HOME insurance with business
- We cover homes with full-time, part-time, and hobby home businesses.
- Some Business equipment covered.
- Up to £5 million public liability cover for business visitors.
- Underwritten by AXA Insurance.
More information
HOME INSURANCE WITH BUSINESS USE
Whether you’re a childminder, counsellor, retailer, or any other type of home-based entrepreneur, running a business from home is a great option for professionals seeking advantages such as greater flexibility, reduced overhead costs, and the additional perks of working from the comfort of their own home.
However, it’s important to be aware of the unique risks that can come with operating a business from home. Starting a home business introduces new risks to your living space, security, business equipment, and any visitors coming to your home.
At Homeprotect, we recognise that not every home business looks the same, which is why when it comes to home business insurance, your contents insurance policy can be tailored to meet your needs according to the type of business assets kept on your premises. However, if your work includes travel, don’t forget to get cover away from the home for valuables like cameras, laptops, mobile phones and baggage. As a home business owner, you may also have lots of different people visiting your home. Public liability insurance protects you from claims made by third parties for accidents or injuries sustained on your premises.
KEY POINTS
- You must inform your insurance provider if you are running or plan to run a business from home.
- Choose a policy that covers your business equipment, including laptops, office furniture and stock.
- Check your mortgage or rental contracts to make sure you aren’t breaking any terms by starting a business from your house.
- If you have employees, you are legally required to have employer’s liability insurance. This is separate from your domestic home insurance.
Home Insurance with business use Reviews
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What’s covered by HOME insurance with business use?
What we offer
Emergency help when you need it most
If you have a home emergency — such as a power outage, uncontrollable leak or a broken lock — our 24/7 Home Emergency cover is included as standard.
- We aim to get an engineer to you within four hours
- For serious water leaks, we’ll try to have a plumber with you in two hours
Response times may vary during extreme weather. Policy terms and claim limits apply.
5 star rated cover
Our insurance has received the highest rating from independent financial researchers, Moneyfacts.
Repair guarantee
We guarantee any buildings work we arrange after a claim for two years. Contents repairs are guaranteed for one year.
New for old
Where we replace a damaged or stolen item, we’ll do our best to match the original — on a ‘new for old’ basis. If that’s not possible, we’ll offer a suitable alternative or a full cash settlement.
Legal support when you need it
Family Legal Protection is included as standard. You’ll have access to expert telephone legal advice on personal matters under the laws of the UK and most of Europe.
What isn’t covered?
There are some things we can’t cover, including:
Gradual damage, wear and tear, or issues you knew about but didn’t fix
Faulty design, construction, or workmanship.
Damage caused by poor maintenance or neglect
Items you don’t own or aren’t legally responsible for
Items stolen from unoccupied vehicles
Damage caused by pets.
Mechanical or electrical breakdown
Keeping your home and belongings in good condition is essential. If damage happens because of neglect or poor maintenance, your claim may be declined, and your policy could be cancelled.
Recommended by our customers
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*Survey data of 1,089 buying customers from 30th October – 12th November 2024
Home Insurance with business use Cover Levels
Our home insurance is designed to protect your home against insured events such as fire, storm, flood, escape of water, theft, malicious damage, subsidence, landslip or heave.
Buildings cover
Protects the main structure of your home, including attached garages and conservatories, and permanent outdoor features such as patios, driveways and boundary walls.
up to £1 million
(more cover available if you need it)
Contents cover
Protects your household contents — including furniture, clothing, appliances, gadgets and valuables — against events like fire, flood and theft. Cover is provided on a new for old basis. There is a standard limit of £10,000 for business equipment (although this can be increased by our underwriters).
from £25,000
Alternative accommodation
We’ll help cover the cost of temporary accommodation for you and your pets if your home becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event. If you stay with friends or family instead, we’ll cover your extra living costs.
up to £75,000 (Buildings)
up to £10,000 (Contents)
Home emergency
Covers sudden, unexpected emergencies — like an uncontrollable leak — that require immediate action to prevent damage or make your home secure. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £500
Family legal protection
Covers legal costs for certain insured events. There must be a reasonable chance of success, and the incident must happen during your policy term. Two levels of cover are available, for different types of insured loss.
