The line between home and work has blurred. Laptops on kitchen tables, printers in spare rooms, filing cabinets squeezed next to the ironing board. It feels domestic. Insurers don’t always see it that way.
Whether office equipment is covered depends on what you do, who owns the equipment, and how the policy defines business use.
What home insurance usually covers
Standard home contents insurance is designed for personal belongings. Furniture, electronics, clothes, everyday household items.
Some policies include limited cover for office equipment used for clerical or administrative work. Others exclude business use altogether unless it’s declared.
- Laptops and monitors used for clerical work
- Desks and chairs owned personally
- Basic equipment within low value limits
Those limits are often lower than people expect.
Employer-owned equipment
If your employer provides the equipment, responsibility usually sits with them, not your home insurer.
Many employers insure laptops and phones issued to staff, even when used at home. That cover doesn’t extend to your own belongings.
It’s worth checking rather than assuming.
Business use and policy definitions
Home insurance policies often distinguish between clerical work and business activity.
Clerical work usually means paperwork, phone calls, computer-based tasks. No visitors. No stock. No clients calling at the house.
Once business activity goes beyond that, the policy response can change.
When home insurance starts to fall short
Problems tend to arise when equipment value increases or when the nature of work changes.
Multiple monitors, specialist equipment, stock stored at home, or clients visiting the property can push things beyond what home insurance is set up to handle.
- Higher-value office equipment
- Tools or specialist devices
- Stock or samples stored at home
At that point, exclusions often apply.
Accidental damage and business equipment
Accidental damage cover may not extend to business equipment, even if the item itself is insured.
A spilt drink on a personal laptop may be treated differently from the same accident involving business equipment.
Policy wording decides, not intention.
Does working from home affect the rest of the policy?
Sometimes.
Insurers may want to know if part of the home is used for business. Not because they object, but because it changes risk.
Failing to disclose regular business use can cause wider problems than just equipment claims.
When commercial insurance becomes relevant
Commercial insurance is designed for business assets and liabilities. It becomes relevant when home insurance can no longer stretch comfortably.
This often applies to self-employed people, freelancers, and small business owners working from home.
- Business equipment insurance for tools and devices
- Public or professional liability cover
- Cover for stock and business interruption
This does not replace home insurance. It sits alongside it.
Mixing home and commercial policies
Many people use both. Home insurance for the property and personal belongings. Commercial insurance for business equipment and liabilities.
The key is clarity. Knowing which policy responds to which loss.
Overlap is less of a problem than gaps.
Security and storage expectations
Insurers may apply security conditions to business equipment. Locks, alarms, safe storage.
Leaving expensive equipment visible or unsecured can affect claims outcomes.
These expectations often mirror those applied to valuables.
What usually causes claims to fail
Most issues come from assumptions. Assuming business use is included. Assuming value limits are higher. Assuming home insurance adapts automatically.
Working from home changes how insurance responds. Understanding where home cover ends and business cover begins makes it far easier to set things up properly before something goes wrong.