The summer holidays are a notorious time of year for arson attacks warns Norwich Union.
The summer holidays are a notorious time of year for arson attacks warns Norwich Union.
And businesses can take action to prevent attacks by "bored" school children.
Paul Redington, property claims manager at Norwich Union, comments: "Last year the Association of British Insurers reported that Ł790 million was paid out in commercial fire claims – up 60% on the previous year. The cost to business in terms of disruption was put at Ł220 million – higher than at any time since 1997.
"We want to raise awareness of this problem and ensure that businesses undertake risk management to protect their property by implementing a number of easy, cost effective or 'no cost' measures."
One of the common causes of arson is through waste stored outside a property in wheelie bins or on pallets. Redington recommends that all waste should be secure and out of reach, particularly at supermarkets and industrial premises: "We have seen devastating fire damage due to unsecured bins being pushed against buildings and the contents ignited causing the fire to spread.
"Fire damage to unoccupied buildings is also a major concern as children often use these spaces as playgrounds. Always ensure that perimeters are intact with good quality, well maintained fencing, walls and gates and that entrances and windows are fully sealed or boarded up as once a child is inside the property, the owner or occupier could be liable for any injury caused."
Redington added: "Any security that is in place should be made obvious. CCTV should be fully advertised as it acts as a strong deterrent. Similarly, an effective alarm system is crucial but if possible don't rely on a bells only system but invest in a central station alarm which will alert the Fire Brigade and the emergency services who will react immediately."
Finally, Redington advises property owners to be fully aware of the environment surrounding their business to appreciate the risks that may be posed: "A well-established business should have sufficient local knowledge. However, for new businesses a simple check on something like Google maps should confirm the whereabouts of near-by schools and housing.
"It's important that businesses do everything they can to protect themselves. Many of these measures are simple and cost effective but could well prevent devastating incidents during the coming months."
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For further information, please contact:
Clare Schofield or Jo Brearley on 0161 919 8495 or Sally Leeman at Norwich Union on 01603 684225/ 07800 699670.
Notes to editors:
Norwich Union is the UK's largest general insurer with a market share of around 14%, with a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses.
It is a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.