New research has revealed that 3.9 million UK adults have had a child injure themselves on their property in the last 12 months.
Furthermore, 59 per cent of Brits are unaware that they can be sued by the parent of child injured on their property, such as if they fell off a bouncy castle or trampoline.
Direct Line, which conducted the research, has 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.
The most common cause of injuries are bouncy castles and trampolines which have led to almost one in 10 (nine per cent) cases of child injuries.
This is followed by slides (including water slides) (seven per cent) and climbing frames and trees (six per cent).
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 (82 per cent), children were under supervision when the incident occurred whereas in only 16 per cent of situations children were unsupervised.
Katie Lomas, head of Direct Line home insurance, said: “Children are no strangers to bumps and bruises and get up to all kinds of mischief which often involves climbing or jumping off things.
“With this in mind, it is worth noting that if a child is injured on your property it could land you in hot water, potentially costing thousands of pounds in legal fees.
“It’s not about banning fun; it’s all about ensuring that entertaining children doesn’t become a legal nightmare.”
“If you regularly look after friends’ or families’ children or are throwing a kids party on your property it is worth investigating whether your home insurance comes with public liability cover, as this could save you money and hassle in the long run.”
Direct Line’s research shows that in one in five injuries to children involve six year olds, making this the most injurious age.
This is followed by five year olds and seven year olds, both accounting for 14 per cent of incidents.
Rates of injury fall as children grow up, with only six per cent of injuries involving 10 year olds and only three per cent of cases affecting 12 year olds.
Steven Singh, Head of Personal Injury at Ramsdens comments: "Homes and gardens do contain a number of potential hazards that can result in injuries being suffered by children and unwary adults who may be entitled to seek compensation for their injuries from their host. Apparatus such as trampolines and bouncy castles are a magnet for children and can result in serious injury if not correctly set up or used. "
If you need advice on an injury call us free on 0800 8047450 or start your claim online today, we're here to help!