While most accidental fire damage is covered under these policies, there are exceptions.Īccording to the AA, insurance can be invalidated in the event of arson committed by the property owner, while homes damaged by arson committed by someone else tend to be covered. Now they face the grim task of having to count the cost of the damage and deal with their insurance provider.įortunately, all those who have standard home and contents insurance will be able to claim for the damage caused by the inferno. There were fires across the country yesterday as the UK baked in record temperatures. In the immediate aftermath of the fire yesterday, residents would have been forgiven for worrying about the safety of themselves and their loved ones. I urge everyone to stay safe and salute the courage of our fire services,' he said.

We must do everything we can to support the families and communities affected. 'Reports of fires across the country are deeply distressing. Steve Gibson said: 'It's difficult to find a previous time when so much of the country has been affected.'Įd Miliband, Labour's shadow secretary of state for climate change, said that extreme hot weather like this will become the 'new normal' under climate change. One expert, a specialist in wildfire operations, last night told the Telegraph that the severity of fires seen yesterday was 'rare, or possibly unprecedented' in the UK. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said Tuesday was its busiest day since the Second World War as crews rushed to deal with multiple fires breaking out across the capital.Įxtremely dry ground and searing temperatures created 'tinderbox' conditions that led to fires breaking out in London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Scotland and Wales. It comes after 41 homes across London were destroyed in fires yesterday, driven by an unprecedented heatwave that has caused record temperatures across much of the country. The best thing people can do is document the damage - photographic evidence and video evidence are particularly good because the insurer can see the damage.' 'They need evidence to show their insurer. Ms Knuckey said: 'We recommend they don't start the clean up until their insurer has been notified, and they have taken video and photographic evidence before anything starts getting moved. She said homeowners should 'notify the insurer, don't touch anything and return home until you are sure it's safe'. Lindsey Knuckey, of loss assessor firm Morgan Clark, said everybody who has insurance should be covered for the damage, but added they should resist the urge to start cleaning up their homes immediately. It will come as a relief to those who have lost almost everything they own in the wildfire, with dozens of people now left homeless by the destruction. 'If home insurance customers were impacted by the recent wildfires, following the recent heatwave, they would be covered by their policy.' 'Our home insurance customers, with contents and buildings cover, whose property has been damaged by fire would be covered if the cause was weather related. 'If you suffer damage to your property, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice.'ĭirect Line and the AA has also confirmed it would pay out for homes or property damaged by wildfires.Ī spokesperson for Direct Line said: 'We deeply sympathise with the householders whose lives have been impacted by the recent wildfires. 'When tragedy strikes insurers' priority is always to help affected customers recover as quickly as possible - from making emergency payments, arranging any temporary emergency accommodation and getting homes repaired or rebuilt. Pictured is the aftermath of the blaze in Wennington earlier this morningĪ spokesperson from the ABI said: 'Standard home insurance policies cover destruction and damage caused by fires, including wildfires. A heatwave which brought record temperatures to the UK created 'tinderbox' conditions for the wildfire.

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