It’s not just kids causing accidental damage in the home

Are your kids playing catch with the TV again? Turns out they’re not the only ones breaking your belongings.

Illustration of a kid kicking a ball in the house towards the television.

Accidental damage is one of the top three Allianz Home and Contents Insurance claims. One common culprit - kids throwing objects indoors. It only takes one toy, or remote, to shatter your flatscreen. But it’s not just kids causing accidental damage in the home.

Keeping your home in good condition requires a certain level of attention. Maybe you’re a busy parent, maybe you live with someone who’s a little bit clumsy or just unlucky with breakages. Either way, accidents around the house can happen. However, being mindful of your home space can help reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring in the first place.

Adults break things too

Allianz Home Insurance claims data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022 shows almost 30,000 claims for accidental breakage or damage around the home. It’s not just kids who account for common claims such as:

Smashed TVs from moving furniture around.
Dropped tech, such as laptops and iPads.
Holes in the walls from moving house.
Red wine spills and stains.

Whether you’ve spilled a glass of red wine on the carpet, or the kids have kicked a rugby ball through the window, our optional covers can help sort out some of the damage.

Someone sitting on the floor to eat a plate of spaghetti, with sauce spilled on the carpet.

Keep your stuff safe at any age

Be mindful of movements

When moving around the house, pay attention to where you’re going and what you’re doing. Even in your own home, watch out for low-hanging light fixtures, sharp corners, and fragile items.

You might also want to think about how other people and your pets move around the house. Try to organise your home space to lessen the risk of damage. For example, store fragile items such as vases and glassware where they’re not likely to be toppled over or trampled.

Try to keep walkways free from clutter, and store things that children or pets shouldn’t be getting into safely out of their reach. Always take care when you’re carrying heavy items. If you’re moving furniture around, cover it with blankets so you don’t scratch the walls.

Keep things organised and in good repair

Clutter not only makes your home look messy, but it can also increase your risk of damage. If you can keep things organised and put away, you’ll be less likely to knock something over or step on something fragile.

Regular maintenance and upkeep can help prevent damage to your home and belongings. Check for leaks and drips, tighten loose screws and bolts, and replace worn or damaged parts as needed. This may help to ensure things stay in good working order and don’t break down unexpectedly.

Keep certain activities outside

It’s important to be mindful that certain activities may cause damage to your home and belongings. Depending on the space you have, it may be best to keep certain activities such as sport and DIY projects outside your home. Instead of playing catch in the living room, why not take the game down to the park? Instead of using your small home office space for yoga, why not sign up for classes at your local studio?

How Accidental Damage cover can help you

Designed to cover unforeseen accidents that happen in everyday life, optional Accidental Damage cover is available under Allianz Home and Contents Insurance. Here’s how it can help you:

Save yourself the cost of unexpected repairs

With our Accidental Damage option, you may get even more cover against sudden, unforeseen and unintended events – like a rugby ball smashing your TV screen. Accidental Damage cover can help you with the cost of repairs or replacements, making it much more affordable to fix any damage that may occur.

Cover your personal possessions

Standard home contents insurance policies often limit the amount of coverage for personal possessions, which means you won’t be fully compensated if something happens to them. By taking out the Accidental Damage option, you’re covered for any unintended, accidental damage.

The kinds of accidents covered

Our Accidental Damage cover could help you in the event of unexpected or unintentional mishaps. For example, if you have Building cover and you accidentally damage your walls when moving house. Or, if you have Contents cover and damage your carpet.

Here are some examples of the mishaps you’ll be covered for if you take out optional Accidental Damage cover:

If you have Building cover and:

You accidentally smash a hole in the wall when you move some furniture.
Your kids draw all over your walls.

If you have Contents cover and:

You spill red wine on the new white carpet or lounge.
Your TV is smashed by a cricket ball.

We’ll extend cover for your contents anywhere in Australia for up to 90 continuous days in one period of insurance. Also, our optional Accidental Damage cover automatically includes Motor Burnout.

For a full list of events covered by our Home Insurance, see the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

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Disclaimer

This article has been prepared by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL234708 (“Allianz”). In some cases, information has been provided to us by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way.

Any opinions expressed constitute our views at the time of issue and are subject to change. Neither Allianz, nor its employees or directors give any warranty of accuracy or accept responsibility for any loss or liability incurred by you in respect of any error, omission or misrepresentation in this article.

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