No use crying over spilt milk…or hot chocolate…or tomato soup - Data reveals most common accidents caused by kids at home

• Last year, Admiral Home Insurance received nearly 2000 claims for accidental damage caused by kids - including everything from dropped items to breakages during play, averaging a cost of almost £900
• Damage to expensive tech items accounted for 78% of these claims, with TVs most commonly accidentally damaged, often due to kids throwing items like toys
• Admiral’s data also highlights the top five postcode areas for the number of accidental damage claims involving kids, with Newcastle upon Tyne (NE) taking the top spot
• Unexpected claims included tech dropped in the bath, Nerf guns fired at TVs, and even a hot chocolate taking down a laptop!
• Head of Household at Admiral, Noel Summerfield, explains how Accidental Damage Cover works, and how to make a claim

February 2025: With February half term fast approaching, many parents will be preparing for excitable children bouncing around the home. Whilst a break from school can be a fun, valuable time for families, the half term excitement can mean that unfortunately, accidents can happen. 

New data from Admiral Home Insurance reveals that last year, the insurer received nearly 2000 claims for accidental damage caused by kids – costing almost £900 on average. These claims occurred as the result of numerous calamities, and breakages were the top reason for claiming, accounting for a quarter (25%) of claims. 15% were caused by items being thrown by children, and 12% of accidents were due to items slipping through little fingers. 

A whopping 78% of these claims involved expensive tech items, with TVs by far the item most commonly damaged by children. TVs were damaged in 48% of all claims and accounted for 62% of tech-related incidents. This was ahead of laptops (17%) and phones (8%) which made up the top three.

Admiral also saw claims for damage during play, and 18% of TVs were taken out by toys – in one case, a plastic sword wielded overzealously in the direction of the screen. In dozens of instances, TVs were damaged by children playing with gaming tech, and the average cost of all claims involving gaming totalled over £750. This includes damage by disorientated kids wearing VR headsets striking the television. With children spending time at home during February half term, TVs can become even more vulnerable to flying toys or controllers, rendering screens unwatchable. 

The data reveals the NE postcode (Newcastle upon Tyne) to be the top accident hotspot, as more claims caused by children were registered in this area than any other last year. The five areas with the most claims in 2024 were:

1. NE - Newcastle upon Tyne
2. G - Glasgow
3. S - Sheffield
4. CF - Cardiff
5. B - Birmingham

The same areas appear when identifying child-related accidents involving tech, with only Cardiff (CF) dropping from the list to make way for Reading (RG). 

Across all regions, there were commonly repeated incidents such as drink spillages, but some of the claims were a little different. On a couple of occasions, parents relaxing in the bath were joined by their children, who then accidentally dropped phones or tablets into the water. Another incident involved  a child playing with a Nerf gun which was fired at the TV accidently causing lines across the screen. 

Perhaps the most unusual claims, however, involved food and drinks favoured by families across the UK – this included a hot chocolate taking down a laptop, and tomato soup ruining upholstery and the TV remote! 

Accidents around the home happen, but Head of Household at Admiral, Noel Summerfield, reassures parents:

“Any household with children can easily get a little messier during February half term, but some parents could also be dealing with unexpected damage. 

“There are lots of factors that could contribute towards this: many parents will be at home while the kids are off school, so understandably, kids may also be handed tablets and phones to keep them occupied - explaining why so many incidents involve gadgets. 

“Playtime is a natural part of half term fun, whether that’s with friends or family, and accidents can occur. Luckily, contents insurance anticipates these kinds of mishaps, and offers busy parents peace of mind.

“Accidental damage is an optional add-on for accidents that damage your property, and comes as standard with our platinum cover. It can cover most types of claims reported to us that involve kids, and our ‘What is accidental damage?’ guide explains how your home is protected against the unpredictable every day. Should an accident happen, parents should check their cover via their policy documents, and get in touch through our make a claim page or on MyAccount.”