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Delaware is one of the many states with the highest number of reported claims for fire related disasters. It took more than a century of dependence on electricity for man to begin to take it for granted. Ask any insurance agency and they will provide the requisite figures to prove that at least 25 percent of the nation's estimated 75 million homeowners are completely unaware of potential hazards that electrical appliances can have around the house.

More than a quarter of the homes are therefore susceptible to fire and the resultant damages. This is a serious threat to life and property and can result in severe financial losses if no action is taken before.

18.2 million homeowners, or more than 24 percent of Americans most in Delaware, never conduct surprise checks on their homes. No wonder that they miss the frayed or overheated cords, overloaded outlets and circuits, and light bulbs that are the wrong wattage.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates a yearly average of approximately 165,000 electricity-related fires in homes, which take about 900 lives and injure more than 6000 people while destroying property worth $1.7 billion.

Improper electrical wiring is yet another cause of fire outbreaks.

Common faults also include insufficient capacity, inadequate protection for overload and amateur, do-it-yourself-type wiring or wiring connections in kitchens, bathrooms, basements and garages.

Fire Insurance Specifics

1. It is mandatory then for all homeowners to conduct routine checks of their homes. When applying for home insurance, the insurance carriers deploy inspection teams to carry out these checks. If your house is slightly older then you need to be all the more careful about such hazards. If you are not inclined to check for possibilities of such outbreaks regularly, then, at least make sure that your house has working smoke alarms.
2. Change batteries at least twice a year. Check, inspect and replace the smoke alarms every 10 years. The National Fire Protection Association reported that while smoke alarms are present in at least 95 percent of homes more than half of home fire deaths resulted from fires in the 5 percent of homes, which had no alarms. Moreover in at least a fourth of the houses the alarms would not work.
3. The Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends electrical inspections for any house more than 40 years old, any house more than 10 years old that has had any major renovation or major appliance added, and for any home at the time of resale by the new owner. Follow the specifics and guidelines laid down by your Insurance companies.
4. You may not need electrical inspections. But a majority of the houses whose residents apply for home insurance are found to be more than 30 years old.
5. Additionally, for all the renovations made and the new appliances added, insurance companies advise regular and routine inspections for compliance with fire prevention.

What Insurance Companies look out for

If you live in an old house and have not checked the wiring and electrical connections, or if you live in a relatively new house with wiring that is not concealed, remember that it is not too late to think about preventing outbreaks of fire. Insurance companies like sniffer dogs are quick to refuse you a home insurance if they find things amiss.

Watch out for being shocked in your home: Check the wiring in the home and ensure that the electrical system is grounded. This will protect you from most potential shocks.

Overloaded outlets: Too many appliances if plugged into a single outlet could indicate that your house does not have the required number of outlets. The National Electrical Code deems it mandatory that all plug points be provided with a space of 12 feet between each other on a single wall or different walls. Kitchens typically require outlets spaced every four feet along the countertop.

Flickering or dimming lights: This might be taken as signalling loose connections, or may be occurring due to an overload of the circuits, faulty wiring, or arcing and sparking within the walls.

Hot, discoloured receptacles, switch plates, cords or plugs: If you withdraw your hands from over this in five seconds, you may actually be witness to an overload or product malfunction.

TV screen or computer monitor shrinks or wavers when a large appliance is turned on: This generally results if more than one appliance is plugged into one socket.

Unusual smells: Burning metal or plastic smells may indicate a loose connection, a faulty switch, a light that needs to be fixed, a broken connection, or overheating and overloaded fixtures, sparking inside the walls, damaged wire, or other dangers.

Fire insurance may not be part of a basic homeowners policy. Contact the department for insurance in your state to find out about the fire insurance policies on offer. It is as essential if not more than any other additional cover.