Domestic droid gone amok? Don't worry, you're covered

Insurance firms look to insulate domestic humanoid robot owners against the inevitable chaos they will bring

Two insurers are teaming up to launch what every high-tech homeowner may soon need: household insurance for robotic mishaps.

Humanoid robots are tipped by some to be the next big technology trend, with industry figures like Nvidia's Jensen Huang predicting they'll be everywhere from factories to the home.

But as with anything AI-driven, things can go horribly wrong, especially when automatons are roaming a home carrying out tasks. They have even been labelled as potential "botnets in physical form."

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The timing may be apt, then, for the UK's first domestic humanoid robot insurance policy. Specialist insurer Adrian Flux is offering to cover British customers as part of its home insurance range, underwritten by Texas-based Tokio Marine HCC.

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The two firms say the product is meant to get ahead of an emerging market, with domestic robots expected to appear in UK homes from 2027. Demand has already appeared in the US, where robotics and AI companies have launched humanoid robots for the home, with early models costing around $20,000.

These are less like the near-human elderly care robot in the BBC comedy series Ann Droid, and more like vaguely human-shaped machines.

The policy covers damage to, and theft of, the robot itself, plus any damage it causes to the home or belongings. It also includes personal liability if the android injures someone or damages their property, and emergency recovery or safe disablement of the humanoid after a sudden or unforeseen malfunction, such as - perhaps - attempting to chop off your fingers or put your cat on the stove.

“As robots start to arrive in people's homes, we wanted to provide clarity on who is responsible if something goes wrong,"  says Gerry Bucke, general manager for the insurance biz Adrian Flux. "Like the driverless car policy we launched in 2016, it will be updated as the technology and the risks evolve." 

Beyond the home, investment is pouring into humanoids across a range of applications. Chinese carmaker Chery using them as showroom sales staff, while another firm has demonstrated them in automotive manufacturing.

Elon Musk famously predicted thousands of Optimus robots in Tesla factories by the end of 2025, but still believes its humanoid robot will be the company’s biggest product. ®