Fire and smoke damage repair with Caser Home Insurance

As the old English saying goes, “A man´s home is his castle” and the word home is often associated with being the place for refuge, sanctuary and security. But what happens when something occurs, and your castle or home is affected. Accidents such as house fires can have a devastating effect, not just in the moment of the emergency, but also when faced with the subsequent clean-up operation and having to deal with the ins and outs of fire and smoke damage repair. 

Fire damage is essentially “heat damage” that causes objects to melt, burn and disintegrate, and smoke damage is physical damage resulting from smoke, not from the heat of the fire, such as an unpleasant smell, unsightly stains, or deteriorated furnishings. Although fire damage is usually seen as the worst culprit of the pair, both are hazardous to health and cause significant damage to your home, affecting not only the structure of the house but also your belongings within it. If you are unfortunate enough to experience a house fire, there are a number of “Do´s and Don´ts” that you should follow for your own safety and protection, in the short and long term. 

Once you have got over the initial shock and stress of the event, you also need to consider that the aftermath of a fire leaves not only a charred, damaged soot-filled home, but also a massive financial burden of paying for repairs.

• For example, when a fire occurs, it can cause direct damage to the structure of your home, including the walls, ceilings, and floors. This structural damage can be extensive and may require significant repairs or even complete reconstruction in severe cases. The cost of these repairs can range from a few thousand to several tens of thousands of euros, depending on the extent of the damage.

• In addition to the fire itself, smoke can also cause substantial damage. Smoke can permeate throughout your home, leaving behind soot and a strong odour. It can also cause discoloration and corrosion to walls, ceilings, and personal belongings. The cost of smoke damage restoration can vary greatly depending on the extent of the damage and the size of the property. It typically ranges from 200€ to 1,200€ per room or 4.25€ to 6.50€ per square foot.

• Moreover, fires often lead to water damage due to firefighting efforts. This can result in additional costs for water extraction, drying, and mould prevention. These services can add another few thousand euros to the total restoration cost.

• Lastly, there may be additional costs for specialized services such as the removal of burnt materials, treatment for soot and chemical damage, and repairs for any structural damage caused by the fire. These costs can range from 1,500€ to over 250,000€.

This is where fire and smoke damage insurance policies come into play. These policies are designed to cover the costs of repair and restoration, providing a financial safety net for homeowners in the wake of such disasters. In this article, I will delve into the intricacies of Caser Home insurance coverage, and how it really can be a lifeline that gives you peace of mind during these trying times. 

Not only do Caser specialise in Expat insurance, providing 24 hour telephone assistance in English, but they also make their policies as extensive as possible, including insurance cover for a whole host of life situations that may affect you, your family, your health, your possessions and your home.  

For example, Caser “Integral Home insurance” is an all-in-one package which includes cover for fire and smoke damage to your property and belongings: 

1.    Fire, explosion and lightning, 

• The definitions in the cover are: 

  • FIRE: combustion and burning by flame of an object or objects that were not designed to be burned.

  • EXPLOSION: a sudden, violent expansion of gases, caused by a physical or chemical reaction.

  • LIGHTNING: the violent discharge due to interference in the electrical field of the atmosphere.

2.    Smoke or soot damage

• Following a fire, Caser will take care of 100% of the sum insured for the required damage repair that has been caused by smoke residue. 

3.    Accidental spillage or leakage caused by firefighting equipment

• If you have anti-fire systems in place, we will cover you for the damages caused by a fire that was generated by external faults, such as short-circuits or a power surge. These damages tend to be water damage.

4.    Costs associated with accidents

• Certain incidents incur additional costs, such as cleaning following a fire or demolition. Caser Home Insurance covers these costs.

  • Installation of measures to limit fire damage, as well as salvage and demolition works.  

  • Water damage or flooding, waste removal.

  • Reconstruction of public register documentation, not related to professional or commercial activity.

5.    If the property is rendered uninhabitable

• If your property suffers damage to the extent that you and your family cannot continue to live in it for a certain period of time, Caser Home Insurance will cover the costs in accordance with the following conditions.

  • Temporary Hotel accommodation to a maximum of €180 per day, for a maximum of 10 days.

  • The cost of moving your furniture and belongings and rented storage for a maximum of 6 months.

  • If you need to move to rented accommodation while the repairs are being carried out to the property Caser Home Insurance provides rental payment coverage for a maximum of one year. The property must be a like-for-like replacement for your insured property.  This also applies if the property was rented to a third party under an official contact, Caser will reimburse the loss of rent for a maximum period of one year whilst the property is repaired. 

Other non-fire/smoke related aspects included in the Integral policy also include: Severe weather conditions, Flooding and Water Damage, Burglary and theft, Malicious acts, Bricocaser – Handyman, Computer assistance, Sound waves, Electrical Damage, Improper use of stolen credit/debit cards, Breaks, Cosmetic reconstruction, Food spoilage, Temporary transfers and holidays, Civil Liability. 

There is also additional optional coverage for: All risk property damage, vehicles in the garage, personal injury caused by accident, breaking of household appliances, Civil liability for dogs classed as dangerous breeds.

For a free quote and more information, you can check out the policy in more detail. Here you will find further details of each area of cover, including any exclusions that apply. You can of course, get your personalized price here in less than a minute or contact one of our agents to ask any questions you may have regarding your requirements and situation. 

As you can see from the above, the inclusions within this home insurance cover really do extend to help in almost any eventuality. Therefore, if you don’t have home insurance with fire and smoke damage repair coverage you are literally “playing with fire” as you could stand to lose everything you have worked for, and be left in a shell of a house, with no financial support or expert assistance to help you restore it into a home again. 

As a final note, of course, prevention is better than cure, and so it is also prudent to familiarise yourself with useful information regarding the most common causes of house fires and things you can do to prevent them. It will help you be more actively aware of the ways that a fire can start, and help you, your family and neighbours to avoid the imminent dangers of fire and the stress, time and financial worry of rebuilding your home afterwards.