With one of the world's most famous tennis tournaments getting underway this week, an increasing number of Britons may be looking to emulate the likes of Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Daniela Hantuchova.
Such is the assertion of Halifax Home Insurance, which reports that as today (June 23rd) sees the start of Wimbledon, thousands of spectators are to converge on SW19 to witness the sport's top athletes in action, with millions across the globe also to watch the event on their television screens. However, it appears that a significant number of Britons are looking to do more than just watch their heroes do battle on the grass courts, with the firm reporting many are eager to "get outside and display their racquet skills, expert or otherwise".
For budding Andy Murrays and Ana Ivanovics wishing to purchase top of the range sporting gear to help them sharpen up on the tennis courts, taking out a loan may be recommended.
And in their keenness to get their racquets out, Halifax reports that some consumers may end up smashing more than just their tennis balls. It was indicated that in the run-up to Wimbledon, June 2007 saw an 18 per cent rise in home insurance claims for broken windows and other accidental breakages of glass in comparison to the start of the year.
Research from the financial services firm also indicated that those from one part of the West Midlands are most likely to see something broken over the course of the summer. According to Halifax, residents in south-east Birmingham and Solihull made the most claims for damaged glass and windows during the same time last year, followed by people in Harrow, Uxbridge, Wembley and High Wycombe. Consumers living in the Isle of Wight, Nottingham, Norwich, Romford, Chester and north Wales were also indicated as incurring high levels of damage to windows during Wimbledon season.
However, those who have too smashing a time while getting to grips with their forecourt volley and lack a comprehensive insurance policy may find that they have to dip into their own pockets in order to meet the cost of repairing a broken window. In turn this could have an impact on their capacity to manage other demands on their spending such as loans, household bills and credit and store cards.
Commenting on the figures, David Rochester, head of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance, said: "During the summer months we often notice an increase in claims for broken windows and other accidental breakages. We'd advise any budding Murrays and Sharapovas to take care when playing ball sports close to home and check they are insured for accidental damage should a mishap occur."
For amateur tennis players looking for an effective way in which to repair their property after a breakage, applying for a homeowner loan might be an effective way in which to meet such costs. The additional monetary assistance a loan brings could also help consumers to purchase adequate home insurance policy. A loan for use by sports fans could also be advised for supporters of newly-promoted Premiership sides Hull City, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City. In a recent study by Virgin Money, it was indicated that fans of these clubs are to pay an extra 300 million pounds to watch their heroes play in football's top flight.