November 13, 2014
Liberty Mutual Insurance Study Reports Majority of Parents with Young Children Do Not Practice Common Home and Auto Safety Precautions
Between soccer practice, play dates and sleepovers, parents are busier than ever. Despite the majority (83 percent) of parents with children aged five to 12 years saying they drive and/or host other children in their home, more than half are unaware of the insurance ramifications of certain behaviors and decisions, according to new research from Liberty Mutual, the fifth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S. What’s more, nearly one-third (32 percent) of these parents neglect to enforce basic home safety rules, and more than three-quarters (79 percent) admit to distracted behaviors while driving other children – from talking on the phone to speeding.
The Liberty Mutual study suggests that parents of young children do not fully understand their auto or home insurance coverage and may be at more risk than they realize. More than one-third of those with auto insurance, and nearly half of those with home or renters insurance report they are unaware of their liability coverage if someone is injured in their vehicle or home. In addition, only 12 percent of parents surveyed have an umbrella policy, which provides liability coverage in excess of standard home and auto policies.
“Our study reveals that many parents may not realize that everyday activities, like carpooling and play dates, may require a closer look at their coverage and where they may be vulnerable,” said Ty Harris, executive vice president and chief product officer at Liberty Mutual Insurance. “Understanding your coverage and ensuring enough liability protection is included in your policy is essential to protect your family and your future.”
Parents Engage in Risky Behaviors, Even When Driving Others’ Children
Not only are parents unsure of potential liability, but they also seem to ignore important safety measures that can help mitigate the risk of injury and liability. According to surveyed parents, safety precautions in the car are not always followed. While 65 percent of parents who have recently driven others’ children believe that they drive more safely when other children are in the car, they still admit to engaging in distracted and dangerous behaviors.
| Percentage of parents who engage in distracted behaviors while driving others’ children | |
| Talking on a cell phone | 42 percent |
| Eating or drinking (non-alcoholic beverages) | 42 percent |
| Speeding | 22 percent |
| Texting | 10 percent |
When it comes to car seats, an alarming 20 percent of parents who drive other children admit to not having proper car seats for all children in the vehicle. And while nearly all parents report that they adhere to car seat regulations, more than a quarter are not very familiar with those regulations, suggesting younger passengers may not be as safe as parents assume.
Parents Must Review Basic Home Safety Rules
Similar basic safety rules apply in the home. Despite more than two-thirds of parents reporting that they have safeguarded their homes against potential dangers, many overlook essential safety precautions.
| Percentage of homes where dangerous materials exist and are NOT properly protected (e.g., locked up or fenced in) | |
| Poisonous chemicals | 57 percent |
| Prescription medication | 53 percent |
| Pool or hot tub | 50 percent |
| Fireplace and/or fire pits | 48 percent |
| Breakables or sharp objects | 37 percent |
In addition, 31 percent of parents are not aware of allergies of the children they care for. These statistics are especially concerning; since, including their own kids, a majority of parents (82 percent) who host may have up to four children in their home. Safeguarding the home may be as simple as keeping dangerous materials locked up, or breakable items out of children’s reach.
Understand Your Coverage
While almost all parents are aware of basic safety rules, it can be easy to bend the rules here or there when you’re in a rush or have a screaming child on your hands, but the consequences are never worth the risk.
“As a full-time professional and mother, I know that time is precious,” said Samantha Ettus, parenting and time management expert, best-selling author, and host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Working Moms Lifestyle. “However, the data is clear; parents need to refocus on safety and that means really taking the time not only to safeguard behavior in the home and car but to also understand your insurance policy to make sure your family is properly protected.”
Ettus shares a few tips for how to prioritize safety for busy parents:
- Talk to your children about their own role in staying safe. Whether inside or outside the home, children always face potential dangers, and the more aware they are reduces their risk and alleviates parents’ worries.
- Keep information cards with emergency contacts on hand when leaving your child with others. Be sure to get all of the necessary information from other parents when taking on a temporary guardian role, such as their phone numbers and any food or environmental allergies.
- To avoid temptation of cell phone use behind the wheel, put the phone in your glove compartment while driving so it isn’t accessible. This is a great rule for your teen drivers to stay safe on the road too.
- Ensure that car safety locks are in the “locked” position for all of the windows close to a child to keep them from rolling them down and to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
- Don’t drive more children than there are seat belts in the car and understand the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration age guidelines for booster seats.
In order to protect your family and those in your care, it’s important to understand your coverage when driving or hosting children in your home. Without the proper coverage, parents could face potential legal costs or financial consequences resulting from accidents.
- Auto Policy: Understand your Medical Payments Limits, which provide coverage for anyone injured in your car. Some policies even cover your children if they are injured in another person’s vehicle.
- Home or Renters Policy: Ensure liability protection is included in your policy. This will provide financial protection if someone is injured on your property or you are sued for home insurance related damages. Similar to your auto policy, understand the medical payment limits on your home policy as well.
- Umbrella Policy: Don’t underestimate the importance of an umbrella policy. For as low as a dollar or two per day, you can have peace of mind that you’re covered in case of a costly lawsuit. Caring for other peoples’ children at your home comes with risks and your current liability limits may not be enough.
For more information about home, auto and umbrella insurance coverage and how to keep your family and others safe in your home and care, visit www.LibertyMutual.com/SafeParenting.
About the Study
Liberty Mutual commissioned ORC International to conduct an online survey of 1,000 parents with children from ages five to 12. These parents were all identified as the household’s primary/shared insurance decision-maker. The overall sample can be interpreted at a 95 percent confidence interval with a margin error of +/- 2.94 percent.
About Liberty Mutual Insurance
Liberty Mutual Insurance helps preserve and protect the things people earn and own and build and cherish. Keeping this promise means we are there when our policyholders throughout the world need us most.
In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, Mass., today Liberty Mutual is a diversified insurer with operations in 30 countries around the world. The company is the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2013 direct premium written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Liberty Mutual also is ranked 76th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2013 revenue. The company employs over 50,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.
The fifth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 14,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.
