An office-based SME may own equipment at several locations and pay for improvements to rented premises. A property enquiry should show where assets are used and who is responsible for replacing them.
Assets, valuation and recovery
Property comparison requires an inventory, a clear ownership picture and the valuation basis used by the insurer. Interruption, breakdown and goods owned by others should be identified separately. Check where assets are used and stored.
The decision that deserves the closest review
Identify office contents, tenant improvements and portable equipment taken home or to client sites. Ask how unattended vehicles, remote working and temporary locations are addressed. Check whether leased equipment has insurance obligations of its own.
Premiums, excesses and usable cover
Request quotations using the same business description, required limits and relevant dates. Put the annual premium, any instalment charges, excesses and important sublimits in one comparison. A cheaper premium can represent a different transfer of risk rather than the same cover at a better price.
| Comparison item | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Locations and portability of equipment | Are home and client-site uses accepted? |
| Tenant improvements and leased assets | Which theft conditions apply to portable equipment? |
| Security procedures away from the main office | Who insures leased items? |
Request the proposed wording and schedule, not just a price or certificate. Mark any difference that affects a real activity before deciding whether the premium saving is worthwhile.
A hypothetical example
A consultancy moves to hybrid work and issues staff laptops. Its previous contents schedule described equipment only at the office. A refreshed enquiry distinguishes fixed-office assets from portable and home-based use.
Prepare an accurate insurance enquiry
Give each adviser a consistent description of the activities being insured. Include important contracts, changes since the previous enquiry and matters the insurer asks you to disclose. Do not guess answers merely to obtain a faster or cheaper quote; ask for clarification when the proposal wording is unclear.
Account for equipment away from the office
List the office contents, improvements and devices used by staff at home or while travelling. Establish who owns each item and where it normally stays. Include landlord and lease responsibilities separately so the enquiry does not assume the tenant owns or insures every part of the premises.
Use a lost laptop and a premises incident as different comparison cases. Ask about accepted locations, portable equipment, data recovery and business interruption. A hybrid-working arrangement is better described through actual equipment and dependencies than through a simple statement that some staff work remotely.
Include overseas work or sales in the UK business’s enquiry and confirm the accepted territories and jurisdictions.
A mistake to avoid
Counting every business laptop as covered merely because office contents appear on the schedule.
Check what happens after the policy starts
Ask who to contact when activities change or a potential claim arises. Understand the notification and consent process before arranging repairs, appointing specialists or settling a complaint. At renewal, compare the new documents with the accepted business description; continuity of a familiar brand does not prove continuity of every term.
Questions before choosing
Is cyber recovery included with equipment replacement?
Physical property cover and data or system recovery can respond differently; compare them as separate needs.
Will office contents cover automatically follow staff equipment everywhere?
Check location, portability and security terms. Describe the intended use before assuming a device remains covered outside the scheduled premises.
Sources and further reading
Research date: 6 October 2026. Refer to the current linked guidance and written provider or adviser terms when making a decision.