Home insurance: fire or explosion risk

The fire guarantee is a guarantee included in the home insurance contract. It protects you from damage caused by fire or explosion.

If the insurance contract so provides, the fire insurance can also cover damage caused by lightning, smoke, electricity and heat, even if there has been no fire. For example, the damage caused to the roof by lightning, the poisoning of people by smoke from a fire, the damage caused to electrical appliances by a short circuit, the damage caused by a hot iron.

The situation varies depending on whether you are a tenant or owner:

The fire warranty covers damage resulting directly from the fire or explosion (e.g. burned housing or furniture).

If the contract so provides, the fire warranty may also cover certain indirect damage from the fire or explosion (for example, broken doors and windows by rescue and rescue services during their intervention).

The guarantee must cover the actual value of the insured goods, but the insurance contract may provide for a limitation of the insured value.

The insurance contract may instead include in the fire cover goods that are not in the dwelling, for an additional premium. For example, trees and plantations.

The amount of coverage is determined by the value declared in the contract. In case of under-insurance (declared value below the actual value), the compensation will be reduced proportionately.

For example, if the real value of your property is €100,000 but you only insured him for €50,000 and a fire causes €40,000 of damages, compensation will be limited to €20,000 (i.e. 50% of the damage), because you are only insured half of the actual value.

In the event that the fire or explosion has caused damage that makes your home uninhabitable, the insurance can cover your emergency accommodation if the contract so provides.

If the repair work has to last a long time, the insurance can also cover your relocation if this is provided for in the contract.

Some contracts provide for a lump sum compensation for the costs of relocation, others a reimbursement on presentation of supporting documents. It is therefore advisable to check the ceilings and the maximum duration of coverage indicated in your contract.

The situation varies depending on whether you are a tenant or owner:

You will have to justify the damage you have suffered.

It is important to keep all items that were damaged during the disaster, even damaged or burned.

It is also necessary to gather everything that can identify the damaged or destroyed goods in the disaster (invoices, photos, warranty vouchers...)

You must then find evidence of the disappearance or deterioration of these objects: police or gendarmerie report, photos of the accommodation showing signs of break-in and deterioration.

To get an estimate of the cost of repairs, you can get a quote for repairing the premises and repairable items.

You must then send the quotes to your insurer and wait for its authorization before making the repairs.

Your insurer will tell you if it allows you to start refurbishment work or if you have to wait for an expert to come through.

Expertise is not mandatory, but the insurer has the right to appoint an expert if he feels it is necessary.

The role of the expert is to clarify the causes of the loss and to assess the amount of damage you have suffered.

The expert will contact you to set up an appointment to carry out his expertise.

You will have to give him the file you prepared. The expert will prepare a report based on his findings and the information you have provided.

Your insurer will then send you its expert report.

You still have the possibility to challenge the expert report if you feel that his estimates are unfavorable to you. To do this, you can appoint an insured expert. The costs are in principle at your expense, unless otherwise provided in your contract.

In case of persistent disagreement, a 3rd expert report (amicable or judicial) can be considered. The cost is usually shared between you and the insurer

The contract may provide for a limitation of the insured value for the dwelling and its contents.

In this case, the amount of compensation may be less than the actual value of the damage suffered by the dwelling and its contents.

The situation varies depending on whether the source of the loss is in your home or not:

The time limit for payment of compensation is not uniformly set by law. The insurer must compensate the insured within a reasonable time, which depends on the complexity of the claim and the time required for expert appraisal.

In practice, for a fire or explosion, the insurance contract generally provides for:

• the payment of a provisional allowance in the 2 months following the receipt of the estimated loss statement or the compensation decision,
• then the regulation of the balance within an overall time frame of approximately 3 months from the declaration of the loss, except in exceptional cases (for example, long expertise, dispute).

As regards insurance, the limitation period is of 2 years from the event that gave rise to the request. This means that you have 2 years to take any action against your insurer if the compensation does not satisfy you or if it is delayed.