Christmas sees fire damage home insurance claim increase

Homeowners have been warned to take caution when lighting candles and cooking at Christmas to avoid becoming one of the many households who make a fire damage-related claim at Yuletide.

MORE THN, the insurance company, revealed it sees a 180 percentage point rise in house insurance claims related to incidents with fire over the Christmas period.

The insurer preached a sensible approach to fire safety at Christmas by making some suggestions on how to steer clear of any incidents.

Households were told to keep track of what they are cooking, and to turn off ovens once food has been cooked.

It was also recommended that no candles should be left in an empty room or near curtains and other fabrics.

Annette Lepper, the head of MORE THN Home Insurance, said: Christmas Day is a time for enjoyment, friends and family. We would encourage homeowners to take a few simple precautions to make sure that you don't let a fire ruin your celebration.

More than half of accidental fires started in British homes are the result of cooking, according to the government public service resource Directgov.