Tag: Insurance2go

How to manage your business insurance while working remotely

 With the country now in its third and hopefully final lockdown there are many businesses unable to operate from their usual premises under current government guidelines, many employees have reverted to working remotely from their homes.

While focus has been on transitioning equipment and employees, many business leaders may not have yet had time to consider their insurance policies and the potential impact of remote working over the longer term. 

To support businesses, leading insurance provider,Insurance2go, has shared advice on business insurance cover for those with employees who continue to work remotely. 

Check your policy 

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it is important to check that you are still covered by your insurance while employees work from home. 

The good news is that, generally, your insurance will cover your business when it’s not in its regular location. Where you operate from doesn’t really matter, as long as you’re still in the UK. However, you may need to check your contents insurance and whether it covers use of items such as laptops, for example, beyond your normal premises. If it doesn’t, you may need to extend your cover as you cannot rely on your employee’s home insurance to include business use. 

Health and safety checks 

Interestingly, The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 makes no distinction between home and in-office workers. The regulations require employers to carry out a risk assessment of their employees’ workplace, to identify any potential risks so the employer can then seek to remove or mitigate the risk. 

It is not necessary to visit the employee’s home to carry out a risk assessment, particularly during the ongoing pandemic. However, HR managers can provide the employee with a detailed self-assessment questionnaire as part of a firm’s legal responsibilities for homeworkers. 

If your company does not have one already, there are many free templates available online. 

Heath & Safety Executive: Free Display Screen Equipment Checklist 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.htm

Keep records 

Your business needs to be able to show that is has done everything by the book, just in case a circumstance arises where an employee says you didn’t set them up to work from home properly and suffered as a result of it, or there is a data breach. Keep a record of everything you have done, including reasons and the dates they happened. 

It is important to have a home working policy that staff can access and read to ensure it is clear what is expected from both parties. 

Home working policies should cover key areas including: 

  • when employees will be available to work 
  • how and how regularly they’ll keep in touch 
  • how their performance will be managed 
  • health and safety expectations 
  • rules around confidentiality, IT security, storing information and data protection 
  • who employees should contact if they’re experiencing any problems. 

Get cyber insurance 

During 2020, the NCSA (National Cyber Security Centre) reported an increase in cyber-security threats, most likely as a result of employees working from home with serious breach affecting a business’s reputation1. 

Firstly, make sure IT teams have undertaken checks on all laptops, desktops, and tablets to make sure they are as protected as possible. Also ensure secure connections are set up from the worker’s home station to the company network. 

As cybercrimes become more sophisticated it is important not to rely on checks alone, having cyber insurance in place will help to mitigate further risks. 

Keep your insurer informed 

Most likely your business has changed due to the pandemic if you’ve seen a period of rapid expansion and growth. Whatever your circumstances then get in touch with your insurer. If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution and provide the updates, rather than running the risk of invalidating your policy. 

On the other hand, if your business is now having to operate remotely, you should check with your individual insurance providers as to whether they require you to check and maintain security systems while the premises are vacant. 

Richard Gray, Head of Marketing and Digital, at Insurance2go says:“It has been an unforeseen time for businesses and employees alike, and for many business leaders it can be hard to predict what the future looks like for their employees in terms of working remotely. 

“It’s more important than ever that businesses protect themselves from any unplanned expenses and we hope this advice helps people understand what is required from an insurance point of view, to continue to operate effectively and safely while working from home.” 

For more information on business insurance, please visit:

https://www.insurance2go.co.uk/about/news-blog/news/insurance2go-business-launches-new-specialist-multi-item-insurance 

Five ways to keep your personal data safe from hackers this Cyber Monday

New research reveals that nearly half (49%) of UK adults have not installed or didn’t know whether their mobile phone has security software. So keeping personal data safe from hackers has never been more important. 

In the wrong hands, stolen data can be used by hackers for illegal activity such as applying for loans or credit cards under a victim’s name, or bank accounts being accessed and money withdrawn.  

To help keep data safe, leading insurance provider, Insurance2go, shares five ways mobile phone users can help to protect personal data stored on their device.

  1. Be cautious of public Wi-Fi 

Using public Wi-Fi is great for those who have a low data allowance, or are running out of mobile data. However, public networks often don’t provide a secure connection, making it easy for hackers to use them to access personal data.  

