Be a bright spark and choose home insurance from the Cheshire

Cheshire Building Society is advising home owners that, with Bonfire Night just around the corner, it is a good time to review existing home insurance policies.

As an added incentive, the Society, which offers home insurance provided by RSA, is offering, for a limited period, a 25 per cent discount on its contents insurance premium for customers who purchase its Select buildings and contents insurance policy.

Each Bonfire Night, many celebrations go up in smoke because of damage to property or accidents caused by fires, sparklers and fireworks. While insurance policies protect your home and its contents, not all will automatically provide cover in the event of damage to trees and plants in your garden or home emergency cover.

Karen Torson, Product Manager at Cheshire Building Society, said: "Bonfire Night is a great opportunity to invite friends and family over but it's also a time of year when accidents can happen, so if you're thinking of having a bonfire, it's advisable to know in advance what your policy does and doesn't cover.

"Home security is another important issue. If you're holding a large gathering, people are likely to be in and out of your garden while you enjoy the firework display. In all the planning and preparation, people often forget to lock their doors and put on their alarms, leaving the ideal opportunity for burglars to enter a noisy accessible environment, without even being noticed."

In the run up to Bonfire Night, the Cheshire has provided the following checklist for those planning to let off fireworks:

Store your fireworks in a safe dry place away from flammable materials

Build your bonfire in a sensible position, leaving enough room around the fire, away from any property or other structures

Make sure children are supervised at all times

Only purchase legal fireworks from a registered retailer and don't be tempted by a deal offering cheap fireworks

Make sure pets are secured indoors to avoid distractions and dangerous accidents

If you come across any misuse of fireworks, report it to the police

Make sure the people in charge of setting off the fireworks are well positioned away from your guests and have a clear idea of how to set them off correctly without endangering themselves or anyone else

For full information, consult the firework safety code available via dti.gov.uk/fireworks

The Cheshire's Select home insurance, which is underwritten by RSA, has been awarded the maximum Five Star Rating by Defaqto, a leading independent financial research company, for the quality of its features and benefits.

For more information, visit thecheshire.co.uk