Insurance

[jennyjoan]

A friend of a friend - went to bed about 3 weeks ago and about 5 in the morning heard a large bang - went downstairs to find her living room in flames - now I have heard a candle was to blame. Another friend of mine has said her insurance won't cover her as she was to blame. I disagree as I too set my attic on fire many years ago with a lighter - wooden crib caught fire and soon the rest was on fire. Insurance covered me. Anybody really know if she is insured. Thanks

[frugalfred]

Difficult to comment without seeing the details of the policy.

[jennyjoan]

Oh OK freddie - thanks

I know this isn't funny but the candle was on the mantelpiece where she had pamphlets behind the clock - she is a bit of a hoarder - anyway B&Q pamphlets saying they would build her a nice home - instead they burnt it down.

[Buenchico]

Insurance policies normally exclude cover where 'gross negligence' is involved.

For example, if you left your keys in the ignition, an insurer almost certainly wouldn't pay out if your car was stolen.

Similarly, an insurer wouldn't pay out on a fire dame claim if you decided to have a bonfire in your living room.

However an insurer should pay out when there's been nothing more than a bit of carelessness (such as forgetting that you'd left the chip pan on a lit hob).

The borderline between simple 'carelessness' and 'negligence' is a grey area. An insurer might try to argue that the person had been negligent but it's definitely worth submitting a claim and hassling them to pay out.

[grasscarp]

I think if you go up to bed leaving a candle alight it is negligent.

[grasscarp]

My car was stolen when my keys were in ignition at a filling station and it was stolen. As Buenchico says I was negligent and didn't even try claiming.

[woofgang]

baseline is she won’t know till she talks to her insurers.

[ToraToraTora]

I agree with the insurance company, candles are an unnecessary fire hazard. They last had a real use in the winter of discontent about 45 years ago. You setting fire the the loft with a lighter can be deemed an accident. Deliberately lighting candles and leaving them lit is a deliberate act of negligence.