21 replies to this topic

[RPassacaglia]

Hi, as I’m transitioning from doing home visits to teaching more and more from home I need to change my home insurance because my current home insurance provider only allows a very limited number of pupils to come to me. I’ve been having real trouble finding insurers actually willing to cover me as a teacher working from home. I actually did a search on this forum and found an old thread asking for exactly this sort of thing. I phoned up all the insurance companies that were recommended by people on that old thread, and they all said they couldn’t cover me if I’m teaching from home.

I ended up getting a couple of recommendations from the ISM and it looks like I’ll be going with one of them. They are more expensive, but that’s to be expected when working from home I guess.

I was just wondering, what sort of price should I expect to pay for this sort of thing? What is a reasonable quote? It’s all very well comparing home insurance quotes, and I can get an idea of what I should expect to pay for normal home insurance, but when I can’t find many insurers to cover music teachers at home, it’s very hard to compare prices.

Thanks

[Dorcas]

I am with NFU, and they are very reasonable.  It is difficult to compare quotes, as it all depends on the area, they type of property, and the number of students or the income you receive per annum.  You could ask the insurance company to quote as if you weren't teaching from home to give you a perspective.  The MU might be able to suggest insurers too.  Adding business insurance to your car, which isn't expensive is a consideration, just in case you need to give a lift for someone regarding your teaching, and that way you are covered.

[RPassacaglia]

I am with NFU, and they are very reasonable.  It is difficult to compare quotes, as it all depends on the area, they type of property, and the number of students or the income you receive per annum.  You could ask the insurance company to quote as if you weren't teaching from home to give you a perspective.  The MU might be able to suggest insurers too.  Adding business insurance to your car, which isn't expensive is a consideration, just in case you need to give a lift for someone regarding your teaching, and that way you are covered.

Thanks but I phoned NFU because I saw they were recommended on a previous thread on this forum, and they said they couldn’t cover me if I’m a piano teacher teaching from home. I questioned that and mentioned that I know of other music teachers using them, and they said they won’t offer that kind of cover to new customers.

On the other hand, I’ve had no problem getting business insurance for my driving.

[Dorcas]

Oh, that is a shame.  The only other thing I can suggest, apart from the EU, is to ask EPTA, or talk to an insurance broker on the phone, not a comparison website, although that could work.

[RPassacaglia]

Oh, that is a shame. The only other thing I can suggest, apart from the EU, is to ask EPTA, or talk to an insurance broker on the phone, not a comparison website, although that could work.

Thanks. The ISM were very helpful, I hadn’t thought of asking the EPTA, so will do that. Would be nice to compare a few quotes.

[Dorcas]

Actually, I just looked at comparethemarket and found someone cheaper than NFU, by a long way.  I haven't made a claim in years, which helps, but I found HomeProtect, and 16 other companies prepared to quote.

[RPassacaglia]

Actually, I just looked at comparethemarket and found someone cheaper than NFU, by a long way.  I haven't made a claim in years, which helps, but I found HomeProtect, and 16 other companies prepared to quote.

Did the ones you found include cover for home business in their quotes?

[Dorcas]

I filled in an online questionaire, and one of the questions specifically asked if I was a home worker.  I will probably renew with a different company, but will ensure that the quote does include for home working.  Admiral were slightly more expensive but have won awards.  I would try the online price comparison websites, but check by separate email, referencing the quotes that you are covered for home working.  I have been in the position of being sold a policy that did not include homeworking, despite specifying this to a broker.  Once bittern, twice shy!

[RPassacaglia]

I filled in an online questionaire, and one of the questions specifically asked if I was a home worker.  I will probably renew with a different company, but will ensure that the quote does include for home working.  Admiral were slightly more expensive but have won awards.  I would try the online price comparison websites, but check by separate email, referencing the quotes that you are covered for home working.  I have been in the position of being sold a policy that did not include homeworking, despite specifying this to a broker.  Once bittern, twice shy!

It’s very strange. I just did the online comparison through Compare the Market and the questions did include business visitors, and it came up with a couple of quotes from insurance companies I had already spoken to and who had already told me they couldn’t cover me if I’m teaching from home - including Endsleigh. Not very helpful. Sorry to hear you’ve been sold a policy that didn’t include home working despite specifying it. This seems to be what’s happening to me on these comparison websites because every time I get an online quote then go on to phone the insurance company and clarify my situation, they say they can’t help me after all. Most frustrating. I think I’ll have to go with the more expensive ones which specifically said they could cover music teachers working at home.

[Boogaloo]

Co-op have no limits on pupil limits for my insurance just in case you're still looking!

[zwhe]

The coop were happy to give me a quote too - it was just 6 times what I had been paying! My current insurers won't cover me next year as they say I am having to many people come to the house (how does it make any difference?), so I will have the same problem in a few weeks time. I'm really not looking forwards to it - it took me about 8 hours last year! I had the same problem with comparison websites - several quotes, but then they all asked for 'further information' and said they don't cover music lessons.

[Minuet3]

I have insurance with LV, business use added, which allows 15 visitors a week for teaching. Contents and buildings with business cover was around £450, just outside London. When I needed specialist insurance for something else, I found a helpful broker through the directory service at biba.org.uk

[Banjogirl]

Lots of foster carers get charged extra by their insurers but when I called ours (LV again) they said that there was no extra charge and that to charge extra would be mean in the circumstances, which I thought was lovely.

[ma non troppo]

We are with Hencila Canworth (Pen). My previous broker reckoned there was only Aviva who would insure me - I eventually went to Hencila who got me a deal that was 700 pounds cheaper - we had been paying 1700 with Aviva and it went up every year. I teach around 50 students a week. My studio is attached to my home but has a spate entrance and students have no access to the rest of the house. We had to get very argumentative with insurers! Now I pay about £1000 a year - just over. It depends on your house and contents value though..... And area.

[RPassacaglia]

Co-op have no limits on pupil limits for my insurance just in case you're still looking!

  

The coop were happy to give me a quote too - it was just 6 times what I had been paying! My current insurers won't cover me next year as they say I am having to many people come to the house (how does it make any difference?), so I will have the same problem in a few weeks time. I'm really not looking forwards to it - it took me about 8 hours last year! I had the same problem with comparison websites - several quotes, but then they all asked for 'further information' and said they don't cover music lessons.

When I phoned the Coop yesterday they told me they couldn’t cover me at all if I’m teaching from home! I mentioned that other music teachers on this forum (I saw on an old thread) were using Coop and they said they won’t allow music teaching for any new customers. A lot of the insurers seem to have a different rule for everyone. I had this same problem with other insurers that were recommended on this forum too. Oh well, I’ve gone with an ISM recommended insurer now.

Thanks for the replies.