Travel Insurance

[kingtut]

Hi, I’m inside ir35 PAYE through an agency. I’ve been asked to travel overseas on business by the end client. They asked me to check with agency that I’m covered to do so via their insurance. I asked the question and got a bit of a half arsed response saying I’m basically covered by their policy but I should carry my own insurances. I told them as I’m basically nothing more than a glorified temporary worker I have no such obligation. Obviously in the good old days of ltd co. I carried all the relevant insurances funded through the business. Feels like another case of inside ir35 roles where the agency want there cake and eat it.. am I in the right here?

[WTFH]

Where are you going, and how long is the trip for?

Oh, and what insurance have they asked you to have?

[northernladuk]

Being inside is only a tax position. You are working and doing the same as an outside person, just paying different tax.

[NotAllThere]

The question is whether your employer is obliged to provide you with travel insurance when traveling on business.

[courtg9000]

What sort of insurance are we talking here? Standard travel/medical/theft? or something more closely work related?
If its the first, double check that you are not already covered. Existing policies for home etc might have it. Your bonus add ons on your credit card?
On the point of standard travel insurance, it is probably a good idea to have an annual policy anyway (it certainly used to be) and if you don't have a policy that covers you get one that does perhaps?

[Lance]

as an employee I have claimed on personal travel insurance whilst away on business. But I did not tell the insurance that this was the case. It might be excluded. Usually all travel insurance want to know is that you are away for more than a day or two.

But I would think that the employer should really provide this. They provide your PI insurance don't they? So travel should be part of that.

But your question isn't entirely clear. Maybe the client wants to know that the PI cover (or public liability) is valid if you work abroad. What about visas though? There's more here than you are stating. Maybe talk to the client and make it their problem. Even if you're willing to pay for something personally, it doesn't mean it will answer the question.

[eek]

The responsibility for the insurance sits with the employer.

So the first question to the OP is are you on agency payroll or are you via an umbrella.

With that question answered you then get to the second point - although it is obvious that the agency / umbrella needs to cover their employees chances are the agency / umbrella has never thought about it nor the need to provide it.

Finally you can buy personal travel insurance that includes business travel but you normal policy may not have it. Does travel insurance cover business trips? - Meon Valley Travel seems to be a sensible vaguely none biased summary.

[eek]

The question is whether your employer is obliged to provide you with travel insurance when traveling on business.

Not providing it would be a perfect reason to say sorry can't travel...

[kingtut]

A few questions to go through here,

I’m agency payroll.
Two days in Brussels on a client site
I do have personal cover but if the works laptop was stolen for example I don’t feel I’m obligated to claim that back on my insurance, however if I over indulge on Belgian beer and have to get my stomach pumped then fair enough..

Someone stated the agency probably haven’t thought about it before, further comms today with them seem to clarify that is the case. They are no doubt frantically hiking the rate they have negotiated with the end client to their own benefit.. of which I’ll see none of it.

thanks for the responses, it’s an interesting one and new to me as only recently found myself inside..

[WTFH]

A few questions to go through here,

I’m agency payroll.
Two days in Brussels on a client site
I do have personal cover but if the works laptop was stolen for example I don’t feel I’m obligated to claim that back on my insurance, however if I over indulge on Belgian beer and have to get my stomach pumped then fair enough..

Someone stated the agency probably haven’t thought about it before, further comms today with them seem to clarify that is the case. They are no doubt frantically hiking the rate they have negotiated with the end client to their own benefit.. of which I’ll see none of it.

thanks for the responses, it’s an interesting one and new to me as only recently found myself inside..

Is it 2 days in Brussels, or 2 days a week/month? If it's literally a 2 day trip, then I'd want to make sure I had the correct health card with me (used to be EHIC).
If you're going to be going there regularly, then they will want to read up on Limosas, also you need to confirm that you are eligible to work there.