Sad to see that a shop in Watchet has been damaged by ‘deliberate fire’. It appears that a wheelie-bin was set on fire which spread to the building. Most commercial insurance policies will carry a waste warranty which normally specifies that trade waste, such as pallets & packaging materials, should be kept as far away from the buildings as possible (ideally at least 10 metres). If this is not possible due to space constraints then combustible waste should be kept in a locked metal container. Likewise wheelie-bins should be taken inside overnight or moved as far away from the buildings as possible (& preferably secured to stop them being pushed back against the property) & kept locked. In all cases waste should be removed from the premises completely at regular intervals & not allowed to build up.

A number of large fires locally have occurred due to skips or wheelie bins being set alight & spreading to nearby buildings including Riders in Bridgwater & Safeway in Taunton.

Breaching any warranty may invalidate the insurance & it’s vital that policyholders carefully read the terms & conditions to ensure that they are complying with the insurers requirements. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.