The smoking ban that came into force over the weekend could result in a surge in fire-related home insurance claims as Britons are forced to light up at home, it has been claimed.
According to Abbey, the blanket ban on smoking in public places will cause more UK residents to throw parties and host social gatherings at home - thereby increasing the potential for home insurance claims caused by smoking.
Figures released by the bank reveal that fires started by cigarettes result in £11 billion worth of damage to UK homes each year, possibly having disastrous consequences for Britons if they do not have home insurance policies.
Prasad Shastri, head of insurance marketing at Abbey, said: "The landscape of social behaviour is going to change quite dramatically following the smoking ban and we anticipate that people are likely to spend more time entertaining at home rather than going out."
The ban on smoking that came into effect on July 1st covers all public places including clubs, bars, restaurants and facilities such as train stations.




