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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fire in bedroom

32 replies

honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 07:44

Hi, we had a fire in our house, due to candle being left burning while DH went to the loo.

Thankfully we out it out quickly but are there black burn marks on the bed, mattress, carpets etc

I now need to call insurers but I've never claimed before and I'm so nervous. I'm convinced we will be given short shrift as candle was left briefly unattended. Does anyone have any experience with this? Affected items are carpet, mattress, bed stead, bedside table and bedding.

Thanks

OP posts:
4PawsGood · 26/05/2021 07:46

Have a look at the policy to see what accidental damage covers. Ie is there any clause about reasonable care and attention.
If not, it’s what you pay your insurance for.

I closed a password generator in a laptop and cracked the screen, which was a bit stupid but insurance covered it.

But just phone them up and ask Smile

4PawsGood · 26/05/2021 07:47

And just to add:

Have you thought through the worst case? They say “I’m sorry we can’t pay out for that”?

LeroyJenkinssss · 26/05/2021 08:02

Fires cause a lot more damage than expected so be prepared for that. I have recently claimed and must admit, whilst it is still ongoing, they were very helpful especially in the beginning.

Call as soon as you can. What did the fire service say?

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:02

Thanks @4PawsGood !

The policy wording is not super clear unfortunately!

I just need to bite the bullet but I think they will say no!

If they say no, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but will be £££ we will have to find.

OP posts:
Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:03

@LeroyJenkinssss

Fires cause a lot more damage than expected so be prepared for that. I have recently claimed and must admit, whilst it is still ongoing, they were very helpful especially in the beginning.

Call as soon as you can. What did the fire service say?

We never called the fire service as we contained it pretty well (no damage to walls etc).
OP posts:
idontlikealdi · 26/05/2021 08:08

How did you contain a fire that has burnt a bed, mattress, carpet, bedstead etc?

Without fire service are they not going to query a fag rather than a candle and they often don't pay out for cigarette related fires?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/05/2021 08:10

Gosh where was the candle to spread to bed/carpet yet still be small enough to extinguish?

CoffeeCakey · 26/05/2021 08:13

Just give them a call and see what they say.

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:18

@idontlikealdi

How did you contain a fire that has burnt a bed, mattress, carpet, bedstead etc?

Without fire service are they not going to query a fag rather than a candle and they often don't pay out for cigarette related fires?

DH stifled it using bedding. It's just burn marks, scattered around, not fully burnt IFSWIM.

I hope not, the candle clearly shows it's burnt.

OP posts:
devuskums · 26/05/2021 08:20

If you try to claim and they say no, will your premiums go up next time you need to renew?

drinkingwineoutofamug · 26/05/2021 08:23

We have home insurance with Churchill . They will pay out for fire if there was flames. Not smouldering.
Had to double check with them as chatting to a chap who's house burnt down and wasn't covered by his insurance.

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:23

No idea @devuskums, we have never claimed before. Hopefully not if they say no.

OP posts:
Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:24

@drinkingwineoutofamug

We have home insurance with Churchill . They will pay out for fire if there was flames. Not smouldering. Had to double check with them as chatting to a chap who's house burnt down and wasn't covered by his insurance.
eeek, there were definitely flames.

Poor guy! I've been reading horror stories online, including a guy whose insurance didn't pay out when his house burnt down because he failed to declare the two unused bedrooms in the attic.

OP posts:
Proudboomer · 26/05/2021 08:25

I am in the middle of an insurance claim for a kitchen chip pan fire.
No issue with insurance as I am fully covered and no judgement given by them or any of their agents seen so far. And my claim will be well in excess of £1Ok.

UhtredRagnarson · 26/05/2021 08:26

How long was he in the loo? Confused

maddening · 26/05/2021 08:27

Apart from carpet everything else would be pretty cheap to replace from marketplace and ebay etc, I would not risk losing no claims for stuff that I could replace for not much more than my excess.

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:27

@Proudboomer

I am in the middle of an insurance claim for a kitchen chip pan fire. No issue with insurance as I am fully covered and no judgement given by them or any of their agents seen so far. And my claim will be well in excess of £1Ok.
Thanks Proudboomer. Did they ask anything about chip pan being left attended?
OP posts:
Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:28

@UhtredRagnarson

How long was he in the loo? Confused
Not even that long, just a few minutes
OP posts:
bestbefore · 26/05/2021 08:31

Sympathies OP, my sister had a fire in her room once from a candle which caught on her dressing gown which was hanging up: I think she left the room to go to the loo as well and came back to find stuff on fire. I know it was very scary.
Check your excess before you call, often it's high and not worth it for a few £100 claim. Annoying.

Proudboomer · 26/05/2021 08:34

All they asked is what happened. Not who left the pan, how long for or any other detail. The assessor did tell me it is the most common element in kitchen fires though.

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:34

Thanks @bestbefore I will check

Did you sister claim and was it accepted?

The carpets would cost at least £1k and the bed was another £1k.

OP posts:
Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:35

@Proudboomer

All they asked is what happened. Not who left the pan, how long for or any other detail. The assessor did tell me it is the most common element in kitchen fires though.
Thanks Proudboomer.

I'm hoping they will be as understanding.

OP posts:
CoffeeCakey · 26/05/2021 08:44

a guy whose insurance didn't pay out when his house burnt down because he failed to declare the two unused bedrooms in the attic. that seems fair, you have to declare all the rooms in your house.

Original poster
honeygirlz · 26/05/2021 08:46

Yes, absolutely. It just must have been gutting (the rooms were mostly unfurnished, no carpets and unused).

OP posts:
DrinkFeckArseBrick · 26/05/2021 08:49

Please dont worry OP. Yes there are horror stories online. Such as the claim not being paid because of the number of bedrooms not being declared...this is because the policyholder lied on their application form, they would have been underwritten differently with different conditions on linked fire alarms and fire doors if they had known about bedrooms in the attic...and not disclosing this is fraud.
However this is rare and these are exceptions and you're always going to hear about this, because the 95% or whatever the number of claims it is that go smoothly and get paid, aren't really newsworthy.

I'd think its fire not accidental damage (accidental damage covers things like dropping something) and fire is a basic thing that all policies cover (if there are flames).

If you do a search for 'candle' 'ignition' 'source' and 'unattended' in your policy wording, that should bring up any relevant exclusion. You can check the conditions as well.

Broadly speaking though, this is what insurance is for. Loads of house fires are caused by people falling asleep with cigarettes etc. If they took out this cover there would be no point in insurance would there? Also broadly speaking they don't not pay out in situations where someone has been a bit careless or made a mistake...again because that's what insurance is for (unless you've gone out and left the house unlocked or windows open, and it gets burgled, but that's normally a condition to make your house secure, and an exclusion that there is no cover without forced entry). They normally only don't pay out if you have misrepresented something when taking out the policy that would have substantially changed the terms if they had known, or if the claim is specifically excluded (not normal for fire) or if there has been negligence (burning one candle and popping to the loo isnt negligent) which means doing something that most reasonable people wouldn't do and is therefore hard to prove.

Please give them a call. They deal with this day in day out so hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised

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