Working from home could lead to unpleasant insurance surprises

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — In consumer news, working from home. A recent Stanford study found that a whopping 42% of Americans are now working from home.

And that means your insurance needs will change. For example, maybe you bought a new desk, computer and printer and an electrical fire destroys your home office. Your insurance will typically only cover up to $2,500 minus the deductible for the property you use for work. So you may want to consider a home policy endorsement to increase your coverage options.

Let’s consider another example. Imagine a client is coming to your home, slips on your icy driveway, breaks a hip and sues you. Your homeowners’ insurance likely would *not* cover you, but it would if it were a personal visit.

And then there’s your car. If you’re now using your car for work-related tasks and you have an accident, you could be in for an unpleasant surprise.

"That is a situation where your car insurance is not going to cover you for those accidents,” Stephen Kates, a Bankrate insurance analyst, said. "And one of the primary reasons is that they are expecting you or the company you’re working for will be providing some level of insurance and be that first policy to come into play."

But the insurance experts at Bankrate say working from home could present some insurance advantages.

Perhaps now you’re driving far less. You could be eligible for a low mileage discount. Usually, those discounts require you to drive no more than 10,000 miles a year. That could reduce your car insurance rate by up to 30%.

Studies done early during the pandemic found that those working from home were generally more productive. So for many, this will be the new norm.

That’s why it’s time to have some coverage conversations with your employer and your insurer.