A house fire is among all of our worst nightmares, and the effectscan be devastating. It is essential that you have home insurance torebuild or repair your home in the event of a fire, but of coursepeople cannot be replaced so easily. Even where no injuries occur, afire can be very traumatic and the loss of photographs and otherpossessions with sentimental value can be very difficult.

Insurers are naturally keen to help customers toreduce the risk of house fires, not only because of the high costs tothem if a customer needs to claim, but also because of the high risksof death or serious injury from even fairly small house fires.

Do ensure that smoke alarms are fitted and regularlytested. Make sure that windows that have bars can still be opened fromthe inside so that family members can escape in an emergency. Discussescape plans with the family so that if a fire should occur, everyoneknows what to do even if they are alone.

All furnishings and fabrics should be fire retardant.House fires in the UK are commonly started by candles, so be verycareful about where they are placed and never leave a candle burningunattended.

Make sure that there is no furniture or fabric withinthree feet of a heater, and be careful to ensure that all heaters andopen fires are inaccessible to children and pets. Dont leave applianceson standby, and never overload plugs and sockets. Regularly checkcables and repair any faults, and get rid of appliances if the cable isworn or the wires exposed.

In the kitchen, keep grill pans and ovens clean toprevent fat from building up, and if a chip pan should catch fire neverthrow water over it. Smother small kitchen fires with a fire blanket orwet tea towel, but call the fire brigade for any large fires.

If you follow these simple steps then the chancesthat you will need to call your insurer will be greatly reduced.However, do not be tempted to skimp on home insurance, because thedifference in cover can be great for even a small increase in premium.Weigh up the likelihood of a fire against the impact it would have onyou and your family before you choose the right level of cover for you.

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