While house fires can occur year-round, when the temperature drops, the risk of house fires increases, cautions AMI.

“With the winter chill comes more time spent inside, heaters dusted off, electric blankets dug out of storage, indoor fires being lit, and winter warmers on the stove – all of which can increase the danger of house fires occurring,” says AMI Executive General Manager Claims, Wayne Tippet.

According to AMI’s claims data - sourced from the largest general insurance data in New Zealand - the most common causes of house fires are:

1. Cooking (eg such as unattended stovetop or oven cooking, kitchen appliances)
2. Indoor fires (eg chimney/roof fire or embers re-igniting)
3. Electrical (eg switchboards, overloaded multi-boards, fuse boxes, devices charging)
4. Heating sources (eg heaters and electric blankets)
5. Candles

“Our data shows that winter brings a unique set of fire dangers that New Zealanders need to be cautious of. It’s so important to keep fire safety in mind, especially when cooking and heating your home.”

The average cost of a house fire claim increased to nearly $150,000 last year. And in nearly one in five of these claims, the fire resulted in the home being uninhabitable with an average claim cost of over $265,000.

“A house fire can hugely impact people’s lives and also have a significant financial impact with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage,” says Wayne.

“And damage may not be isolated to just the room where it started. Even small fires can cause widespread impacts, including water damage from putting out the fire, and smoke damage to furniture and curtains.

“While insurance is there to cover you for the loss or damage of your home or possessions in the event of a fire, we can’t replace sentimental items that can often mean the most. So it’s important to look at how to reduce the fire risk in your home to help keep everyone safe.”

AMI’s house fire prevention tips:

1. Cooking – never leave the room while cooking - if you need to, switch off before you walk off. And remember to keep any flammable items well away from the cooking area.
2. Multi-plugs – don’t overload a multi plug, check that chargers and cords aren’t damaged, and make sure that electrical cords aren’t coiled, or underneath carpet or bedding.
3. Electric blankets - check for hotspots in your blanket before you use it and always turn it off before going to sleep.
4. Clothes dryers – be sure to clean the lint filter before every use to avoid lint build-up, ensure that the dryer isn’t overloaded, and that the full cycle – including cool down – is used.
5. Indoor fires - have your fireplace cleaned before you light the first fire of the season, always use a spark guard when the fire is lit, and keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. Also be sure to use dry firewood – burning green or wet wood produces more smoke and creosote that can build up in your chimney.
6. Hot ashes – make sure they are left to cool (it can take five days) before disposing of them in a metal bin, and use a lid or pour water over them to keep them contained.
7. Heaters – follow the heater-metre rule, ensuring at least a metre of clear space surrounding heaters while in use. Make sure they’re plugged directly into a wall socket, and never dry clothing and other items on top of heaters.
8. Candles – remember to never leave candles unattended, and to ensure they are always placed on a non-flammable surface.
9. Smoke Alarms - test your smoke alarms regularly to ensure they’re in good working order- they’re the first thing that’s going to let you know that there’s a fire.
10. Fire extinguishers and fire blankets – keep a fire extinguisher and fire blanket handy and make sure you know how to use them. There are different types of extinguishers for different fires, ensure you have the most appropriate type for the area its kept. Fire blankets are useful for covering cooking related fires so are best kept close to your kitchen.

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