If you use your car for business, you will need to declare this when you take out car insurance. Including business cover will normally cost more than if you just use your car for personal or social use.

You will need specialist insurance if driving is a key part of your job – if you are a delivery driver, for example.

Do I need public liability insurance to work from home?

Whether you need public liability insurance if you work from home depends on the nature of your business. You might need public liability insurance if your work means clients or other members of the public visit your home – you teach yoga in your garden, for example.

Public liability insurance protects businesses if they're sued. It covers your business in the event of a third-party claim such as causing injury, illness or death to the public, or causing damage to property.

What is professional indemnity insurance?

Professional indemnity insurance protects businesses and professionals from legal costs and compensation claims if they're accused of negligence or a breach of professional duty. Whether you need professional indemnity insurance depends on your industry - for example, you might need it if you are an accountant offering tax advice to clients.

Do I need insurance for employees working from home?

Yes, if you have employees, employers' liability insurance is usually a legal requirement. With a minimum cover of £5 million, it's designed to protect against claims made by employees who suffer injuries or illnesses due to their work.

You may not need employers’ liability insurance if you only employ close family members or people based outside England, Scotland and Wales. But the rules can depend on your business structure, so check the latest government guidance if you’re unsure.

Compare home insurance

When it comes to finding the right insurance for your home-based work, it’s easy to find and compare home insurance policies with MoneySuperMarket. If you need business insurance, we’ve also teamed up with Simply Business so you can compare cover from some of the UK’s leading business insurance companies.