17th August, 2005
As much as people love their offspring, their light-hearted antics can sometimes prove troublesome and costly, finds a new report.
Every summer, children cause £3 million worth of damages to homes, demonstrating that parents particularly would be wise investing in home insurance.
One in three parents claim that their children have accidents at home during the summer and damage claims rise by 25 per cent for the same period.
Most home insurance will cover the contents in the home, so for example if something is accidentally spilt on the carpet, ruining it, insurance will usually replace it.
The things that parents should most look out for are ornaments – according to the survey, 39 per cent had experienced broken ornaments.
Spoiled carpets, broken furniture, shattered windows and soiled walls were also reported in the survey carried out Lloyd's TSB Insurance.
'Home insurance might not be a legal requirement but it really can come to the rescue where children cause havoc in the home.
'While it might not prevent a broken window or a soiled carpet, it can easily save pounds in the pocket,' said Phil Loney, managing director Lloyd's TSB.
Accidents leave one in five parents with bills of £100 or more, reiterating Mr Loney's message that house insurance might be a good idea for parents.