Garden blaze insurance claims rise in dry spring

HOUSEHOLDS are being warned of the fire risks to homes and gardens in the warmer weather, with the UK having seen the sunniest spring on record this year.

- VICKY SHAW

The number of garden fire claims has already been elevated in April and May this year, according to data from insurance giant Aviva, overtaking every other month in 2024.

The insurer said that the average fire claim involving a garden amounts to nearly £16,000.

On Wednesday last week, it emerged that the UK had experienced its sunniest spring on record.

Some 630 hours of sunshine were clocked up across the country between March 1 and May 27, according to provisional figures from the Met Office, beating the previous record of 626 hours set in 2020.

Aviva said that its own fire claims data suggests that an increase in people enjoying their gardens - from barbecuing to having bonfires - could, in part, explain the increase in claims.

The insurer said its data also indicates that lightning claims, which can spark fires by striking a roof or loft space, have increased over the past five years. Lightning can cause electrical items to break or malfunction, leading to fires in the home.