Rising popularity of VR headsets sparks 31% rise in insurance claims

A man landing an upper-cut on the ceiling fan, a woman slamming into furniture, a guy smashing through a lighting fixture: gamers are learning, virtual reality headsets can often cause havoc at home.

The trend of crashing into furniture while in the metaverse provoked a 31% jump in home contents claims involving VR headsets last year, insurer Aviva said, marking a 68% overall increase since 2016.

Aviva said the average VR-related claim for accidental damage in 2021 was about £650, often from broken TVs smashed by overenthusiastic gamers.

All three claims were accepted and settled, an Aviva spokesperson told the Guardian.

Aviva said that, with many people in the UK receiving VR headsets over Christmas, claims in 2022 are already coming in and the company expects more.