It’s getting cold outside and we’re getting less active – or are we? When winter hits, the home becomes our heaving hub of action.
Australians love a good time and we love the outdoors. And in winter we bottle up all the action indoors. Our open-plan living areas are suddenly melting pots of partying, entertainment and even exercise.
According to our research, more than one in three Australians have accidentally kicked, punched or hit something while working out or dancing in their lounge room .
If your winter entertaining involves a glass of mulled wine and candlelight, you might be in the clear. However, in many households, that combustible winter energy may help explain the statistics.
Amongst other activities, we fight for our turn at the gaming console. A pastime once synonymous with inactivity has suddenly become a popular way to socialise and exercise during winter.
Forget driving cartoon cars or manoeuvring through space, many of us are diving for tennis shots, perfecting our golf swings, learning new dance routines and teetering around on balance boards in the comfort of our own homes.
Meanwhile, mums everywhere are competing to see how many calories they can burn with games encouraging ’90s aerobics moves.
Combine the fervour that now inhabits modern living spaces with our love for the ‘smart home’. Our winter castles are cosied with big-screen TVs, entertainment systems, laptops and other serious luxuries. When things go awry, the victims are no longer just windows and light fittings.
So if we are playing more in winter, we’re surely breaking more. Our research shows around 60 per cent of people* now spend up to five hours a week gaming, and more than one in 10 have admitted to breaking something in their home after accidentally losing control of a device.
Your guests may even need controllers strapped to their wrists. In fact, some manufacturers already advise this. We found 60 per cent of these gamers between 18 to 29-years-old admit to flinging the controller accidentally while playing and 37 per cent have even thrown it in anger.
If you’re expecting your loved ones or guests to create a smashing spectacle this winter, accidental cover can insulate you as part of your home and contents policy.
You can find out more about home contents protection and accidental damage cover at SGIC Insurance.
To see if our home insurance is right for you, always read the Product Disclosure Statement from the product issuer, Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 trading as SGIC.
Source:
1. Based on a survey of 1,000 Australian residents by Pure Profile Research in December 2010
*Survey of more than 2700 Australian households by Pure Profile Research, January 2010, for NRMA Insurance.