up to £25,000
Trace and access
We’ll pay to detect the source of a water or oil leak, and cover the cost of reinstating floors, walls or paths that were disturbed in the process.
up to £10,000
Outbuildings cover
Covers detached garages, greenhouses, sheds, summerhouses and other outbuildings within your boundary or any communal area you’re legally responsible for.
from £20,000
Liability cover
Covers your legal liability for accidental death, injury or illness to someone else, or damage to their property.
up to £5 million
Personal possessions
Covers items you wear, carry or use outside the home (e.g. clothing, bags and sports equipment).
Optional
Gadgets, bikes and valuables away from the home
Optional cover for mobile phones, laptops, tablets, watches, jewellery, hearing aids and other high-risk items you take out of your home.
Optional
Accidental damage
Optional cover for unexpected mishaps around the home — such as breakages, spillages or damage caused by you, your guests or wild animals. Two levels of cover are available.
Optional
important exclusions
- No cover for business tools or stock unless agreed by underwriters
- No cover for business money
Business Definitions
Business Equipment: Equipment used to run your business, such as computers, printers, monitors, routers, office furniture, and electronic gadgets, such as mobile phones and laptops.
Business Tools: Items used directly to perform a trade, craft, or service — such as scissors, clippers, kilns, or power tools. Not covered unless agreed by underwriters.
Business Stock: Items intended for sale — like bought-in products (e.g. clothing, cosmetics) or materials used to make goods (e.g. clay, fabric, paint). Completed handmade items are not covered.
Business Money: Cash used in the course of business — such as float money or takings. Not covered under this policy.
We may be able to extend cover for Business Tools and Business Stock following a referral to our underwriting team. We can also increase the Business Equipment claim limit beyond £10,000, if approved.
New Customer?
If you’re deciding on whether to buy home insurance with us, you can use our latest policy booklets as a guide.
Existing Customer?
Find answers to some of your questions here. Your latest policy documents are also available to view and download.
Your Questions Answered
Yes — business equipment is covered under our Contents insurance, up to a standard limit of £10,000 per claim. This includes items like computers, monitors, printers, routers, and office furniture used to run your business.
If you need a higher limit, we may be able to increase this following a referral to our underwriting team.
Please note: Business Equipment is separate from Business Tools, Business Stock and Business Money — which are not covered unless specifically agreed by our underwriters.
Yes, if you employ staff. This is a legal requirement and is not included in your Homeprotect policy. Sole traders without employees are exempt.
Yes — if clients or business contacts visit your home. Public Liability is included as standard and can, depending on your business use, cover legal liability for injury or property damage to third parties (excluding employees).
Not as standard — but we may be able to include cover for Business Tools (e.g. kilns, power tools) or Business Stock (e.g. materials used to make goods for sale) following a review by our underwriting team. Business Money is not covered.
If you’re running a business from home, you’ll need specialist cover. Homeprotect provides business use cover for many home-based professions. If you’re just doing occasional admin or employed remote work, specialist cover may not be required.
Yes. If your renovation is valued over £20,000, you must notify us before work begins. If you don’t, your policy could be invalid.
In most cases, they are covered up to a certain maximum per claim if you make sure the value of these items are included in the value of contents to be insured. You can find out more about our garage insurance here, and our shed insurance. Please note that there are some items that we can’t insure such as boats and water skis, please refer to the policy booklets for full details. Some business equipment stored in outbuildings is covered, but not high-risk items or stock without underwriter approval.
Public liability insurance can cover damages and claimants’ costs and expenses for your legal liability in the event of accidental death, bodily injury or illness to a third party, or damage to property belonging to a third party that is not in the custody or control of you, your family or domestic staff.
If you are operating a business and have staff then you must take out Employer’s Liability Insurance. This can cover you in the case of claims relating to illness or injury of staff as a direct result of their employment in your company. Up to £2,500 in fines per day can be charged if you do not have this form of insurance in place. Sole traders are exempt from this.
Not with Homeprotect. Our policy includes cover for business equipment. We can also tailor your policy to include other business-related items, subject to approval.