UK Insurer Says VR Related Accident Claims Rose by 31% Last Year!

With many of us being required to stay at home for much longer than we’d have probably liked over the last couple of years, this has undoubtedly led to a pretty significant boom not just in the world of gaming, but for those getting into the weird and wonderful experiences of VR. – Following a report via SkyNews, however, it would appear that this hasn’t come without more than a few problems.

What problems could they be though? Well, according to the UK’s largest home insurance provider Aviva, claims related to VR headset accidents rose by 31% last year!

VR Headsets – Smashingly Good Fun!

I have a VR headset and I’m going to start by admitting that I have had a few accidents while using it. Admittedly though, these have always come to my own physical body. – I once accidentally punched a desk attempting to get a rather optimistic box hit on Beat Saber, and I once headbutted the ceiling jumping to avoid an obstacle in some kind of fitness-related game. I haven’t, however, broken anything beyond my own physical body. – According to Aviva, however, 2021 has seen insurance claims based on damage to property skyrocket by 31% resulting in an overall increase of VR-related claims of 68% in the last five years.

Now, as you might expect, the vast majority of these claims come down to TVs getting broken through errant controllers getting accidentally thrown. With the average claim reportedly coming in the region of £650, however, they’re clearly a bit concerned about what this technology might end up doing to your premiums!

“As new games and gadgets become popular, we often see this playing through in the claims made by our customers. – In the past we’ve seen similar trends involving consoles with handsets, fitness games and even the likes of rogue fidget spinners!

These devices can be a great source of fun, but we’d encourage people to be mindful of their surroundings and take a look at their home insurance to make sure it suits their needs.” – AVIVA

A New Declaration on Your Next Home Insurance Application?

With claims for VR-related accidents clearly on a big rise, part of me does wonder whether, sooner or later, insurance firms will start asking for a declaration of whether these devices are used within the household. I mean, yes, accidents happen, but if the average VR damage claim is coming in at around £650, they’re definitely going to be paying attention to this sort of thing!

I’m not even joking when I suggest that in the coming years, home insurance policies might even start adding a bit of fine print to specifically exclude damage caused while using a VR headset. – The bottom line though folks is to be safe, ensure you have enough room, and for the love of god use that strap on your hand controllers. Yes, it’s annoying, but I’m 100% certain it’s a damn sight less annoying (and embarrassing) than attempting to claim a new TV off your insurer for accidentally cracking the screen attempting to punch a virtual zombie!

What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!