US arson facts

• Arson—the act of deliberately setting fire to property for fraudulent or malicious purposes—is a crime in all states.
• Arsonists destroyed $1.48 billion in insured property, including buildings and motor vehicles, in 1999.
• Vandalism is the leading cause of arson.
• Between 20–25% of arson fires are drug-related.
• Children under age 18 are responsible for almost half of the arson fires set in the US.
• Arson crimes are hard to solve—the FBI estimates that only 17% of 1999 arson cases ended in arrests.
• Motives for arson usually include direct and indirect financial gain, revenge, concealment of another crime, fun or to relieve boredom, or emotionally related causes.

US arson statistics

According to an Insurance Research Council study, only about 14% of arson suspects are said to be motivated by a desire to defraud an insurer.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates:

• There were 72,000 deliberately set or suspicious structural fires in 1999—the lowest level in the last 12 years—down 5.26% from 76,000 in 1998.
• The 1999 estimated property loss figure of $1.28 billion was slightly higher (2.4%) than the $1.25 billion in 1998.
• There were 370 civilian deaths due to arson in 1999—a 25% decrease from the 470 in 1998.

Ohio arson statistics

According to reports from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office, 3,350 incendiary fires—including structures and vehicles—occurred in 1999, a decrease of 25.8% from the 1998 figure of 4,514. An additional 3,643 “suspicious fires” were reported in 1999, as compared to 4,371 the previous year. State reports also showed 63 civilian injuries, 16 deaths and nearly $47 million in losses resulted from Ohio arson activity in 1999 (see chart below).

Ohio’s anti-arson program

The Ohio Blue Ribbon Arson Committee—composed of firefighters, police officers and insurance officials—offers rewards for information leading to the identification of the person(s) responsible for an act of arson. The fund was established in 1978, with reward money provided by the insurance industry.

Through November, 2000, 329 rewards totaling $302,700 have been awarded to recipients since the program’s inception, many of whom request anonymity. Its efforts assisted in the successful resolution of at least 327 cases set by arsonists, 86 of which were attempts to defraud insurers. The savings to the Ohio insurance industry are in excess of $3.8 million.

The program works by placing posters at the sites of suspicious fires. Individuals with information concerning the cause of the fire call local police or fire officials, whose telephone number is listed on the poster. Awards from the fund are made by the Blue Ribbon Arson Committee.

Recent breakthroughs

State laws now allow for insurers and law enforcement agencies to exchange arson information, which eliminates the threat of civil suits for libel or violation of privacy.

Investigating arson cases

Even with today’s sophisticated technological modeling programs, arson investigation remains a time consuming process which helps investigators to determine how and where fires originate. This process is critical in evaluating the validity of claims where the cause of the fire is unknown or suspicious. The investigation process enables investigators to better determine fire patterns that can provide clues as to whether the fire was intentionally set.

If you’ve filed a claim and the cause of fire can’t immediately be determined, you may experience delays in the claims settlement process based on the investigators’ evaluation of the property. During the investigation, your failure or refusal to cooperate could be considered a breach of the insurance policy conditions, thereby voiding coverage.

Note: Statistics are shown for Ohio cities and towns 10,000 and over in population when an act of arson was reported during 1998 or 1999
NA = Not available

Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 1998 & 1999

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