Should I claim off neighbour's insurance after a fire?

[FireAdvice]

My neighbour has "accidentally" set my massive conifer hedge on fire today - lost the garden office, two sheds, lots of bikes, loads of stuff, etc. Obviously the main thing is we are OK.

I have rung my insurance and they have said that I have to pay a £350 excess and they will cover other stuff. A friend has said I should claim on the neighbours insurance as then I won't be liable for an excess and also my insurance won't go up next year - how do I do that? Do I just ask the neighbour for their insurance details?

Have also lost about 30ft length of 9ft high conifer hedge - all the back boundary and half of the side boundary. But there is another 20ft of conifer hedge nearer the house still intact. My insurance have told me to get a quote for stump removal and fence instillation - can I ask for all the length of the hedge including the non damaged hedge to be removed and fenced the full length - it will look stupid having half fence and half hedge?

Under the metropolitan fires act of 1777 a household is responsible for the "escape" of fire. Your neighbours will be fully liable for the damage caused. If they have house insurance, it should be covered for them as part of the liability cover that decent policies give.

I would contact a solicitor personally and get them to draft a letter informing the neighbours that they are liable for the damage, that they should speak to their insurance company asap as you intend to pursue the matter. Then I would tot up the cost of replacing everything, including as mature a conifer as you can find, add extra for planting by a professional and make a claim in the small claims court. You can do that yourself online as long as it doesn't exceed £25k...I pretty sure his insurance company will come running

Good tip, thanks

Thinking about it

Firstly you need to push for this so it doesnt happen again

Secondly if you can I suggest adding welding to the list of prohibited activities

Finally make it apply to mum as well so they are all in the frame if a fire is lit

I've just watched the Tiktok - that looks very frightening and so close to houses. The neighbour is insane.

One of the commenters on the Tiktok expressed an opinion that it was clear from the fire that it had an accelerant used in it.

I would have thought that the fire service would know from experience whether this was right or not.

If he used an accelerant, it maybe he should be prosecuted for arson. You want to see if experts can express a view on this. I'd speak to an expert swiftly if the insurers or fire brigade or police aren't on it. I expect that forensic analysis of the ashes would show whether petrol etc had been used.

For me, it was my neighbour using a gas weed burner stick thing, near a planter. And the flames or heat crept underneath or between the flags somehow and the wooden planter caught fire. It's unclear in exactly what order everything went up as he burnt the weeds and then went out for the afternoon, but it was basically the bag of coal for the BBQ that went up, the astroturf caught fire, the rattan patio furniture and then wicker seats on the metal chairs and then the hedge caught fire. Luckily the gas canister for the BBQ didn't explode, but the plastic coating and base was melted. Without thinking I dragged it away to stop it exploding never thinking of the risk, and then rolled it in the wet grass to cool it down.

Accidents do happen.