UK hot tub insurance claims see threefold increase

The UK has seen a large increase in home insurance claims involving hot tubs, as people turned to home entertainment to get them through the lockdown.

Aviva, a UK insurance company, said it experienced a 188 per cent year-on-year increase in accidental damage claims involving hot tubs in 2020.

Damage included things like a grass trimmer bursting an inflatable tub to an engagement ring ripping a lining.

Other claims included parasols falling into hot tubs and birds pecking holes in their covers, while a small number of claims were for theft.

Aviva representative Kelly Whittington said, “Many people bought hot tubs in 2020, while others took their spas out of storage, so they could enjoy holidays at home.”

“Unfortunately this appears to have led to all manner of mishaps, both with the hot tubs themselves and items dropped in them,” she said.

Hot tub suppliers reported an increase in sales of the products during 2020, with eBay recording an increase of almost 500 per cent.