WITH increased flexible working and changing working environments, many businesses have evolved to accommodate a growing ‘working-away’ workforce.
Much more than just working from home, ‘working away’ is a term used in the insurance world to describe any occasion in which an employee is working away from the usual business premises. This can be on the road visiting clients or suppliers, attending a trade show or working from a different location to suit business needs.
In particular, for Northern Ireland businesses increasingly working outside of the region, for example travelling and working in the Republic of Ireland, the UK or further afield, it is important to consider how employees are protected when working away and how businesses are safeguarded too.
Circumstances will vary greatly for each company, from the locations of work to the type of work that’s being undertaken – and how often employees work away from the company premises. It is important for business owners to consider the insurance implications of staff working away and to discuss all circumstances with their insurance provider. Some provisions to consider for working away from normal premises include:
• Liability insurance - it is imperative to confirm that the public liability insurance cover, which covers the legal liability of the employer and its employees for injury and/or property damage to third parties, as well as employers liability policy covers their employees while working away.
• Territorial limits – public liability and employers’ liability will help safeguard employers and employees, but the territorial limits of this insurance must be confirmed prior to travelling. Some policies may only cover the UK but employees may be traveling over the border for work. In this instance, talk to your insurer about business travel insurance. You will need details of where employees are working and how often they are required to work abroad. In addition, it is important to consider the type of work being carried out, such as manual or non-manual, as this will further impact of the level of cover required.
• Equipment and security – all types of equipment required for an employee to do their job - from laptops and mobile phones to manual tools - will need to be adequately insured when employees are on the road. The exact locations of where equipment is covered when an employee is off the premises will need to be verified, for example in a car or on someone else’s property. In addition, if the equipment contains sensitive data there will be various security measures that must be in place to protect this data, such as encrypted laptops and emails. This will ensure protection in the event of loss or theft.
As working patterns change, business owners must be attuned to the possible impact this may have on insurance. It is important to regularly review your cover, to make sure that the adequate protection is in place. Take action, talk to your broker and ask for advice.
:: Diane Johnston is head of SME at Autoline Insurance. For more information, visit www.autoline.co.uk/business or call 03452 303030.
