What does fire damage insurance cover?
Your home insurance covers more than just the immediate damage caused by a fire, including additional costs that can arise after the incident, such as:
Buildings cover protects the structure of your home, and contents cover protects your belongings against insured fire damage.
Home insurance usually covers smoke damage to your home and belongings caused by an insured fire, rather than smoke from everyday use of a fireplace or appliance.
Most home insurance policies include cover for fire brigade costs up to a limit of €2,000–€3,500.
If a fire makes your home uninhabitable, insurance typically covers the cost of temporary accommodation until it is safe to move back, subject to a limit ranging from 15% to 20% of the buildings sum insured.
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Which home insurance providers offer fire insurance as standard?
Fire insurance is included as standard under home insurance policies with all major providers, including:
AXA
Aviva
FBD
Allianz Ireland
Zurich
OUTsurance
RedClick
123.ie
What types of fire are you covered for?
Standard home insurance typically covers a range of fire-related incidents.
- Type of fire
- Electrical fire
- Are you covered?
- ✓Yes
- What’s covered?
- Fire damage caused by an electrical fault or appliance is covered, subject to an assessment by the insurer.
- Type of fire
- Arson
- Are you covered?
- ✓Yes
- What’s covered?
- Fire deliberately caused by an outside third party is generally covered as malicious damage or vandalism, but not where you or someone living in the home is responsible.
- Type of fire
- Lightning
- Are you covered?
- ✓Yes
- What’s covered?
- Fire caused by lightning is included as standard by all major insurers.
| Type of fire | Are you covered? | What’s covered? |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical fire | ✓Yes | Fire damage caused by an electrical fault or appliance is covered, subject to an assessment by the insurer. |
| Arson | ✓Yes | Fire deliberately caused by an outside third party is generally covered as malicious damage or vandalism, but not where you or someone living in the home is responsible. |
| Lightning | ✓Yes | Fire caused by lightning is included as standard by all major insurers. |
Key insight: When you make a claim, your insurer will assess how the fire started to determine whether the damage is covered under your policy.
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Fire damage compensation claims
If your home or belongings are damaged by fire, the incident should be reported to your insurer as soon as possible. They may appoint an expert to assess the cause and extent of the damage before deciding how much compensation is payable.
Why might a claim be rejected?
Unoccupied property – The home is left vacant for longer than the specified period on your policy (typically 30–40 days).
Smoke alarms – Required smoke alarms are not installed or properly maintained.
Renovations/home improvements – Not letting your insurer know about works taking place at the property.
Undeclared smoking – Smokers living in the home who are not disclosed to the insurer.
How much is your property worth?
The value you choose to insure your property for is crucial, as this is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out in the event of a fire damage claim. Make sure you choose an accurate rebuild value to avoid being left underinsured.
Use our rebuild cost calculator to ensure you get the right level of cover and avoid underinsuring your property.
FAQs
It can take a few weeks to several months for your claim to be resolved following a fire, depending on the extent of the damage to your property or belongings, and the complexity of the claim.
You can still get home insurance after a fire, but insurers may ask for details of the previous damage, repairs completed, and evidence that the property has been repaired before beginning a new policy.
If your home is underinsured, your insurer may reduce the amount they pay towards a fire damage claim. For example, if your home costs €400,000 to rebuild but you insured it for €200,000 (half of the real value), then a €50,000 fire damage claim could be reduced to a €25,000 payout.
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