Being drunk at home can prove to be a costly business

Published on 18/02/2012 01:08

Drunken Britons typically cause nearly £500 of damage to their homes after mishaps.

Some 5.8 per cent of UK adults have made an insurance claim for a fire, flood or breakage after a booze-fuelled incident, according to a study by More Than Home Insurance.

Middle-class professionals in the 35-54 age group with homes worth an average of £242,673 were the worst offenders.

Four out of ten respondents who admitted to regularly getting drunk at home were in this age bracket, a higher proportion than any other age group.

Regular mishaps included breaking valuables while drunk, causing a fire by falling asleep while cooking or leaving candles used as “mood lighting” burning, and flooding the house by leaving taps on. Total damage costs averaged £461.47.

More Than said: “The dangers of drink-driving are well documented, but the perils of being drunk in the home are not.”