Qfyilyi

I'm soon off abroad for a few months and will be working remotely, taking the company laptop and possibly other similar hardware with me to perform my duties.

My employer has asked if I could insure the hardware through my travel insurance, saying that he doubts the company policy will cover the USA (we're based in the UK).

As the hardware itself does not belong to me and is needed to fulfil my job (without any clauses covering insurance in my contract), is this something I can reasonably be expected to do?

Firstly, check if your travel insurance covers business, or if it's just a tourist coverage.

Secondly... I'd be a bit suspicious of any company that requires me to insure their own property (you can't buy insurance on an item that you don't have any financial interest in), or any company that can't self-insure something as cheap as a laptop (even a Macbook Pro is pretty cheap in the scheme of things).

You have a little bit outside the box problem here.

1. You are voluntarily traveling, this is not for business, but yourself.


2. The company wants to minimize the obvious risk of losing their equipment while you are jetting around the world (their view, not yours)


3. Any insurance YOU buy is NOT going to cover something you do not own, period.

You need to have a conversation with your manager. Indicate that since the equipment belongs to the company and not yourself, you will be unable to obtain any insurance coverage for it on your own. If they would like to obtain additional coverage than what they normally carry, then you could have a discussion about having that additional expense reduced from your salary.

In summary this is how I see it.

1. You are voluntarily making this trip, it is not business related or directed.


2. The company owns the equipment though, so they need to make whatever arrangements they see fit.


3. You will have to decide if you can accept what they come up with or work out your own plan.

Additionally if you were to buy your own equipment and use it for work while traveling you would need to additionally indicate with the insurance company that you are using this equipment for work, they may reject a claim at some point if you did not indicate this.

This will NOT be travel insurance, that is for if you get sick etc. and have to cancel your trip. You need to look into a 'personal articles' policy (US terminology your local agent can help you determine the right UK coverage). This is insurance that covers a specific item. I have it on several computers, my wife's expensive jewelry and a few other items easily lost, damaged, or stolen.

It's a tricky issue.

1. The "overseas" aspect is not relevant. The issue at hand is just, "Do you have to pay for accidental damage to equipment the company supplied." This would apply whether you broke it in your house, commuting, in Patagonia or indeed even at the office.




2. My personal view is that the company just has to suck it up and pay.




3. Particularly in the wildly-paid, go-go world of software today ... it's hard to see that you can make a programmer do .. well, anything.




4. For me personally (only one example) if one of the folks smashes something or loses it, I just sigh, click to Amazon, and hand out another one :/ What are we gonna do, fire them and spend 3 months / 50k finding another expert in some obscure field?




5. Then again - I know that some companies policies is "Wow! We give you $2800 a year against equipment costs!" (you see this sort of blather in a few job ads on OS, from companies trying to hire programmers cheap) In that case, it would probably be reasonable that "that's it" - if you lose the 2500 bucks, or whatever, it's on you to dig up another laptop.

So one opinion, basically "they should pay in almost all cases"

That being said,

6. It sounds like you're getting a "sweet deal" from your employer - they are letting you work remotely while you fool around in the US? If so .. my gut instinct is to "suck it up".

NOTE: Put it in writing that as a courtesy you will be insuring the laptop when overseas, and do so.

7. If however the company is "sending you to" the US on a project - then, flooglestick 'em. Of course, obviously, they have to pay the insurance/etc. End of story.

Even more information!

"It's my own choice and they've said they'd have no problem with it (since I work remotely anyway)"

One immediate fact:

• As a kind of broad general rule, if you work remotely then you pay for your own gear. This is not a firm rule, but it's a general rule.

And then,

Looking again at point (6). I have to say, I would treat this as a point 6 situation. They are being understanding taking the view that "they don't have a problem with it". {Aside: let's see what they say in a month when they realize the time zone issues.} Just one man's opinion then, you should "go the extra mile" and politely cover the danger yourself.

NOTE: Put it in writing that as a courtesy you will be insuring the laptop when overseas, and do so.

Given that you already work remotely and the equipment is not already insured, you should not be required to insure this equipment just because you are going to a separate remote location.

If the company would like their equipment insured, they should do it themselves.

If it's a work trip (i.e. they are sending you) then it's their responsibility, if it's a personal trip it's reasonable to expect the employee to cover it.