Are you really protected by your household insurances?

Did you know …………….. that most of the popular UK household insurers will not insure you if you run a business from your home or its grounds?

Many customers make the mistake of answering ‘no’ to the question ‘Do you run a business from your premises?’ because they have a separate business liability policy in force.  Unfortunately, the insurer wants to know whether you run a business from home or its grounds, not whether you have a separate policy for it.  They may interpret this as a misrepresentation of facts and could decline your claim on that basis.

Another common mistake is that many pet business owners say they aren’t running a business from their premises because they do not physically keep the animals within their home.  When the insurer uses the word ‘premises’ they are not referring purely to your house, they are also including the land included on the deeds of your property.  Kennel & Cattery owners often fall foul of this because the animals are boarded in purpose built buildings, which, although separate to the domestic property, are on the same land as the house.

If you currently hold a household insurance policy and the insurers are unaware of your business activities it is possible that your house and its’ contents will not be protected in the event of a loss.  The insurers may decline your claim because you are running your business from home and you failed to disclose this to them.

A few household insurers may cover you if you are carrying out office activities only, in return for an additional premium, but most won’t cover you if you are running a business involving animals.

We strongly urge you to check your cover now

The most effective way to do this is to contact your current insurers and obtain their written confirmation of cover being in place for your particular circumstances.

As well as being able to arrange insurance for your pet business we at Cliverton have access to a household policy specifically for people running a business from their home or its associated land.

If, having spoken to your current insurer, you remain concerned please feel free to contact us for advice or a no-obligation quotation on 01328 857921 or complete the quotation request form by clicking here