As a home sharing provider, you’re considered an independent operator who is eligible for POP if you meet the following criteria:

• You have a contract with either Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) or a community-based service agency.
• You provide ongoing support to an adult with a developmental disability in your own residence.
• You own or rent the residence and pay for the equipment and materials necessary for the contracted care of an adult with a developmental disability.
• You are paid by CLBC or a community-based service agency, and you control the allotment of those funds.
• CLBC has little control over the day-to-day management of your operations.

If your contract with a home sharing agency requires you to have POP or if you want to ensure you’re protected in the event of a work-related injury or illness, you can apply for POP.

If you already have a WorkSafeBC account and would like to add POP, you can contact our Employer Service Centre or complete and submit an Application to Add or Change Personal Optional Protection to an Active Account (Form 1801).

When you apply for POP, you can select the amount of coverage you need. The payments you receive for wage loss are based on 90% of the coverage amount you select (less deductions).

Your coverage may be your only source of income if you can't work due to a work-related injury or illness, so be sure to apply for enough coverage.

The cost for POP depends on the amount of coverage that you select. For 2025, the minimum amount of monthly coverage is $2,900. If you request coverage over $5,000 per month in coverage, you must show proof of income.

Your premium is calculated by multiplying the monthly amount of coverage you choose with your net premium rate.

Most home sharing providers are in Classification Unit (CU) 764029 – Hiring or Providing Companion Services or Domestic Childcare, which has a net premium rate of 1.46 percent.

The calculation is: Coverage amount × net premium rate = Monthly payment

The easiest way to apply for coverage is through our online application. Visit our Apply for coverage page to see what details you’ll need and to apply.

Once we’ve reviewed your application, we’ll contact you by email or mail (depending on how you applied) to confirm the status of your application.

Your agency’s contract with the home sharing provider may require the provider to purchase optional coverage, known as Personal Optional Protection (POP). POP is workplace disability insurance that will pay for health care, wage-loss, and rehabilitation benefits if the home sharing provider has a work-related injury or illness.

Home sharing providers can apply for POP coverage on our Apply for coverage page.

For privacy reasons, we can’t disclose if an individual has purchased POP unless they have provided us with authorization. Agencies can get a clearance letter to check if an individual has a WorkSafeBC account and if the account is in good standing, but the letter will not confirm if the individual has POP.

To confirm if the home sharing provider has purchased POP coverage, the home sharing provider needs to complete the Authorization of Representative (Form 63M4). This gives WorkSafeBC, including the Review Division and the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT), authorization to provide information about the home sharing provider to the agency. The authorization applies for two years.