We know customers continue to adapt to the precautions put in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. If you're an existing Rias customer, we hope these answers to frequently asked questions are helpful.
We'll be updating this page with new information as it becomes available.
Frequently asked questions
I have to self-isolate and work from home for an extended period of time. Is my insurance affected by working from home?
Your household policy will not be impacted if you work from home, as long as it’s on a clerical business use basis only. You do not need to contact us to update your documents or extend your cover.
Please note that, if you have visitors to the home for business purposes or if they conduct any other non-clerical business from the home, they will not be covered under your home insurance policy.
Will my household policy cover the cost of a deep clean should my home be contaminated with Coronavirus?
Our standard household policies do not cover for deep cleans as a result of a contamination caused directly by a disease.
I have to work from home and have brought some equipment home from my place of work – will it be covered?
Our standard contents cover only extends to your own home office equipment and furniture, which is used for administrative and clerical activities undertaken at home. If you have brought any equipment home that is owned by the company you work for, please discuss this with your employer.
Do I need to change occupation on my policy, as I am now working from home?
As you are still performing the same role, just in a different location, you do not need to tell us of any changes.
Do I need to add ‘clerical business use’ to their policy, now I am working from home?
No, ‘clerical business use’ is automatically provided in our standard policy.
Due to the impact of Covid-19, my property may be unoccupied for some time, am I covered?
We understand the impact that the pandemic may have had on homeowners. For the most part, our standard Home insurance provides comprehensive cover for properties that are unoccupied for up to 60 days. Currently, after 60 days, the cover downgrades to exclude Escape of Water, Accidental Damage, and Theft. We’re closely monitoring the situation and may extend the full cover period beyond 60 days if necessary.
However, if your property is unoccupied because of events that are a direct result of COVID-19, like, for example, a delayed repatriation when returning home from a holiday outside the UK or an extended hospital stay, we will look to be flexible with these terms and will not look to penalise you unfairly as a result of this.
In addition to this, if you have already told us that your property is unoccupied for more days than your policy allows and as a result we have applied additional endorsement terms to your policy insisting your property is regularly inspected where COVID19 government restrictions prevent you from doing so, we will look to be flexible with these terms and not look to penalise you unfairly as a result of this.
If a friend or relative is staying with me who has to isolate, will this affect my home insurance?
We will take a pragmatic approach to additional visitors that may be staying with you during the pandemic, as specified by the Government. We understand that some of our customers may require additional care and help during these unprecedented times and you will not need to contact us to let us know that you have additional long-stay guests. This advice is subject to change depending on government guidelines.
Please note that some claims for theft may only be accepted if there is evidence of a break-in, so make sure you fully trust the person you’re allowing to stay in your home for free. Keep your home protected by showing your house guest how to ensure the property is secure, where the stopcock is, and any other information they may need to know.
If I have a guest staying with me who is isolating, will their possessions be covered during their stay?
If your guest has their own home insurance policy, this may cover their possessions away from home while they are temporarily staying with you. There may be a limit to the cover provided, so they should check their policy wording.
If your home insurance policy includes ‘Visitor cover’ this will often cover your guests' possessions, up to a limit, while they are staying with you.
Can I still report a claim and are you still settling claims?
Yes. We're busy helping customers every day.
We're working hard to ensure the resilience of every stage of the claims journey to make sure homes are back to normal as quickly as possible.
Of course, some precautions that remain in place mean that some activity might be limited. Our suppliers are following government guidelines and taking appropriate precautions, so some things will take a little longer than usual.
We'll advise of such things and how we can help mitigate their impact as your claim progresses.
My circumstances have changed and I'm having trouble paying my premium, can you help?
We know that the precautions put in place to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus will have affected some customers' finances. If you purchased your insurance with us and are in this situation, we urge you to contact us to see how we can support you.
We might, for example, be able to review cancellation and change fees or arrange different payment plans, if you're unable to meet your insurance repayments.
If you have purchased your home insurance directly with us, you can call our team on 0800 183 9261. Lines are open Mon to Fri 8:30am - 8:00pm and Saturday 8:30am - 4:00pm.
