Insurers pay when gamers play
Reprints
The virtual reality gaming trend is getting real when it comes to homeowner’s insurance claims, with insurers saying popular virtual reality headsets are the cause of a 31% surge in claims.
As reported by the Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom, the anecdotes by overenthusiastic players are stacking up: A man hitting his ceiling fan with his fist; a woman slamming into her furniture; a player smashing through a lighting fixture. And, not to mention, busted television sets galore.
In addition to the 31% jump in claims over last year, the trend of crashing into furniture while in the metaverse accounted for a 68% overall increase since 2016, British insurer Aviva PLC told the newspaper. Aviva said the average VR-related claim for accidental damage in 2021 was about £650, or $885.
“As new games and gadgets become popular, we often see this playing through in the claims made by our customers,” said Kelly Whittington, Aviva’s U.K. property claims director, told a reporter. “In the past we’ve seen similar trends involving consoles with handsets, fitness games and even the likes of rogue fidget spinners.”
Read Next
-
Insurance as a love language?
Time to face the facts, says three financial experts chiming in on Valentine’s Day engagements: a prenuptial agreement is the new something blue.
