When I had my first child 13 years ago and took off for maternity leave, it was truly a leave of absence. I did not access my work emails or phone calls from home. The times sure have changed since then! I now carry my laptop to and from the office, receive emails for work on my phone, and have my work phone forwarded to my mobile phone when I am out of the office. I have several friends who work from home selling products online.

Life is changing fast and so are your insurance needs! There are a few things to consider as you tackle new jobs:

Cyber Threats: If you accidentally click on a file that contains ransomware, it can quickly disable your laptop. Email phishing scams are also very prevalent. Damages from these types of attacks can cost you thousands of dollars in damaged equipment and lost income. Some homeowners policies do not provide coverage for these types of cyber attacks. Check with your insurance carrier to see if you need a separate policy or endorsement to cover you for this type of exposure.

Teleworking: When I worked from home after having my third child, my employer had a specific remote service that I utilized in order to access my work computer. It protected the insurance agency from cyber attacks that might have been generated from my home computer. Traditional homeowners insurance policies contain very specific exclusions for home business pursuits. So, if you have started working part time from home, make sure that you take proper steps to safeguard your work.

Gig Economy: Uber, Lyft, Doordash and other forms of package delivery have become very popular ways for people to supplement their income. What if you were to take a job in one of these areas and cause property damage or injuries requiring health care? Would you want your lost income replaced if you were temporarily unable to perform your duties? These are all things that would require separate insurance coverage.

If you have recently taken on any form of work from home, take time to consider your risks and how you can properly manage them. You may need separate insurance coverage or other forms of security in place to property protect your exposures.