Quick, grab the tablet! The surprising items Aussies would rescue in a house fire
Australians would run to their filing cabinets first if their house was on fire, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,041 respondents revealed 2 in 5 (40%) would prioritise important documents if their home was about to go up in flames.
The research found 1 in 5 (21%) would rush to save photos and keepsakes from going up in smoke, while 1 in 10 (11%) would grab their digital devices first.
Jewellery (5%), clothes (2%), and artwork (2%) all fell under the list of items Aussies would prioritise in a house fire.
In 2020, there were 17,915 accidental residential fire incidents in Australia, and more than 50 Australians die each year from residential fires.
Smoking materials, like a cigarette or pipe, were responsible for more than a quarter of residential fires where the cause was known.
Tim Bennett, insurance expert at Finder, said a house fire can drastically alter the lives of homeowners.
"House fires can quickly become uncontrollable, destroying the dwelling and everything in it.
"If given the chance, Aussies would be quick to salvage sentimental items and important documents and cash over household goods."
Baby boomers were more likely than any other generation to say they'd save important documents (46%), and gen Z were more likely to admit they'd save electronic devices (17%).
Gen Y said they'd prioritise photos and keepsakes (26%) over any other generation.
Bennett urged Aussies to review fire safety measures in their homes including smoke alarms.
"The harsh reality is that the vast majority of fatal house fires are preventable.
"Most fires start in the kitchen, so keeping a fire extinguisher that can handle grease fires close is a good idea.
"Dodgy electrics are another big cause of house fires. You can prevent electrical fires by not overloading power points and regularly checking for damage and faults.
"Hopefully you'll never need to actually know what items you'd save in a house fire but it's wise to have a fire safety plan that includes what to retrieve if it is safe to do so."
Bennett said the most important way to protect your valuables is to have a comprehensive home insurance policy in place.
"The financial losses following a house fire can be devastating without adequate insurance in place.
"That's why it's crucial to have a policy that covers the full replacement cost of your belongings, including any additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable," Bennett said.
| What is the first thing that you would save in a house fire (excluding your loved ones and pets)? | |
|---|---|
| Important documents | 40% |
| Photos and keepsakes | 21% |
| Financial items (e.g. cash) | 12% |
| Electronic devices | 11% |
| Other | 5% |
| Jewellery | 5% |
| Clothes | 2% |
| Artwork | 2% |
| Shoes | 1% |
| Musical instruments | 1% |
| Beauty / skincare items | 1% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,041 respondents, August 2024 |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,041 respondents from August 2024.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics, an SAP company.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.