Personal liability insurance for a child under 16:

THENOX

Hi all,

I have a 6-yo son who just got a kid's bike from me. Before he starts riding it, I would like to buy personal liability insurance for him, in case he scratches some Bentley

However, I would like this insurance to cover "all" of his activities in "all" settings/circumstances and not only bike riding. I don't mean any extreme sports just normal life and normal activities of a 6-year-old.

Can anyone recommend Personal Liability Insurance for a child under 16 with the smallest amount of exclusions?

It doesn't need to be the cheapest but it needs to be from an insurer which pays without legal battles

Big thanks for all your help.

theoretica

Read the small print on your home insurance - you may find something is included, or could be.

user1977

Do you think anybody is likely to sue a 6 yr old? (Unless it’s a 6 yr old with insurance…)

la531983

user1977 said:

Do you think anybody is likely to sue a 6 yr old? (Unless it’s a 6 yr old with insurance…)

About to say, surely at that age the legal guardian is responsible? 

SiliconChip

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

Aretnap

SiliconChip said:

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

As the link says, no, parents are not liable for the actions of their children. They might be liable for their OWN actions - which could include failure to supervise a child properly. However allowing a child to ride a bike is obviously not in itself negligence or poor parenting so there is no automatic liability for the parent if the child accidentally damages something with a bicycle.

In any event the answer to the OP's question is that home/contents insurance comes as standard with a personal liability section which will cover all family members for any liability they have for accidental damage (unless they caused it by driving a motor vehicle - you need car insurance for that).

THENOX

Aretnap said:

SiliconChip said:

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

As the link says, no, parents are not liable for the actions of their children. They might be liable for their OWN actions - which could include failure to supervise a child properly. However allowing a child to ride a bike is obviously not in itself negligence or poor parenting so there is no automatic liability for the parent if the child accidentally damages something with a bicycle.

In any event the answer to the OP's question is that home/contents insurance comes as standard with a personal liability section which will cover all family members for any liability they have for accidental damage (unless they caused it by driving a motor vehicle - you need car insurance for that).

Am I correct that cover for my child is not only restricted to him kicking the ball into neighbour's window while playing at the garden of the property we rent, but also wherever he goes on a bike? e.g. damage in park, on the streets away from home etc?

user1977

THENOX said:

Aretnap said:

SiliconChip said:

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

As the link says, no, parents are not liable for the actions of their children. They might be liable for their OWN actions - which could include failure to supervise a child properly. However allowing a child to ride a bike is obviously not in itself negligence or poor parenting so there is no automatic liability for the parent if the child accidentally damages something with a bicycle.

In any event the answer to the OP's question is that home/contents insurance comes as standard with a personal liability section which will cover all family members for any liability they have for accidental damage (unless they caused it by driving a motor vehicle - you need car insurance for that).

Am I correct that cover for my child is not only restricted to him kicking the ball into neighbour's window while playing at the garden of the property we rent, but also wherever he goes on a bike? e.g. damage in park, on the streets away from home etc?

Let's see the wording of the policy in question.

DullGreyGuy

THENOX said:

Aretnap said:

SiliconChip said:

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

As the link says, no, parents are not liable for the actions of their children. They might be liable for their OWN actions - which could include failure to supervise a child properly. However allowing a child to ride a bike is obviously not in itself negligence or poor parenting so there is no automatic liability for the parent if the child accidentally damages something with a bicycle.

In any event the answer to the OP's question is that home/contents insurance comes as standard with a personal liability section which will cover all family members for any liability they have for accidental damage (unless they caused it by driving a motor vehicle - you need car insurance for that).

Am I correct that cover for my child is not only restricted to him kicking the ball into neighbour's window while playing at the garden of the property we rent, but also wherever he goes on a bike? e.g. damage in park, on the streets away from home etc?

In most cases yes, but you need to read the wording of the liability cover in the Contents section of the policy. 

Aretnap

THENOX said:

Aretnap said:

SiliconChip said:

I think you are liable for the actions of your 6 year old child, so the insurance needs to cover you and your dependents, which as @theoretica says may already be part of your home insurance.

There is a discussion of liability for accidents caused by children here https://www.claims.co.uk/knowledge-base/child-law/child-accidents-compensation-liability

As the link says, no, parents are not liable for the actions of their children. They might be liable for their OWN actions - which could include failure to supervise a child properly. However allowing a child to ride a bike is obviously not in itself negligence or poor parenting so there is no automatic liability for the parent if the child accidentally damages something with a bicycle.

In any event the answer to the OP's question is that home/contents insurance comes as standard with a personal liability section which will cover all family members for any liability they have for accidental damage (unless they caused it by driving a motor vehicle - you need car insurance for that).

Am I correct that cover for my child is not only restricted to him kicking the ball into neighbour's window while playing at the garden of the property we rent, but also wherever he goes on a bike? e.g. damage in park, on the streets away from home etc?

As above you would have to read the policy to be 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen one that restricted the personal liability cover to incidents which happen at home. Here's a fairly typical wording for example, from Admiral.


("Territorial limits" is defined as the United Kingdom, not your garden).