Aviva has issued a warning to homes with virtual reality headsets after receiving a flood of claims relating to VR games.

The insurer saw home contents claims involving VR headsets jump by 32 per cent in 2021 compared to the previous year. The majority of claims related to ‘accidental damage’ and most cases saw customers made claims for TV sets which had been broken by “over-enthusiastic gamers”.

The average value of a VR-related claim for accidental damage in 2021 was around £650.

Aviva has seen a steady growth in VR-related home claims in recent years, with a 68 per cent increase since 2016.

Aviva said it had already received a handful of claims in 2022, as a result of people falling into or hitting TV screens while wearing VR headsets.

“As new games and gadgets become popular, we often see this playing through in the claims made by our customers,” said Kelly Whittington, UK property claims director, Aviva. “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. Accidental damage cover can be a great addition to home contents insurance, just in case accidents happen.”

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