£68m annual repair bill for young accidental home wreckers

With the school break on the horizon new research from Abbey Insurance suggests that many homes will come under attack whilst the children are on holiday. Almost three quarters (73%) of UK families have had at least one household item or furnishing damaged by a child over the past ten years, and the average cost to repair or replace these breakages amounts to around £140.61 each time.

The research found that 11 to 15 year olds are more accident prone than their younger siblings. Ninety per cent of parents with children in this age group report that their child has broken or damaged something in the home. 11-15 year olds are also the most harshly punished, with one in six (16%) parents in this age group demanding reimbursement, compared with roughly one in eight parents of (13%) 5-10 year olds.

The type of accidental damage caused by different age groups varies. Five to 10 year olds are more likely to damage walls and paintwork than their older siblings, and 11-15 year olds more likely to break crockery or glasses. Children aged 11-15 are twice as likely (10%) to break windows in the home than their younger siblings (5 per cent), but those aged 5-10 are more than twice as likely (9 per cent) as 11 - 15 year olds (4%) to ruin priceless possessions such a photographs and heirlooms.

Lloyd Wilson, Head of Abbey Insurance, says, “School holidays are prime time for breakages so parents be warned. Although it can be expected that children will clumsily damage household items, the cost of replacing damaged goods can come as a nasty shock. £140 or more to repair or replace broken items is no small amount to find, so it’s worth making sure your insurance policy covers every item in your home for accidental damage.“

Almost one in five (19%) of parents in the South West ask their children for reimbursement for damaged items or furnishings, compared with far more lenient parents in the North West of England (7%).

More than half (53%) of 16-18 year olds have apparently damaged electronic equipment, the highest percentage across all age groups.

One in five (20%) parents in the North East claim their children have damaged or broken priceless possessions such as photographs or family heirlooms, compared to the national average of seven per cent.

For more information, visit abbey.com.