Unfriendly Fire
What Does Unfriendly Fire Mean?
An unfriendly fire, also known as a hostile fire, is a combustion that is uncontrollable and has spread beyond its original location. It may also refer to a fire that occurs in an area where it should not. This is a peril that can be covered by insurance.
Insuranceopedia Explains Unfriendly Fire
The term is the opposite of “friendly fire,” which refers to a fire occurring where it is expected, such as in a fireplace or on a cooking stove. In contrast, an unfriendly or hostile fire occurs in unexpected areas, such as a garage or a room that typically lacks a source of fire.
Damage caused by an unfriendly fire can be covered under a commercial liability policy. However, for the damage to be covered, it must be directly attributable to the unfriendly fire. Most standard homeowners policies also cover unfriendly fire damage to the dwelling and personal property, though the specifics vary by insurer and policy form. You can learn more about how this works in our guide on whether homeowners insurance covers fire. Business owners with property on the premises should also review their commercial property insurance, since building and contents coverage is typically where fire losses are paid out.
