The wildfires that affect different parts of Spain every summer not only force the evacuation of municipalities and mobilize hundreds of emergency personnel. When the flames reach residential areas, thousands of homeowners face the same uncertainty: who will pay for the damages and what does home insurance really cover.
Although the answer depends on the coverages contracted, the general rule is that the damages caused by a wildfire are compensated by the private insurer as long as the policy includes fire coverage.
The Insurance Compensation Consortium only intervenes in cases defined by law and, in general, wildfires are not part of them.
The insurance can cover both the home and the contents inside
The protection offered by home insurance depends on the guarantees included in the policy and the insured amount by the owner.
When the building is insured, the company can take care of the damages suffered by the structure of the home, including walls, roofs, floors, doors, windows, or fixed installations. If content coverage has also been contracted, the compensation can also extend to furniture, appliances, clothing, computer equipment, and other personal items affected by the fire.
Many policies not only cover the damages caused directly by the flames but also those caused by smoke, heat, or the extinguishing efforts carried out by emergency services.
The Insurance Compensation Consortium does not compensate, as a general rule, for wildfires
There is a belief that any natural disaster corresponds to the Insurance Compensation Consortium, but this is not the case.
This public body only intervenes in extraordinary risks provided for by regulations, such as certain floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or atypical cyclonic storms. In the case of a wildfire, the responsibility for compensating material damages usually falls to the insurer with which the homeowner has contracted the home insurance.
Therefore, having a policy with fire coverage is essential to ensure the repair or reconstruction of the home after an incident of this nature.
If the home becomes uninhabitable, the insurance can cover part of the expenses
When the fire forces you to leave the home for an extended period, some policies include additional coverages to reduce the economic impact on the family.
Among them, there may be the payment for temporary accommodation, relocation expenses, or even the rental of a storage unit while repairs are made. These benefits, however, are not automatic and depend on the conditions agreed upon with the insurer, so it is advisable to review the limits and requirements established in each contract.
Vehicles, gardens, and ancillary constructions are governed by different coverages
Not all assets damaged by a wildfire are protected by home insurance.
If the fire destroys a vehicle, the compensation will depend on the car insurance and whether it includes coverage against fires or own damage. Similarly, gardens, pools, fences, sheds, or auxiliary constructions may be insured, partially covered, or even excluded, depending on the specific conditions of the policy.
Before initiating any claim, it is advisable to check which assets are expressly insured and what the maximum compensation limit is for each of them.
What to do to claim compensation after a wildfire
After a fire, experts advise notifying the insurer of the incident as soon as possible and gathering all evidence that can substantiate the damages suffered.
Photographing the state of the home before starting the cleaning work, preparing an inventory of the affected goods, and keeping invoices or receipts for the expenses resulting from the fire will facilitate the work of the expert and the subsequent processing of the compensation.
In addition, reviewing the conditions of the policy will allow you to know precisely what damages are covered, what the economic limits of each guarantee are, and whether there are exclusions that may affect the claim.