Calling all home working jewellery makers - insurance help needed!

[ShinyLauren]

Arrrrgghhhh, I didn't realise working at home invalidated my buildings and contents!!!

I shall be calling Ageas and NFU to see what I can find. Around 25/30% of my sales are to the US, so I suspect this shall be challenging...

[Wallace]

How about if you work out of your garage (not attached to your home). Does anyone know if that makes a difference?

the likelihood of the garage becoming a commercial building may come into play and then, I believe the local authority will also be interested in claiming some potential income!

My home insurance covers me for some of my business, but I cannot have any customers in the house. I also have the guild insurance too.

[TeeDee]

Arrrrgghhhh, I didn't realise working at home invalidated my buildings and contents!!!

I shall be calling Ageas and NFU to see what I can find. Around 25/30% of my sales are to the US, so I suspect this shall be challenging...

Perhaps you could let let us know how you get on. I only sell in the UK at present but have been thinking of expanding to US and others.
There we all were living in blissful ignorance........what a can of worms!
T

[susieq]

Jax/Lauren - how did you get on with the insurance issue? My buildings insurance renewal just popped through the letterbox and as I'm hoping to start selling soon I need to not invalidate my insurance!

I know the local council used to allow you one room in your house as "business use" without incurring business rates so long as you didn't have customers visiting, but I guess that needs to be checked out too. If I put a shed in the garden, I wonder if they could class this as "business premises".

Another option would be to look at hiring bench space - I'm in East London so there's some reasonably close by to me but not cheap at £150 per month.

I had no idea it could all get so complicated - and I thought the learning of new skills was the hard part!

[ShinyLauren]

Where abouts in East London are you Susie? I'm in Walthamstow!

[susieq]

Where abouts in East London are you Susie? I'm in Walthamstow!

Next post code up - South Woodford. On the Central Line. Literally - it's at the bottom of the garden!

[ShinyLauren]

Next post code up - South Woodford. On the Central Line. Literally - it's at the bottom of the garden!

I have a train at the bottom of my garden as well!

I don't know how easy it would be for you to get to, but these guys rent bench space as and when you need it, so might be a bit cheaper?

http://www.madebyore.com/studio-hotbenching/

[ShinyLauren]

Just updating this as am struggling to find someone who will insure me for standard buildings and contents insurance, and to have my studio at home, together with public and product liability.

Has anyone got a policy recently and, if so, with whom?

Am still waiting to hear back from NFU Mutual and have contacted a few brokers on the Ageas website but not had any response.

[ps_bond]

Ageas again this year
https://www.ageas.co.uk/documents/co...s-keyfacts.pdf

[ShinyLauren]

Thanks Peter,

Hopefully a broker will call me back.

Do they cover your buildings and contents insurance on your home, as well as tools and stock? And then will I need a separate policy for public/product liability? I'm getting so very confused!