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Bonfire accidents could leave you with a hefty bill

Tahmina Mannan
Written By:
Tahmina Mannan
Posted:
Updated:
31/10/2012

Half of the people injured by fireworks each year are hurt while attending small-scale family or private displays.

The warning comes from rural insurer NFU Mutual, as homeowners are reminded that they can be financially liable for any injuries sustained by fireworks set off on their property. 

Matthew Scott, chief claims manager at NFU Mutual, said: “While incidents of damage or injury caused by fireworks are relatively rare, when they do occur they can prove very costly if you don’t have the proper home and buildings insurance in place to protect yourself.

“Perhaps most important is to ensure you have third party liability insurance, as this should cover you if you damage someone else’s property or someone sustains an injury which can be judged to have resulted through your own negligence.”

 

To help ensure private displays go off without incident, the insurer has highlighted a number of key safety tips for those staging their own displays:

  • Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time
  • Read the instructions on each firework carefully, use a torch if you need to
  • Avoid pointing fireworks at people or adjoining buildings
  • Keep flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks except when ready to set them off
  • Never go back to a firework once it has been lit, even if it doesn’t go off
  • Make sure that fires are out and surroundings are made safe before leaving at the end of any display


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