While uncertainty around COVID-19 still exists, many people are being told the return to work is imminent (if they’re not already back in the office).
In this post, we’ll review some of the ways this may impact your insurance needs.
The Insurance Implications of Returning to Work
Many organizations are planning to or starting to bring employees back to work. For lots of Albertans, this will mean a return to using our personal vehicles to commute to and from the office on a regular, if not daily, basis.
As you prepare to transition back to working in the office, it’s important to update your car insurance policy to ensure it accurately reflects your current needs.
For example, you may need to reverse any changes you made to your policy earlier in the pandemic as an effort to reduce your premium, such as:
- lowering your usage rate (for example, removing your commute to work if you were working from home):
- choosing to only drive one of your vehicles and, therefore, only insuring one vehicle for road use; or,
- increasing your deductible, knowing that driving less could decrease your risk of collisions.
Another important change to make to your auto insurance policy is if you have changed employers, as your new commute may impact your premium.
Return-to-work mandates may also affect your home insurance, particularly if you increased your limit to better cover your equipment setup while working from home. Alternatively, if you’re now working from home permanently or semi-permanently, or have a home-based business, this can also affect your coverage.
To discuss how your auto insurance and home insurance may need to change as you transition back to the office, please contact our team or your Acera Insurance broker directly. We offer the best home and content insurance because we’re one of Canada’s largest independent insurance brokers. That means that we work with a large number of home and contents insurance providers, giving you true competition and choice with your home and contents insurance quotes.
The Insurance Implications of Pandemic Home Projects
Sheltering in place gave many Albertans the time and money they needed to complete projects around their home.
Home renovations can have a significant impact on your home insurance premium, as your limit will need to be adjusted to ensure you are adequately covered for the current value of your property.
Ideally, you should have informed your broker of any remodelling plans prior to starting, so do not delay contacting our team if you made any changes to your home during the pandemic.
You should also inform your broker if you recently made any big-ticket purchases—such as high-value jewelry or bicycles—as this can also impact your home insurance premium.
Remember: Your insurance needs will constantly evolve. Promptly informing your broker of any changes is crucial to ensure there are no gaps in your coverage and that all your needs are adequately protected.
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