School bags contain expensive surprises

by Gill Montia

Story link: School bags contain expensive surprises

Esure, the online personal lines insurer, has shocked parents with its estimate that the average school bag, belonging to those in the 11 to 16 year-old age range, is worth £265 including the contents.

The figure has been arrived at by means of a survey in which 60% of parents questioned admitted that their children never go to school without their mobile phones.

At the same time 17% of secondary school children take hand-held games console, such as a Play Station Portable or Nintendo DS Lite, into the classroom.

A third of pupils regard MP3 or MP4 players as essential to the school day and 9% need their electronic personal organisers.

Whilst £265 is the average value of the school bag, some could contain personal items worth over £1,100, if the owners possess designer spectacles and a musical instrument.

Esure recommends that parents should urge their children to leave valuables at home.

Failing that, they should check that their contents insurance covers personal possessions away from the home.

At the same time, young people need to be told how to take good care of their belongings and measures can include buying a good quality padlock for the child’s locker and choosing a school bag with lockable zips.

Finally, parents should bear in mind that in some cases they are liable for any musical instrument on loan from a school.