Insurance for teaching from home

trailingspouse

I've been asked by a friend of a friend if I will give her and her husband French lessons. They will be paying me. I could go to their house, but it's much easier if they come to me (saves my travel costs, plus I have all my resources, dictionaries etc etc here). I need public liability insurance, and also cover in case they do damage/nick something (I'm sure they won't, but damage can be accidental!). Giving French lessons is something I've been thinking about for a while, so if things go well with this couple I would be wanting to extend to more people and/or more times.

I've spoken to my household insurance, and there isn't any public liability cover available through that policy. In fact, if I go ahead they won't cover me for any theft from the house when the doors are unlocked AT ALL (not just the 2 hours of the lesson). Obviously I'm not happy about that.

So - I'm looking for public liability insurance, but also looking to 'top up' the household cover to include theft when unlocked. Does that even exist??

I know plenty of people who teach from home - the woman across the road from us gives piano lessons and has a constant stream of people coming and going, and I've been to classes myself in peoples homes. Do they just 'hope for the best', or is there a policy out there that would cover this situation?

Merci beaucoup

Zorillo

Two options spring to mind. A public liability policy would cover your work and risk to the 'students', or a homeworkers policy will cover that plus your whole house, if you want it to.

You may struggle to find a policy covering "full theft" which is what you've described as 'theft while unlocked'. It's generally restricted to theft by forcible or violent entry. Speak to a broker, see what they advise.

silverwhistle

I've been in the same situation (Italian ) and quite frankly I don't bother with insurance, any more than I buy extra insurance when purchasing electrical appliances.


The earnings or risk don't warrant the cost. I might reconsider if I were advertising widely and very busy, but with the odd lesson arising out of personal and local contacts I just don't bother.



I also teach occasionally by Skype where the risk is even less, although one student did a late evening lesson from a public car park this week as he was caught out at work and I joked he might get a tap on the window from a policeman any moment. "Honest, I'm having an Italian lesson"..:D

trailingspouse

Thanks silverwhistle, I suspected that might be the way to go.



I'm not intending to turn myself in to a language school, but if I had a few folk round for classes/conversation it would be a bit of pocket money and keep my own French up to scratch.


Many thanks

silverwhistle

De rien.


Yep, it's a good mental stimulus. My students aren't advanced enough to need me finding materials at that level but I still read the Italian papers online as part of keeping up my language skills.