Home insurance claims see spike during school holidays, says insurer

Home insurance claims for accidental damage can spike during the summer holidays, analysis suggests.

With school holidays approaching, Aviva said its figures showed an increase of nearly a third (29%) in such claims in August compared with June last year.

Claims it has dealt with in the past year include a leather sofa accidentally being cut while a girl was doing craft work on it and phones being hidden down the toilet by a customer’s grandson.

Aviva has also seen several cases involving carpets and sofas being stained after children played with colourful slime, and dozens of claims for damaged TVs after toys were thrown at them.

Adam Beckett, product director for Aviva UK general insurance, said: “Having more people at home can increase the risk of mishaps around the house and our claims data suggests a relationship between school holiday periods and an increase in accidental damage claims.”