35% Rise In Electrical Fires Leading To More Property Damage

There has been a massive surge in the number of electrical fires occurring in domestic properties over the last year, some of which has caused structural damage requiring rebar suppliers to fix.

Research released by the Co-op Insurance showed the proportion of fire claims as a result of electrical faults has increased by 35 per cent in the last 12 months.

This type of flame now accounts for 27 per cent of all fire claims, and is likely to be due to the rising popularity of counterfeit phone chargers being purchased on the internet.

More than 1.8 million mobile chargers are bought online every year, which Jonathan Guy, head of claims at Co-op Insurance, said have poor quality components that can “lead to not only electrocution and burns but serious house fires”.

He went on to say: “Fires in homes are among the most costly claims to deal with, as in addition to cosmetic repairs, structural damage to the property may also need to be fixed.”

The insurance provider revealed 80 in 100,000 households will face a fire in a year, and while electrical faults is the second most common cause of them, accidental ignition accounted for more fires than anything else.

Homeowners who suffer very serious fires that not only result in cosmetic problems but also burn through much of the structure will require a lot of major repairs, including replacing the roof and rebuilding some of the foundation.

For more information on roof repairs, get in touch with Foregale today.