Fireworks cause $59 million of property damage a year. Your insurance policy may cover it
Fireworks-related damage may be covered by your renters or homeowners insurance policy — but not always.
«The very short answer is: Usually there's coverage,» said Peter Kochenburger, executive director of the insurance law program at the University of Connecticut and deputy director of the university's Insurance Law Center.
«It does depend on a number of details,» he added.
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The typical homeowners insurance policy has two coverage areas.
One is for property: your home and the things in it. The second is for liability; this covers you if you're liable for injury or property damage to another person, perhaps a friend or neighbor harmed by an errant firework. The latter coverage is generally available anywhere your liability occurs in the U.S.
A renters policy is similar but wouldn't cover the physical structure of the home — only the things in it.
Fireworks caused $59 million in direct property damage in 2021, according to the most recent data from the National Fire Protection Association.
Fireworks-related damage would most likely result from a fire started by the pyrotechnics, said Robert Passmore, vice president of personal lines at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, a trade group.
Fireworks started 12,264 reported fires in the U.S. in 2021, according to NFPA. Twenty-eight percent of fires during 2014-18 were reported on July 4.
Homeowners policies generally cover fire damage, whether to the house, patio furniture or other property, Passmore said. Policies generally have
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