The £1.2bn cost of visitors

29th November, 2005

As much as welcoming visitors into your home is a pleasure, it can also hurt your pocket, demonstrates a new report.

According to Halifax Home Insurance, over 2.8 million accidents in the home are caused by well-meaning guests every year.

It forecasts that in the year ahead, visitors and their children will accidentally cause £1.2 billion worth of damage to homeowners' properties.

This places seven million UK homeowners at risk, because they haven't taken out adequate home insurance to protect their properties.

In the last five years, broken furniture was the most common claim made by homeowners, followed by spilt wine and broken ornaments.

Vicky Emmott, senior underwriting manager Halifax Home Insurance, reiterated the need for all homeowners to have home insurance safeguards in place.

'Homeowners could face paying out significant sums if they are underinsured, or have no insurance cover, because of their friends' behaviour.

'Adequate cover can help people avoid disputes over damage to property and furnishings, which could otherwise cause rifts between lifelong friends.'

 

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