Children of mass destruction
With the school summer holidays fast approaching, many UK homes will suffer from the destructive force of the nation's under 16s and high-value gadgets will bear the brunt of the bedlam.
Research out today by Sheilas' Wheels home insurance, shows that a quarter (25 per cent) of children have broken or damaged a piece of electronic equipment in the home, leaving parents to fork out over an estimated £553 million a year to repair or replace them. The average child causes around £183 worth of damage to equipment such as home cinema systems, Wii consoles and laptops every year.
The top five most common household gadgets to be broken or damaged in British homes are:
- DVD player (43 per cent)
- Games console (39 per cent) - such as the PS3 and XBOX 360
- Television (34 per cent)
- Stereo system (33 per cent)
- Laptop (31 per cent)
Unsurprisingly, one in five parents surveyed (20 per cent) have claimed on their home insurance for the damage caused by their kids, emphasising the importance of having ample insurance cover to avoid facing a hefty bill. Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of parents polled actually admitted that they would make their kids pay for the damage as part of their punishment rather than fork out the money themselves.
Alarmingly, almost a fifth (17 per cent) of parents polled don't have any home contents insurance at all.
Jacky Brown, spokesperson for Sheilas' Wheels home insurance, said: "School holidays are a prime time for breakages as bored kids can wreak havoc at home - potentially causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage. That is why accidental damage is so important for families. If the Wii controller slips out of your hand or juice gets spilt down the TV there won’t be a hefty bill to repair the damage or buy a replacement."
Regional breakdown
Scots have the most reckless kids in the country generating a whopping estimated £243 worth of damage each year to electricals in the home. Almost two thirds of parents have had their DVD player (67 per cent) or games console (66 per cent) damaged by a son or daughter and over a quarter (26 per cent) have needed to make a claim on their home insurance policy.
Parents in the Midlands can breathe a sigh of relief as their sons and daughters are the least likely to cause damage in the home (£105 worth of damage per year).
Sheilas' Wheels has compiled some tips for parents to protect their hi-tech valuables from damage this summer:
- Store DVD players in a lockable unit under the television
- Keep stereo systems out of reach of small children
- Safeguard your television with a screen protector
- Secure trailing cables and wires using cable ties
- Clear a space in the living room before allowing children to play with games consoles such as the Nintendo Wii
- Keep laptops in a protective case when not in use
- ends -
About Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance:
Sheilas’ Wheels provides both buildings and contents cover - with a contents no claim discount
- Free online access to the CreditExpert identity fraud detection and assistance service provided by Experian. Experian will monitor the customer's credit report and send them alerts by text or email whenever there's a significant change in their credit record. If someone does steal the customer's identity and their credit record is affected, Experian will help and guide them through the process of restoring their credit record. This cover is available with either buildings or contents cover, to the first named policyholder.
- Alternative accommodation if utilities in the home, such as gas, water and electricity are lost due to events such as flooding and can not be lived in - for contents and / or buildings cover.
- New for old cover on clothes - reductions for wear and tear are not applied for clothing stolen or destroyed in the home (contents cover).
- Family legal protection - Free to policyholders for one year when bought online. For £18.99 policyholders receive up to £50,000 of cover for legal assistance. It also provides assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer's child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice.
- Pest cover - optional additional cover for the removal of grey squirrels, wasps, and hornets' nests, rats and mice from the home at just £1.67 per month.
- Optional Home emergency cover - cover for the call out charge and up to 2 hours labour and up to £100 (inc VAT) for parts and materials, and subject to an overall limit of £500 (inc VAT).
- For an additional premium, personal possessions cover away from the home provides cover for accidental loss, damage and theft of personal possessions that are temporarily removed from the home.
- Unlimited rebuilding sum insured.
- High market limits for contents in the garden - up to £2,500.
- High market limits for contents in outbuildings - up to £5,000.
Terms and conditions apply to Sheilas' Wheels home insurance
Sheilas' Wheels press contacts:
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Email: pr@sheilaswheels.com
Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com
An ISDN line is available for radio interviews.
Case studies are available on request.
Notes to Editors:
[1] Sheilas' Wheels used the independent online research company ICM who surveyed 1,000 of the UK's homeowners, from across the country aged 18 and over, on 20th June 2008 - 22nd June 2008. Based on latest figures from the National Statistics website. 2.1 million children under 16 in UK (2000)
About Sheilas' Wheels:
Sheilas' Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and female targeted product enhancements. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance with product enhancements including free online access to the CreditExpert identity fraud detection and assistance service, alternative accommodation (buildings and contents cover) in the event of loss of utilities in the home (terms and conditions apply), new for old cover on clothes (contents cover) and family legal protection cover which also includes assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice (terms and conditions apply).
Sponsorship:
Sheilas' Wheels sponsors the ITV National Weather: "Whether skies are grey or blue, Sheilas’ Wheels could cover you."
