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The average home insurance policy provides more protection than most policyholders realise |
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A recent UK court case gave rise to a media furore when the hirers of a bouncy castle were found liable to compensate a child severely injured using it. However, there is little cause for concern if you have home insurance cover. |
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| Author: Philip Green |
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Much of the media comment has typically been reactionary - railing against the so-called creeping nanny state: "There is no such thing as an accident any more" and "Why does everything have to be somebody else's fault?" accompanied by headlines such as: "Unsupervised fun goes out the garden gate."
But perhaps there is another angle. As well as being good fun, bouncy castles are by their nature, prone to accidents. Usually it is just the odd bruise or twisted ankle. And for the most part a few simple precautions and supervision by a responsible adult covers it. One of those precautions is to prevent big kids bouncing around with little kids – surely the reason is obvious?
The simple truth is that the hirers were actually negligent in this case. Any reputable bouncy castle supplier will offer to provide an on-site supervisor as part of the service. Of course, there is an additional cost but it does mean that any liability then rests with the supplier. Similarly, reputable suppliers (no doubt accustomed to hirers wishing to keep costs down) issue a written set of supervisory guidelines for the hirers’ use as standard practice. This is enshrined within item 3 of the code of conduct of the British Inflatable Hirers Alliance which has over 2,000 members. But did the parents pay much heed to them in this case?
Fortunately, in this case, the hirers' household insurer will foot the bill. This is not a fact that emerged from the ensuing media frenzy but is a positive story about insurance which tends not to make good press. You may well be asking what this has got to do with home insurance - doesn’t that cover damage like fire and theft? Yes it does, but in addition, a standard home contents insurance policy will also provide personal liability insurance. It is an area of protection often overlooked but, if this case is anything to go by, it could be an increasingly important one.
So how many other things does the average home insurance policyholder get up to in the normal course of daily living that could lead to calling on the cover if he or she gets into unexpected difficulty? You can be held personally liable to pay compensation when, due to your negligence or that of a member of your household, accidental damage is caused to another's property, or when your negligent actions result in personal injury or death. This need not necessarily relate purely to incidents at home or on your premises. You could cause injury or damage out and about. For instance, whilst cycling or engaging in a sport, or simply whilst crossing the road or putting up an umbrella. Your standard home insurance policy will cover you for any legally enforceable compensation that arises.
About Author
Philip Green has over 35 years experience in the UK insurance and financial services industry. He is a Chartered Insurance Practitioner and graduate of the Open University. Philip works part-time as a freelance journalist, writing about current financial topics and consumer affairs. he works for online marketing agencies and a variety of clients. This article has been written on behalf of an independent insurance broker and should therefore be considered as a professional piece, written with business interests in mind.
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