Despite Facebook – sorry, "Meta" – throwing its weight behind the "metaverse", figures from Brit insurance giant Aviva suggest a virtual-reality headset is far from a necessary purchase if you like having nice things.
The insurer reckons home contents claims involving nerd goggles were up 31 per cent last year, commonly because someone punched their lovely 4K TV or cleared the mantelpiece of ornaments while enthralled by a VR game. Such claims have risen 68 per cent since 2016.
Aviva UK property claims director Kelly Whittington said: "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."
The average payout for accidental damage in 2021 was around 650, the insurer said, and usually due to TVs broken in the height of VR passion. One chap called up Aviva because he hurled a controller at the tube after a zombie jumpscare, but a kid was also said to have smashed two designer figurines on a mantelpiece performing a swiping move in a game.
Whittington added: "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."
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