insurance

[Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr)]

I've just started making beads in my spare room, and although I have already got a business insurance policy to cover working from home, I'm worried about how my company will react to a new venture which involves the use of a propane torch! Has anyone had experience of this, and do you know whether it would negate one's household insurance if there were to be a fire?  I'd appreciate some advice.

[madpup]

If you are working from home as a beader then the business insurance should cover that room
if the fire spread to the rest of the house then it would be covered on the household, providing you have take all
reasonable care to protect the rest of the house, IE fire doors  etc, and you have let the insurance company know
about the room that you let out as a workshop studio, they may want to come and check the hazards for they
self's, but do check with your insurance company and don't take my word for it.
regards.

[Krysia@No98]

Hi

I have contents insurance with the Halifax.  I do not have business insurance because I am not yet selling my beads.

They said to me that while I was not selling anything I would be covered but as soon as I started selling then the 'stock' would be exempted from my contents.  My remaining contents would still be covered.

I am not selling my beads because my lease states that I am not allowed to run a business from my home, and the buildings insurance is paid for by them. I can not get round this    So because I do not want to risk other peoples homes I 'give generously' to family  and am slowly building up my stock for when I hopefully move somewhere else and don't have this "  " annoying restraint. (see hope for big lottery win)

Ring the insurance company.  They will be fine.  Don't sort out business insurance until you are actually selling.  Then there are some really good threads to have a peek at where people like RedHotSal say where she has got her specialist insurance from

Hope that helps

[TamsynAmber]

Krysta, I was always under the impression that as long as you do not have people visiting your house to buy from you (as if it were a shop) then you should be ok, especially if you only sell online and on a small scale as a sole trader. I could be horribly wrong with this, someone please say if I am!

[Krysia@No98]

I was under the impression that wasn't the case - hurrah if it is, but I really don't think that's the way my insurance company is going to see it.

Also one of my friends is a solicitor and he specialist in propery and he told me I was stuffed!  Basically as far as I see it, I need to go and the the free holder ask him what I need for him to agree to it and then pay for what ever it is he wants me to do for him to be ok with it and then pay the extra on the buildings insurance and then get the contents insurance covered.

I look at all of this from this point of view.  About 7 years ago my Dad had a heart attack (He's fine now).  Mum phoned up this finance guy to say she was just letting people know incase in a few month time they hit financial trouble and he told her that when he had come to visit he has organised then critical illness cover, which he the financial advisor instructed them on how to fill it in.  He told them not put on my gran's medical history and not to include his knee op (that he'd had the day before this particular form was being filled out)  So post heart attack he is filling out a simmilar form and this time he includes all the medical history and the insurance company refuse to pay out on the grounds that he lied on the form first time round.  Now I just tell the insurance company EVERYTHING

[★★Terri★★]

Usually a good idea the tell the insurance company everything - especially if you might forget what you 'forgot' to tell them in the first place.

On the insurance thing - don't forget to look into Public Liability insurance as well - not too expensive to cover yourself against someone making a claim against you that your bead or piece of jewellery damaged them or their property.  If you start going to fairs to sell then upgrade this to cover things like your stock or stand falling on someone and hurting them.

I know it seems unlikely that a bead could hurt someone - but you know how some people are these days with their rights etc etc.

[Krysia@No98]

I know it seems unlikely that a bead could hurt someone - but you know how some people are these days with their rights etc etc.

You say that Mum was telling me the other evening that there is a "well know womens shop that does little girl's girly cute clothes" that has been in trouble reacently because they were getting cheep glass beads for the little girls jewellery and the beads were breaking in the childrens hands...  (I think Mum was quite pleased that she understood exactly why they were breaking she managed to explain it all to me just with out using the word annealing  So when I am going on and on it is going in  )

[Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr)]

Thanks for your suggestions, all.  I do have public liability, as well as employers liability, interrruption of business etc etc, as my main business is making and selling fudge at craft markets and food fairs ...oh forgot to mention market traders insurance also, so am covered for most things, and own my own property, but I've also started making and selling jewellery, and will soon be including my own beads.  It's the fire risk that I think they are likely to be most worried about....I keep the propane outside and have proper ventilation and a small fire extinguisher right by my side.  Where is the thread about Hot Head Sal's special insurance in case I get turned down?

[Scottie]

Hi there

I have my home contents and building insurance with the NFU. They are great and where happy to cover for both the lampworking equipment and my bigger kiln which i use for my ceramics. I do have everything in a garage though so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Be worth giving them a ring - they were alot cheaper than my old insurers too!

Scottie

[Helen G]

Lots of us on here use Ian Wallace Insurance (not got link at mo but google it) he is very reasonable and specialises in crafters working from home. You can pick out the bits you want to insure e.g my studio is insured with NFU but they were too expensive for public liability when teaching so that bit I do through Ian Wallace. Ian Wallace also do stuff like insurance while away at fairs etc.

[Flyingcheesetoastie]

I used Ian Wallace when I was at home simply making and not selling, when I started to sell and now when I have a business and a seperate studio.  They are brilliant and provide very comprehensive public and product liability (and other bits too) insurance, which covers my equipment & contents, my products I sell and also when I teach or demo anywhere in the UK.  Their basic package is also very reasonable for the peace of mind it provides.

http://www.craftinsurance.co.uk/

Rachel x

P.S.  I'm not on commission either! 

[Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr)]

I've just started making beads in my spare room, and although I have already got a business insurance policy to cover working from home, I'm worried about how my company will react to a new venture which involves the use of a propane torch! Has anyone had experience of this, and do you know whether it would negate one's household insurance if there were to be a fire?  I'd appreciate some advice.

Thanks, that was really good advice about the NFU.  There's an office in my town and they've just given me a quote for household and working from home combined policy which is a little more than half of what I've been paying for two separate policies from my present company, and no problem about my use of the torch, so as my renewal is due on the 7th of Feb guess who is going to get my business!

[Scottie]

Glad to help - I think that are a fab company, i've also changed my car insurance to them as I needed business insurance and they were great with that too!

Scottie

[Carl Martin]

I used Ian Wallace when I was at home simply making and not selling, when I started to sell and now when I have a business and a seperate studio.  They are brilliant and provide very comprehensive public and product liability (and other bits too) insurance, which covers my equipment & contents, my products I sell and also when I teach or demo anywhere in the UK.  Their basic package is also very reasonable for the peace of mind it provides.

http://www.craftinsurance.co.uk/

Rachel x

P.S.  I'm not on commission either! 

Not on commission either   ... agree whole heartedly They cover me for public and product liability, teaching, workshops and courses for silversmithing / jewellery making and lampworking. They also insure my tools against theft.

Simply brilliant service.