Hackers targeting public Wi-Fi hotspots are able to use what is known as a ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack, which is when a hacker intercepts financial information, passwords and log-in information through a public network.  

Always avoid using mobile banking apps or making online purchases whilst logged onto a public Wi-Fi network. For those who do need to use public Wi-Fi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) app. A VPN can protect data from getting into the wrong hands by encrypting online data and keeping personal information secure when using a public Wi-Fi connection.  

  1. Turn off ‘sharing’ settings when not in use 

Smartphone features that share a location should be used with caution and always turned off when not in use. Features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, location services, mobile data and Near Field Communication (NFC) are susceptible to hacking, especially Bluetooth location services as they transmit a device’s location and presence. 

Hackers can easily get hold of personal information and data through features that mark a phone as ‘visible’, so always make sure to disable such features when they are not needed. 

  1. Only download legitimate apps 

Downloading illegitimate apps is another way to open your personal data up to hackers. Often, apps hosted on some websites or third-party app stores can contain malware and can access data once downloaded. It’s recommended that users only download apps from the official app stores, so App Store for iOS users, Google Play for Android users or the AppGallery for Huawei owners. 

  1. Be wary of app permissions 

When an app is first downloaded, it often asks for ‘permission’ to access certain features or information held on a mobile phone. From the camera roll, to your speaker, location or phone contact list, apps can ask for a range of permissions in order for certain functions to work.  

Be cautious of what information an app is requesting access to and question whether the app actually needs that information. For example, a photo editing app doesn’t need contact list information in order to function correctly, so take the time to properly think about whether or not that information is needed. 

Viral video app, TikTok, recently came under fire for security issues in the US, with reports claiming that the Pentagon warned U.S. military personnel in January to delete TikTok from their phones and India, last month, banned Tik-Tok amongst other apps, over security and privacy concerns so it’s always important to review what permissions are being asked for by an app. 

  1. Avoid using auto-login 

Whilst it’s recommended to have a variety of passwords for online accounts rather than the same password, auto-login gives hackers easy access to personal data by simply opening up an app or webpage. For those likely to forget multiple passwords, note them down in a secure, password protected note on a phone, or in a notebook that is kept secure and stored away. 

And it’s not just using your mobile phone that can open your personal data up to hackers. What happens if your mobile phone is lost or stolen? Insurance2go  shares some useful tips for people who might find themselves in this scenario and want to keep their personal data safe: 

  1. Firstly, report the phone as missing to the network provider, who can suspend or disconnect the service to the phone. This can help stop any authorised use of the phone if it falls into the wrong hands. 
  1. If the mobile phone is known to be stolen, inform the police who will be able to provide a crime number, which can be used if the user needs to inform an insurance provider.    
  1. Most smartphones now have a built in ‘kill switch’, which can allow a user to remotely deactivate a device if it’s lost or stolen. In order to work, the feature needs to be enabled. For iPhone users, the ‘Activation Lock’ can be enabled within the‘Find My’ app to help keep data safe. Firstly, go to the‘Find My’app > Tap thedevices tab and choose which device is lost or stolen, then tap Activate under ‘Mark as Lost’and follow the prompts on screen. Android users can enable the kill switch with ‘Find My Device’. Go to Settings >Google>Security, then turn on ‘Remotely locate this device’and ‘Allow remote lock and erase’. 
  1. Finally, immediately change passwords for any accounts or apps that can be accessed on the mobile phone. Prioritise any important accounts first, such as online banking and other associated accounts. 

Richard Gray, Head of Marketing and Digital, at Insurance2go said: “Our mobile phones are home to lots of stored data and without correctly protecting your personal information, it could easily land in the wrong hands. 

“‘SIM-jacking’ is a common method where hackers are able to use stolen data to obtain a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC). This can then be used to switch the victim’s phone number to another phone on another network, helping them gain access to a range of personal data and information, often including banking details. 

“Protecting data stored on a mobile phone is extremely important. Hackers are often creating new ways to get a hold of our data, so we hope that by sharing our tips, we can help people avoid getting caught out by fraudsters.” 

To find out more about VPNs and how to protect data whilst on a public Wi-Fi, please visit: https://www.Insurance2go .co.uk/about/news-blog/blog/everything-you-ve-ever-wanted-to-know-about-vpns