Covid-19 – A Simply Business update

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all of us. And we know that’s especially true for those running a small business or managing a rental property.

With over 680,000 self-employed people and landlords trusting us with their insurance, it’s our job to be there for our customers in difficult moments like these.

That’s why we wanted to outline the measures we’ve taken – and continue to take – to ensure our customers receive the same high level of service throughout this period.

And as we respond to an ever-evolving situation, we’re taking clear steps to protect our people and make sure our communities remain supported.

Supporting our customers

We understand that it’s a challenging time to start or run a business or rental, and we’re committed to doing all we can to help our customers through this period.

Whether it’s increasing the size of our service team to handle more calls, or making it easier to get the information you need online – we’ll continue to listen to customers and make any necessary adjustments.

How we’re supporting our customers:

• We’ve grown our customer service team to handle an increased amount of calls, and reduce the possibility of any waiting time. Since 16 March, our customers have been able to get through to us in under 90 seconds on average
• We're focussing on clarity, by working closely with insurers to understand how you're protected in this rapidly changing situation
• We’re making it easier to get the information you need. We’ve built an online Cover Checker tool that makes it quick and easy to learn about your policy and Covid-19
• Our claims team are available 24/7 and you can claim online or over the phone
• We're considering our most vulnerable customers, and working hard to find solutions to keep cover in place for those heavily impacted. If you're a Simply Business customer in financial difficulty, we may be able to help – please get in touch on 0333 016 4504
• We’ll help you find the right insurance. For those needing a new insurance policy, use our simple online form to see a range of tailored quotes in minutes
• We’ll keep you up to speed with Government support and funding options. Our dedicated team will bring you the latest news, guides, and information for both small business owners and the self-employed, and landlords
• We'll make finding what schemes you're eligible for straightforward. Use our online eligibility checker tool, and in a few simple questions, you'll see what schemes and support are available to your business.

Supporting our people

Our people are at the heart of all we do. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we retain our strong sense of collective purpose – keeping our people informed on changes we’re making, and taking care of their health, wellbeing, and work-life balance.

How we’re supporting our people:

• We’re fully remote, with all our people working from home, in-line with Government guidance – including our contact centre workers
• We’re working flexibly and understand people need to fit work around family life and other commitments – including providing time to those who need to care for dependents. We know this flexibility helps our people offer our customers the best service possible
• We’ll give full pay for time spent on sick leave for Covid-19-related sickness
• We’re prioritising our people’s wellbeing. We provide a 24/7 employee assistance helpline and have introduced a regular staff survey to understand how people are feeling. On top of that, we’ve secured discounted access to wellbeing apps including Unmind, Calm, and Headspace, and run virtual yoga sessions and meditation classes
• We’ll make remote working as comfortable as possible with the provision of all necessary equipment
• We’re enabling people to learn and develop by rolling out remote courses, virtual management training and free access to LinkedIn Learning
• We gave our people an extra day off in May to support their wellbeing. Their work over an intense period has resulted in record-high customer satisfaction ratings – something we’re incredibly grateful for, and were keen to recognise.

Supporting our communities

As a recognised B Corp, we’ve always been serious about our social responsibility.

Our ongoing commitments to our partners and pledges won’t change, and we’re constantly assessing ways we can help others through this crisis – both big and small.

How we’re supporting our communities:

• We’re helping our people volunteer by making dedicated timebank days available to all our people
• We’re financially supporting EAFA, England’s amputee football association, so the national team have the resources to train
• We’re part of The Travelers Companies, Inc who have donated $5m dollars to Covid-19 relief efforts across US, UK and Republic of Ireland

Get in touch

We've got a team of UK-based experts ready to help. You can give them a call on 0333 016 4504

Mon 09.00am - 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am - 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am - 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am - 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am - 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am - 02.00pm

If you need to make a claim, our 24/7 team are on hand. You can message them using our online claims form or call on 0333 207 0560.

For press enquiries, please email [email protected]