Insurance is crucial, especially when you work from home. It can protect you from unforeseen events, like a fire breaking out in your house, a tree falling into your study, or a robber breaking in and stealing your tech.
But understanding the nuances of homeowners insurance can be tricky. A 2023 Forbes Advisor survey found that 72% of homeowners are confused about how essential aspects of their plans work.
When it comes to work-from-anywhere jobs, what does homeowners insurance cover? Does homeowners insurance cover electronic devices? And what about what’s not covered in homeowners insurance?
We’ll walk you through what you need to know. At Asurion, we don’t just fix and protect your devices, we teach millions of people how to get the most out of their tech—from common myths about extended warranties for electronics to whether electronic protection plans are worth it.
Here’s our guide on homeowners insurance for remote workers.
What is homeowners insurance?
A standard homeowners insurance policy typically helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your home—and what’s in it—following damage from unforeseen circumstances, like a fire, a burglary, a fallen tree, and certain types of weather, including wind, hail, and lightning. (These events are called “covered perils.”) Coverage usually includes your electronics, HVAC systems, kitchen appliances, furniture, clothing, and even your garage and swing set.
Imagine a fire damages your home and you have to temporarily relocate during repairs. Homeowners insurance may help cover your living expenses during that time, including temporary housing (like a hotel or Airbnb), meals, pet boarding, and storage. It may also cover lost rent from a tenant who can no longer occupy their room during the repair period. Standard policies may even extend coverage to medical and legal bills in case of injuries on your property.
Every homeowners insurance policy is different, so make sure you know what’s included in your policy, what’s not, and whether you need additional coverage.
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Does homeowners insurance cover technology?
A standard policy typically covers your tablets, TVs, computers, video game consoles, and other electronics if they’re damaged by one of your plan’s covered perils. Your tech will be covered up to your policy’s coverage limit.
To know what your policy covers, contact your homeowners insurance company or insurance agent to see the complete list of devices under your plan.
Want to learn more? Check out our guide to what to look for in homeowners insurance and coverage for your electronics.
When does homeowners insurance cover my electronics?
When you’re working from home, insurance for homeowners covers your tech during a handful of common situations. For instance, if a robber breaks in and steals your TV or your laptop and tablet are destroyed in a fire, your policy’s personal property coverage will likely help replace those items. Events that are typically covered by a standard homeowners policy include:
- Fire and smoke damage.
- Vandalism and theft.
- Smoke damage.
- Certain kinds of water damage.
As always, contact your insurance to find out the details of your plan.
When are my electronics not covered by homeowners insurance?
Don’t think of homeowners insurance as a kind of blanket electronics insurance—it doesn’t apply to every device in every scenario.
Homeowners insurance covers your personal property but won’t cover other people’s stuff. So if your employer-owned laptop is damaged while you’re working from home, and you’re wondering whether your work laptop is covered by home insurance, the answer is likely no. Instead, you should notify your company to learn about the next steps (they may pay to repair or replace the broken tech, go through their insurance, or ask you to cover those costs).
Also, your homeowners insurance likely won’t cover your tech when it’s damaged from normal wear and tear, negligence, accidental damage from handling, or misuse. The same goes for damage due to natural disasters, like floods and earthquakes (though you may be able to add coverage for these events at an extra cost).
To learn more, check out what your homeowners insurance doesn’t cover.
Do you need homeowners insurance?
A lot of people ask, “Do I need homeowners insurance?” Anyone working full-time remote jobs in the U.S. or international remote jobs can benefit from a homeowners policy. And if you use smart tech at home, those devices can help you save money on your homeowners plan.
Remember, these plans vary, and what’s right for one person may not be the best fit for another, so contact your provider to learn more.
Other policies to consider in addition to homeowners insurance
Here are a few different insurance policies you may want to consider if you have a remote job.
Home-based business insurance
If you run a small business out of your home—say you’re an accountant or web designer—home business insurance coverage may help protect your tech and other belongings. Depending on the policy, it may even pay for property damage, employee injuries and lawsuits, and business-related injuries.
Still wondering, “Do I need business insurance if I work from home?” Contact your insurance company or broker to see if home business insurance is right for you.
Electronic protection plans
Buying a printer, computer, or other device usually comes with a manufacturer’s warranty that provides limited coverage for a certain period of time. Electronics protection plans for your tech can give you extra coverage. This includes the cost of repairing or replacing your devices—usually after the manufacturer’s warranty runs out—and things your homeowners insurance and manufacturer's warranty won't cover, like accidental damage from handling.
Now that you know what homeowners insurance does and doesn’t cover, you can focus on your remote work productivity rather than worrying about protecting your tech.
To learn more about protecting your tech, check out our guide to the differences between an electronics protection plan, technology insurance, and a manufacturer’s warranty.
Tech is expensive. Protect it all.
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