0818 024106

Talk to us to help save yourself time & money

Working from home insurance

Whether you're employed, self-employed or running a business from your property, working from home can change the risks your home and belongings face. Specialist working from home insurance can help ensure you're protected while carrying out your day-to-day work activities.

What is working from home insurance?

Working from home insurance is designed to help protect people who carry out work activities from their residential property. While some insurers may extend existing home insurance cover to accommodate occasional remote work, others may require additional protection depending on your circumstances. A working from home insurance policy may provide protection for:

  • Home office equipment

  • Business use of the property

  • Personal belongings

  • Business equipment

  • Public liability risks

  • Loss or damage to work related items

  • Certain legal liability exposures

Benefits of working with Howden:

  • We're committed to helping make arranging insurance simpler and more efficient

  • Personalised guidance backed by local expertise

  • Chat to your local broker, within your community

  • Insurance cover tailored to your needs

  • We can support you when something goes wrong

What equipment can be covered?

Many home workers rely on valuable technology and equipment to perform their role. This can include:

  • Laptop computers

  • Desktop computers

  • Monitors

  • Printers

  • Mobile phones

  • Office furniture

  • Specialist business equipment

If equipment is owned by your employer, you should check whether it’s covered under your employer's insurance arrangements or if additional protection may be required.

If you own the equipment yourself, confirming that it’s included in your insurance policy can provide added peace of mind.

Working from home and your home insurance

One of the most common questions people ask is whether working from home affects their home insurance, and for many employees carrying out administrative or office-based work, insurers may continue to provide cover under an existing home insurance policy. However, requirements can vary between providers. You should inform your insurance provider if one of the following is true:

  1. You are working from home regularly

  2. You operate a business from your property

  3. You store business stock or equipment

  4. You have clients visiting your home

  5. You employ staff at your property

  6. Keeping your insurance provider informed can help ensure your policy accurately reflects how your property is being used.

How working from home insurance may help reduce financial exposure

The cost of replacing business equipment, dealing with liability claims or recovering from a significant loss can be substantial. Having suitable protection in place may help avoid unexpected expenses associated with damaged equipment, theft, liability claims, business interruptions and property damage incidents. While insurance comes at a cost, appropriate cover may help reduce the financial impact of unexpected events.

Get a working from home insurance quote

Whether you're an employee working remotely, a self-employed professional, a freelancer or the owner of a home-based business, having the right protection in place can help you work with confidence. At Howden Insurance Ireland, we can help you explore working from home insurance options tailored to your circumstances. Contact our team today to discuss your needs and obtain a working from home insurance quote.

 

Note: This is a marketing article from Howden. The information in this guide is accurate at time of publication. This content is provided for general information only and does not constitute financial or insurance advice. If you have any questions or want to understand working from home insurance could work better for you, call us on 0818 024 106 and we'll be happy to help.

FAQs – Working from home insurance

Does working from home invalidate home insurance?

Not necessarily. Many insurers will continue to provide cover for certain types of remote work, but it's important to inform your insurance provider about any regular work from home arrangements.

Which insurance policies should be considerations for self employed professionals?

If you're self-employed, your insurance needs may differ significantly from those of an employee. Freelancers, consultants and other independent professionals often have greater responsibility for arranging their own protection. Depending on your circumstances and insurance requirements, some individuals may wish to explore options such as:

  • Working from home insurance

  • Public liability insurance

  • Professional indemnity insurance

  • Equipment cover

  • Business interruption protection

For many freelancers and contractors, a combination of covers may provide broader protection than relying solely on standard home insurance.

Are home office equipment and laptops covered?

Cover varies between policies. Some insurers may include protection for home office equipment, while others may require additional cover depending on ownership and value.

When is professional indemnity insurance relevant?

Professional indemnity insurance can help protect against claims alleging professional mistakes, errors or omissions, negligence, or financial loss caused by advice or services provided because PI cover can vary significantly between insurers. If your work involves providing advice, consultancy services or professional expertise to clients, you may want to consider this type of cover.

Many consultants, designers, accountants, IT professionals and other knowledge-based workers choose to consider professional indemnity protection alongside their other business insurance arrangements.

Do I need public liability insurance?

Public liability insurance may be particularly important if clients, customers, suppliers or other visitors come to your property. This cover may help if a third party:

  • Suffers an injury while visiting your home

  • Experiences property damage connected to your activities

  • Makes a claim against you following an accident

Have any security tips for home workers?

6 security tips for home workers

Taking simple steps to improve security can help protect your equipment and reduce risk. Consider:

1. Locking doors and windows when away

2. Installing quality alarms

3. Using secure passwords and multi factor authentication

4. Keeping laptops out of sight

5. Backing up important files regularly

6. Updating software and security systems

Good security practices can help protect both physical equipment and valuable business information.

Do self employed people need different insurance?

In many cases, yes. Self employed individuals often need to consider additional business related protections such as public liability insurance or professional indemnity insurance.

Do freelancers need professional indemnity insurance?

This depends on the type of work they perform. Freelancers who provide specialist advice, professional services or consultancy may wish to consider professional indemnity insurance.

Can I get cover if I run a business from home?

Yes. Many insurers offer insurance solutions for home-based businesses, although the level of protection required will depend on the nature of the business and how the property is used.

Does working from home affect your car insurance?

For some people, remote work has changed how they use their vehicle. If your car is now being used differently, you may wish to review your car insurance arrangements. For example, changes in commuting habits or business use could affect the information held by your insurer.

It's always worth checking with your insurance provider if your vehicle usage has changed significantly. This is because cover is subject to insurer acceptance, underwriting criteria, terms, conditions and exclusions. Not all benefits or features are available under every policy.

Get in touch

Try us out and see how we can help save money and make finding the right insurance cover that little bit easier for you.

Home Insurance
Home insurance to protect your dwelling

Protect your pocket and relax in your home with total peace of mind.

Buildings Insurance
Get buildings insurance that fits the bill

Trust us to help you find a buildings insurance policy that ticks all the right boxes

Holiday Home Insurance
Protect your home away from home

Protect your holiday property with a holiday home insurance policy that suits you best.

Mobile Home Insurance
Policies which cover mobile homes of all shapes and sizes

We have a team of industry professionals who have help you find the perfect cover for your mobile home.

Contents Insurance
Our best value contents insurance to protect your possessions

Howden’s panel of insurers are here to help you find the best cover for your home’s belongings and contents.

Non-standard Construction Insurance
Forget what’s ‘standard’, we insure quirky, unique, and unusual homes

Finding insurance for a home that’s not considered ‘standard’ doesn’t need to be tricky, thanks to our non-standard construction insurance.

Unoccupied Property Insurance
Unoccupied properties need insurance too

Empty properties are still at risk and vulnerable, and that’s why having unoccupied property insurance is essential.

Related Articles

How do I calculate my buildings sum insured? Your 2026 guide

What does buildings insurance cover? Your 2026 guide

How to calculate contents value for insurance: 2026 guide

How to avoid underinsuring your home