Adrian Flux launches what it calls the UK's first home insurance cover for humanoid robots

Household humanoid robots are not yet a common sight in British homes, but at least one insurer wants to be ready for them. Adrian Flux, a UK specialist insurance broker, has launched cover for domestic humanoid robots as part of its home insurance range, according to reports published on October 30 and 31. The policy is underwritten by Tokio Marine HCC International (TMHCCI).

What the policy covers

According to The Register and the trade title Insurance Business UK, the cover has four main parts. It pays for damage to, or theft of, the robot itself. It covers sudden damage the robot causes to the home or its contents. It includes personal liability if the robot injures someone or damages another person's property. And it funds emergency recovery or safe disablement of the machine after a sudden, unforeseen malfunction.

The two companies describe it as the UK's first home insurance cover for domestic humanoids, and Insurance Business reports that they believe it may be the first policy anywhere to protect both the home and the robot. Neither claim has been independently verified. The reports reviewed do not give premiums, the robot models that qualify, coverage limits or exclusions, and no product page on Adrian Flux's website could be found at the time of writing.

Why now

Gerry Bucke, general manager at Adrian Flux, said the company "wanted to provide clarity on who is responsible if something goes wrong", according to The Register. He compared the product to the driverless car policy Adrian Flux launched in 2016 and said the new cover will be updated as the technology and its risks change. Stuart Heath of TMHCCI argued, as reported by Insurance Business, that insurers have tended to react to new markets rather than help them grow, and that an expensive robot should not sit outside a household policy.

Both reports say domestic robots are expected in UK homes from 2027. The Register notes that several companies in the US have already launched humanoid robots for the home, with early models costing around $20,000, and that executives such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang expect humanoids to spread from factories into households.

Open questions

Liability is the harder part. When a robot that relies on AI software damages property or hurts someone, responsibility could fall on the owner, the manufacturer or the software provider. A household policy settles the question only for the owner's side, and how insurers price that risk will depend on claims data that does not exist yet.