Cover up: Watch out for sparks this Bonfire Night

If you're planning to host a Bonfire Party at home this year, it's crucial you check your home insurance first. If you don't, you could end up remembering the 5 November for all the wrong reasons…

With Bonfire Night on the horizon, many of us will be looking forward to burning homemade Guys, writing our name with sparklers and eating burnt jacket potatoes.

According to insurer, esure, about 2.8 million people are planning to hold a bonfire party at home this year.

While it can be fun to host a firework display in your own garden, it's vital to ensure your property and the people around you are protected before you start setting off your rockets.

If you don't, and the wrong guy gets burned or your garden shed goes up in smoke, you could end up burning a big hole in your pocket. And in these troubled times, not very many of us have money to burn.

Not-so-fun-firework facts

Unsurprisingly, a celebration involving fires, explosives and sizzling hot sparklers does not come without risk.

And without wanting to pour cold water on anyone's Bonfire fun, here are four dangers you need to be aware of at this time of year.

• According to the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, over 6,000 people were hurt and required hospital treatment following accidents caused by fireworks in the six years between 2000 and 2005. And around half of these injuries happen to children under the age of 16.

• Research from Churchill Home Insurance reveals almost two million British homes have been damaged as a result of rogue fireworks and over-exuberant bonfires, with each incident costing an average of £307 to put right.

• Last year, AXA Insurance received numerous claims for malicious firework damage where devices had been pushed through people's letter boxes. The company also received one claim where a fence panel had been torn down and used on a bonfire.

• According to a recent report by Aviva, burglaries rise by 26% on Bonfire Night compared with an average day and car thefts increase by 25%. Burglars know that on Bonfire Night many homeowners will go out to enjoy parties, leaving their cars and homes unattended. Always lock your windows, doors and garden sheds carefully before you leave the house.

Ensure you are insured

Before the Catherine Wheels can start spinning, you need to first check your home insurance.

Read through the small print of your buildings and contents policies carefully and ensure they provide cover if your property or possessions are damaged by a bonfire or a stray firework.

Be aware, if you have a non-standard property, such as a home with a thatched roof, there may be additional restrictions on when you are and are not covered. It's always best to double check with your insurance company.

It's also important to check your existing policy offers adequate protection for your garden valuables. Although your shed, fence and greenhouse are usually covered by your buildings insurance, your prized petunias and favourite garden gnome may not.

Remember, as the host, you have a legal 'duty of care' to your guests.

If someone is injured as a result of a badly contained bonfire, a misused firework or a loose Catherine wheel you could be held responsible and sued personally for damages. It is therefore vital to check you are covered for personal liability.

You must ensure you don't do anything silly that could invalidate your insurance policy. For example, your insurer may refuse to pay out if you poured petrol on your bonfire or set off fireworks too close to your property.

Follow the firework code

Finally, here are 10 top tips to help your Bonfire Night celebrations go off with a bang - but a safe one.

• When you buy your fireworks, make sure they comply with the British Standard Kitemark BS 7114 and are clearly marked for their intended use.
• Keep your fireworks in a sealed tin or box and only take one out at a time.
• Follow the instructions carefully, reading them by torch, never a naked flame.
• Stand well back and light the fireworks at arms length using a taper or firework lighter.
• NEVER return to a firework after it has been lit - even if it hasn't gone off as it could explode at any time.
• Nominate an adult who has not been drinking alcohol to light the fireworks.
• Build your bonfire away from buildings, garden sheds, fences, hedges and never leave it unattended once it is alight. Check there are no cables, like telephone wires above the bonfire.
• Never use flammable liquids such as petrol to help start your bonfire as it may get out of control. Do not burn aerosols or canisters containing paint as they could let off harmful fumes or explode. Never throw fireworks into the fire.
• Keep your pets inside and always check no wildlife has taken refuge in your bonfire before you light it.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby in case of an emergency.

After me now…Remember, remember the fifth of November, gun powder treason and plot! I see no reason, why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot!

Enjoy Bonfire Night!

**Articles featured on BeatThatQuote.com are for information purposes only and reflect the views of individual writers. Articles are not, and should not be considered as, financial advice. BeatThatQuote.com strongly encourages our readers not to rely solely on information contained within our website, but to conduct their own research and seek independent advice about the financial products they purchase.**