Claims for injury regarding air fryers are working into tens of hundreds of kilos on common, with prices working as excessive as £80,000, an insurance coverage large is warning.
Aviva mentioned it has seen some important house insurance coverage claims regarding air fryer fires over the previous 4 years, with claimants sustaining appreciable fireplace and smoke injury to their properties.
The common declare for 2024 amounted to £29,555 and in a single case handled by the insurer, an air fryer fireplace precipitated £80,000 price of injury to a kitchen after spreading and setting the whole room alight, destroying the kitchen ceiling, partitions, cabinets and their contents, a washer and a tv.
Aviva mentioned that in some circumstances, claimants have described seeing flames erupting from collapsing and melting air fryers, destroying the surfaces on which they have been positioned.
It has additionally handled a number of claims the place air fryers had been positioned on hobs, by chance switching the hob on and inadvertently setting the air fryer ablaze.
In a single incident, a hungry canine was liable for a hob being by chance switched on.
The insurer additionally commissioned a survey by Censuswide, which discovered that round two-thirds (68%) of individuals within the analysis personal an air fryer.
Almost a fifth (19%) of individuals surveyed mentioned that they had encountered potential or precise fireplace hazards of their properties due to one, akin to smoke, overheating or scorching.
The analysis additionally indicated that many individuals don’t at all times comply with tips and recommendation when utilizing their air fryer, with solely round a fifth (21%) saying they strictly comply with the handbook supplied with their merchandise.
Some individuals within the survey admitted to usually over-filling their air fryer and a few used it in a non-ventilated space akin to a cabinet, based on the survey of two,000 individuals in December.
Hannah Davidson, senior underwriting supervisor at Aviva, mentioned: “With the growing reputation of air fryers, it’s essential that customers are conscious of the related fireplace dangers. Aviva’s survey exhibits that just about one in 5 UK residents have encountered fire-related points with air fryers, from smoking and overheating to explosions and fires. This, alongside our claims insights, underscores the necessity for fixed vigilance.”
She added: “Easy practices akin to not leaving air fryers unattended, avoiding extreme quantities of oil when cooking, putting air fryers on non-flammable surfaces, and making certain correct air flow throughout use can considerably scale back fireplace dangers. Conserving a fireplace blanket and a small fireplace extinguisher within the kitchen can be good apply.
Source link