Home insurance warning for parents of toddlers

Parents have been urged to ensure they have home insurance in place to protect their possessions against damage caused by boisterous children.

According to Halifax, these terrible toddlers are responsible for £122 million of damage to parents' homes each year.

Drink spillages on carpets and graffiti and other damage to walls and paintwork are the most common things parents have to deal with.

The average home insurance claim for accidental damage is £529.68, an amount Halifax says is significant for those without the necessary insurance cover in place.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: Raising children is expensive enough without having to find additional money to replace items that small children have accidentally damaged.

He added that parents can protect themselves against this expenditure by ensuring their home insurance policies cover accidental damage.

Sainsbury's Bank recently claimed that the cost of accidental damages caused to homes by children, their friends and pets during October half-term could be as much as £106 million.