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KJM
03-10-2017, 08:52 AM
Hi all, I am trying to get buildings and contents insurance for working from home. I have tried some companies suggested on this forum but they will not insure due to me using a flame torch to solder my stock even though previous posts suggest they do. Can anyone help, I can't risk my house without insurance.
Cheers

pearlescence
03-10-2017, 03:13 PM
Throw in that customers might come to the house....

KJM
03-10-2017, 05:48 PM
I'm not even starting with customers visiting, that was one of the first questions they asked i.e. And you won't be having customers on site will you!?

SICraftDesigns
27-10-2017, 01:06 PM
We get round that by offering to meet people in a nearby cafe / bar. This has the added advantage of me being able to sneak out for a pint in the name of customer relations!

I think we are insured with the AA (my wife deals with all that stuff!) who say that as long as you're not welding then they're fine with that (although all soldering is done in the garage). Thankfully at this moment in time any welding i do is not for business purposes so they don't need to know about it!

The only thing is that they won't cover stock or materials held on site which isn't a problem for us as we make everything to order (other than a small selection of cufflinks that we have started to sell in low quantities) so personally have no issues there.

They also cover business equipment up to a certain value too which is a bonus.

Hope that helps!

handmadeblanks
28-10-2017, 10:48 AM
Thankfully at this moment in time any welding i do is not for business purposes so they don't need to know about it!

This is the kind of loophole that seems to make the whole concept of home business insurance a bit of a joke (Unless your business involves human beings coming to your home).

Whatever the insurance company doesn't like, don't tell them about it because you can simply say "It's not for business purposes"...just like the countless other things you keep in your home or garage that could be used for business purposes but don't.

ps_bond
28-10-2017, 10:53 AM
I had a devil of a job finding a reasonable insurer - partly because I have more kit than average, but I'd get daft things like "you can make jewellery, but you can't use heat". Most of the insurers wet themselves over the laser welder - I suspect they were thinking more of Goldfinger's laser than what the units actually are.

Oh, and I also only meet clients offsite :)

Pembroke
29-10-2017, 12:59 PM
Rather than trying to find a company yourself a better use of your time might be to use a broker. Sure they might be a bit more expensive but if you're only saving tens of pounds on a policy that might not be a perfect fit for your circumstances and it takes you hours or days to find the correct one then it's actually a poor use of your time which you could use more profitably.

The two brokers I hear good things about on other fora that I'm a member of is Lockyers or Hiscox (sorry can't post links at the moment, I'm sure you can find them with a search).

ps_bond
29-10-2017, 01:49 PM
Rather than trying to find a company yourself a better use of your time might be to use a broker.

That was the only route that worked for me in the end.

coastjewellery
03-11-2017, 07:07 PM
My home insurance company were fine about it as long as I wasn't asking to insure stock or have callers. I did ask specifically about using a torch and it was not a problem. I guess it depends on the cover you need.

pearlescence
18-10-2022, 04:50 PM
This is a very old thread but...
Customers = strangers - arghhhh could be burglars casing the joint.
Just as 30 years of soldering with out a fire does not mean I won't start three in the next three weeks.
Basically anything outside the norm they don't want to touch.