Summer storms cause regional increases in fire damage claims

The storms and heavy rainfalls that hit the Netherlands in July last year regionally resulted in a significant increase in fire damage claims received by Dutch insurers. While the total number of fire claims for 2015 is about the same as 2014, the peaks happened in provinces affected by the summer storms, according to the Risk Monitor for Property Fire, the Telegraaf reports.

The Risk Monitor is a joint evaluation by the Association of Dutch Insurers and Fire Department Netherlands. "Oddly enough, lots of water and plenty of wind cause fire", a spokesperson for the Association of Insurers said to the Telegraaf. "This is partly due electricity in gardens, for example. Rain causes a short circuit."

The biggest increase in fire claims happened in Noord-Holland, where claims increased by 19 percent. The province was hit hard by a massive summer storm late in July 2015.

In the southern provinces the number of fire claims decreased last year, compared to 2014.