Bonfire night beckons, but are you prepared?

As the season of bonfire night parties beckons, make sure you have home insuranceandnbsp; to cover any unforeseen events that may damage you or your neighbours properties warns Defaqto

Fire damage to buildings and contentsWhether itandrsquo;s bonfire embers landing on a thatched roof, or a rogue firework going through a lounge window, fire is probably the biggest risk at this time of year, so comprehensive buildings and contents insurance is vital.If you are unfortunate enough to have a serious fire in your home, it could cause considerable damage to both the structure of your property and your belongings, potentially causing total loss.Pets left alone in a property can cause damage such as ripping up carpets or sofas if frightened by the noise of fireworks, although few insurers cover this.Jonathan Langstaff-Ellis, general insurance team supervisor at Defaqto, says: andldquo;The vast majority of household insurers do not cover such damage, with the exception of approximately eight policies, five of which have this as an optional cover under the andlsquo;accidental damageandrsquo; section, but Sagaandrsquo;s andlsquo;Cover Plusandrsquo; does provide this cover automatically.andrdquo;Emergency accessIf a fire in your garden were to get out of control, fire engines gaining access could cause considerable damage to your property or landscaped garden.Some policies will provide cover for damage to a property caused by emergency services, but only a handful of policies provide cover for re-landscaping gardens which have been damaged.

Third party liability.

All household insurance policies include public liability cover which will pay out against claims for personal injury or third party damage as a result of an accident that you become liable for as owner or occupier of the building.This is essential due to the increased risk of stray fireworks or sparks from bonfires causing damage to a neighbour's property.

Almost all insurance policies provide at least £1m worth of third party liability cover, with the majority providing £2m which should be more than adequate.BurglaryIn addition to the above risks, burglary is often overlooked.

Empty houses during fireworks night provide burglars with an ideal opportunity to strike, so be sure to lock all windows and doors and set the burglar alarm before you go out.

Langstaff-Ellis says: 'Above all, it is vital that you check that the sums insured are high enough to cover any potential loss.

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