Software malfunctions and spilt drinks top list of console damage claims, according to UK insurer

Software bugs, split drinks and the dreaded 'Red Ring of Death' are three of the top five culprits behind console insurance claims according to data collected by the online gadget insurance company, protectyourbubble.com.

In its continuing mission to educate the gaming public (or drum up more business with fear), the UK-based outfit has revealed a list of the most common console killers. They are:

1. Software problems (33%)
2. Spilt drink (24%)
3. Hardware failure (16%)
4. ‘Red Ring of Death’ (14%)
5. Game stuck in machine (5%)


Above: A good time or a recipe for disaster?

Anyone's who's been a gamer for more than one week can likely relate to at least one or two items on this list. And while each are infuriating in their own right, perhaps the more pressing is the news that people actually pay for console insurance. This is a thing?

Incredulity aside, what's your worst gaming disaster?

Nov 15, 2010

[Source: Siliconera]

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Matt Bradford wrote news and features here at 12DOVE until 2016. Since then he's gone on to work with the Guinness World Records, acting as writer and researcher for the annual Gamer's Edition series of books, and has worked as an editor, technical writer, and voice actor. Matt is now a freelance journalist and editor, generating copy across a multitude of industries.