insurance fire

English

Noun

insurance fire (plural insurance fires)

1. (law) A form of arson in which a fire is intentionally started in order to enable collection from an insurance policy that protects against accidental fires.
   • 1921, Office of the Fire Marshal of the State of Louisiana, Annual Report - Volumes 17-35, page 7:

     The other fifty-four cases were insurance fires, that is the motive was that of burning to collect insurance.

   • 2009, Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert, page 419:

     A more likely theory is that it was an insurance fire, as the Bennett brothers were in financial trouble...

   • 2012, David Holmberg, The Tinderbox, page 87:

     Most of the people thought it was an insurance fire, that Aronez or someone hired by him had set it.

   • 2016, Stephen Birmingham, The Rothman Scandal, page 619:

     They're even hinting that the loss of our Ingleside printing plant was an insurance fire, for God's sake!

See also

• insurance fraud