Nearly 5,000 car fires in Netherlands last year, a new record

A record number of 4,941 car fires were registered by insurers in the Netherlands last year, an increase of 12 percent compared to the 4,399 cars that burned out in the country in 2018, the Dutch Association of Insurers reported on Wednesday.

According to the Association, car fires are mainly caused by arson. "The Association of Insurers find the increasing trend in the number of car fires very concerning. A car fire in a residential neighborhood has enormous impact on the feeling of security of the residents," the association said.

Between 2016 and 2019, Rotterdam had the most car fires with 573 claims filed with insurers. The Hague came next with 541, followed by Amsterdam with 533 and Utrecht with 448. By province, the most car fires were reported in Zuid-Holland at 3,051 claims.

These figures do not include lease cars and third-party insured cars, so the actual number of car fires may well be higher, the Association said.