Fire
Preventing Fires
Whether caused by cooking or electrical problems, fires often cause the worst damage to your home.
Unfortunately, many of these fires are the result of negligence or carelessness.
Here are a few tips that could prevent many problems:
- Equip your home with smoke detectors. If they are well located and maintained, they can save your life. Clean them regularly and replace the batteries twice a year (in March and November, when clocks are reset).
- Equip your home with a fire alarm system connected to a remote monitoring center.
- Place one or more fire extinguishers in locations that all family members can access easily and be sure you know how to use them properly.
- Be careful when using cooking oil.
- Always cook french fries in a deep fryer equipped with a thermostat rather than in a saucepan. Remember that a deep fryer costs less than the deductible you would have to pay in the event of a claim.
- Clean cooking surfaces, walls and the range hood regularly, as grease deposits can catch fire easily.
- Learn how to detect other problems likely to cause a fire. For more details, visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada website.
- In the event of a loss, it is important to know the value of your possessions. Make sure you keep an up to date inventory.
And, of course, in case of fire, call a claims advisor to arrange for any required emergency assistance and start the claims process.