Why your own insurance often pays faster

Flying sparks & co

Easter fire: When does your own insurance pay out in the event of damage?

Whether it’s burn holes in your clothing or burns on your skin, something can always get damaged when you visit an Easter fire. Then it’s good to know which insurance company will compensate you.

With the upcoming Easter holidays and the Easter bonfires planned in many places, not only is the anticipation of social evenings increasing, but also the risk of minor and major damage. Flying sparks, careless handling of fire or dense crowds can quickly lead to property damage or personal injury. But who will pay for it financially in an emergency?

If the organizer did not adequately protect guests by being too close to the fire or was otherwise negligent, they are usually liable, says Ingo Aulbach from the Federal Association of German Insurance Merchants (BVK). Clubs and organizers should therefore check whether their business and organizer liability insurance covers the lighting of Easter fires.

However, Aulbach advises insured people to take advantage of their own existing insurance. For example, in the event of scorching damage to clothing caused by flying sparks, your own household contents insurance, which also applies as external insurance in the event of a fire. In the event of injuries, your own accident insurance or if the house and permanently installed components of the house are affected, your home building insurance will also be covered.

According to Aulbach, this often has two advantages: Firstly, in the event of a legitimate insurance claim, the money flows more quickly because your own insurance company first only checks whether the damage is insured and then settles it if necessary. Only then does it clarify the question of liability and, under certain circumstances, take the organizer into recourse – but then the insured are fine.

And secondly, in the event of property damage, your own insurance often pays the new value, while in the event of damage claims only the current value can be claimed.

In the event of damage, Aulbach advises you to contact your own insurer or insurance broker quickly and report the damage. This is the best way to find out whether it can be regulated or not. If you allow too much time to pass between the event of damage and the report of the damage, you risk loss of performance.