VR gamers' accidents cause jump in insurance claims

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It seems that the latest trend has been crashing into a piece of home furniture or smashing the TV while in the metaverse, causing a rise of 31% in claims related to VR headsets, which is an increase of 68% since 2016, as per insurance company Aviva.

Aviva said that in 2021, the average VR-related claim for accidental damage was about £650 (around $880), mostly from smashed TVs due to the overenthusiasm of the players.

Kelly Whittington, the company's property claims director said that “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," Whittington added.

The VR-related claims can get ridiculous, as many have been smashing their TV screens and others breaking objects in the house; in the meantime, all claims are being settled by the company, a spokesperson from Aviva told The Guardian.

“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,” Whittington alerted, advising people to include accidental damage cover in their home insurance plan.

Aviva said that after many received the VR headsets as a Christmas gift, Aviva started receiving claims, and it is expecting more to come.

The Reddit forum has published videos of people using the VR headsets bumping into furniture, accidentally punching those around, or falling over.

While neither insurance companies are happy about it, nor the gamers who cause havoc at home, the videos trigger a wave of funny comments, such as “Looks like the guy knocked its lights out,” or “Never heard a house scream like that before.”