Professional Insurance Blog

Every year in the UK around 4,500 accidental fires are started in the bedroom. More than a third of these fires are caused by space-heating devices such as oil filled radiators, electric heaters and electric blankets.

Of the latter figure, it is thought that a very large percentage are caused by malfunctioning electric blankets. This may surprise many, as they often thought of as quite safe appliances and likely to be left unattended to warm the bed in preparation for retiring later in the evening.

Of those fires where the electric blanket was proven to be the cause it is thought that 99% were caused by blankets over 10 years of age. This seems to show that as the electric blanket ages the risk of malfunction increases.

According to research by Abbey, it seems that oil radiators cause the biggest amount of damage in terms of home insurance claims: an average of £800, while electric appliances such as fan heaters cause on average £416-worth of damage when directly involved in a bedroom fire.

The best advice when it comes to any type of space heater is to not leave them unattended and if you must, the use of a timer plug is crucial to minimise risk.

If the heater has not been used for a lengthy period of time you should inspect it fully to ensure there is no damage that could potentially lead to a bedroom fire. If in any doubt do not use the item or have it professionally tested.

You should also be careful with any electrical item used in your household and always ensure that the correct fuse is used. Placing a 13 amp fuse in an item that normally has a 3 amp fuse can effectively remove this safety mechanism by failing to blow when an item overheats or malfunctions.

Leaving candles unattended is another common cause of fires, both in bedrooms and in many other parts of a home too. It is important to ensure candles are not placed directly on a surface, especially in the case of tea lights, where the small metal holder they usually sit in will often reach high temperatures.

The best advice is to use caution when dealing with any sort of space heater. Never leave any portable heater unattended for any length of time and if you must do so, use a timer plug to ensure the item is only active for a short while.

Finally, make sure your house insurance policy is up to date and has adequate cover for this situation in terms of both contents and building cover.
Bedroom fires caused by winter warming appliances such as oil-filled heaters and electric blankets can cause serious damage and result in many home insurance claims.

Remember to check your house insurance policy provides enough coverage in terms of household contents and buildings protection.