Home exercise ‘has cost £125m’

A quarter of a million British people damage their properties or possessions while exercising at home every year, creating a cost of £125 million over the past five years, new research reveals.

According to Halifax, UK businesses have had to pay out £8.8 million a year on employees who have been unable to attend work because of injuries suffered while exercising at home.

Over 300,000 people have injured themselves at home and had to take time off work as a result in the last five years, costing their employers around £44 million, the study found.

Britons who have injured themselves have caused an average of £135 of damage to property or possessions, with items such as televisions and coffee tables in the living room likely to get damaged, as this is where 51 per cent of people exercise.

Another 37 per cent of people risk damaging their beds or wardrobes while exercising in their bedroom, while four per cent of people use their garage to work out.

Vicky Emmott at Halifax Home Insurance said: "It is important that people are careful when exercising to ensure they don’t endanger themselves or their possessions. Britons risk paying out significant sums to replace items damaged while exercising.

"By investing in comprehensive home insurance, householders can cover themselves should their property or its contents be damaged while they exercise."