Trampoline could land you with £100k bill
‘Forced to sell their home’
FAMILIES are being hit with £100,000 bills for trampoline and bouncy castle injuries, insurers warn today.
Parents are increasingly calling in lawyers when their children have been hurt playing at parties or at friends’ houses.
Trampolines and bouncy castles are the chief cause of injury, according to research by Direct Line. Next in the danger league come slides then climbing frames and trees.
‘Fifty-nine per cent of Brits are unaware they can be sued by the parent of a child injured on their property,’ said a Direct Line spokesman.
‘We have handled claims ranging from £20,000 to £100,000 for children getting injured on bouncy castles, trampolines and rope swings.
‘The value of these claims would force many parents to have to sell their family home to meet the size of these pay outs, if they did not have insurance cover. While many parents would blame the adult for poor supervision, the research shows that this in fact may not play a big part in preventing injuries.
‘In four out of five cases, children were under supervision when the incident occurred.’
The insurer’s records show that injuries were most common at the ages of five, six and seven.
A recent study found that 11,000 children are going to A&E departments every year after suffering an injury on a garden trampoline.
And figures from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents suggest trampolines account for up to 50 per cent of casualty admissions for children under the age of 14.
Spokesman Errol Taylor said: ‘If you have a lot of people on the trampoline and they crash into each other you can get concussions and some nasty fractures. We also know if you have a safety net, parents tend to get complacent about safety and that’s when you get more horseplay and serious incidents.’
Katie Lomas, of Direct Line home insurance, said: ‘If you regularly look after friends’ or families’ children or are throwing a party on your property it is worth investigating whether your insurance comes with public liability cover, as this could save you money and hassle in the long run.’