COVID-19 Daily News

Working from Home: What You Need to Know About Insurance Coverage

AMHERST — During these unprecedented times, the everyday norm is shifting for most Americans. Commutes have become a simple walk down to the coffee maker instead of the usual 15- to 30-minute drive from home.

With much of the workforce working remotely, likely from a home office, it is important that you are protected from further unexpected exposures, says Tracey Benison, president of Encharter Insurance in Amherst. Most homeowner and renter insurance policies limit coverage, so discussing business exposures with your agent to ensure proper coverage is in place is a must.

When chatting with your agent, she said, consider the following:

1. Do you have clients and/or employees visiting the home, and how often?

2. Do you have equipment or protected information in your care, custody, or control?

3. Are you delivering products with your own vehicle?

4. Do you have more, fewer, or no employees now?

The answers to these questions will determine if you need business owners, workers’ compensation, business auto, or cyber insurance coverage.

“In many situations, if you are an employee, your employer will have insurance coverage in place to protect you,” Benison said. “These policies should provide you with coverage that you need, but you need to ask your employer to be sure.
If you are the business owner, you need to be sure you are properly covered for these evolving exposures. This is the time to do a fresh review of your insurance coverage with your agent to ensure you are adequately protected.”

If you have any questions, call Encharter Insurance at (413) 549-4971.