It's very easy to get away with murder...

…but what about arson for insurance fraud?
That seems liek it would be quite a bit more difficult. You can't just ditch the house in the river somewhere to hide the evidence.

Disclaimer: I am seeking advice for my graphic novel, not my personal life.

How would one go about burning down his own house and collecting on the insurance?
It’s a fairly old, large home in the timber balloon-frame style, so once it lights, it will be a bonfire – burning to the ground wouldn’t be a problem at all.
The problem is not getting caught and actually getting them to pay.
There could be an ember pop from the fireplace, but couldn’t they deny that claim based because you were negligent for not using a proper screen? Isn’t stupidity generally denied?
The wiring would be up to code.
How could one accidentally burn a house down?

Along the same lines, how long does it take to collect?
What are the mechanic of such a thing that I need to consider for the story?

Thanks.

 

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Just pay the fire brigade to alter the data....

 

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that's a good idea. my contribution's pretty weak but just to try and help: have him sabotage his stove after reading something on the net.

 

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With all the miscreants we have on this God-forsaken site, I was hoping for something more than this paltry response - no offense to the responders, of course.

 

Cigarette, barbicue, lightning, playing children, or you can PM me for my services. I am discrete...

Hell, technically a bifocal eyeglass can make a fire. Also fire investigation is more of an art than a science. There was a long article in the New Yorker about a father executed for burning his children in his house, and it looks like he was innocent. Texas, mind you...

 

Well I would let a rat take up home steading in the house then I would coat as many exposed wires and by exposed I do not mean bared to the metal how ever in alot of really old homes the wiring is allways something to be desired. But anyway I would coat the wires with animal blod from say some hamburger the rat will chew through the wire and they it would short out and cause a fire. If the house is as old as you say.

 

The house is at least 150 years old, but the guy has money - the wiring would be updated.
But now we are getting somewhere...

Barbecue grill?
I hadn't considered the fire starting outside! hmmmmm......

 

I assume you couldn't say that someone else did it?

Also, can I see your novel sometime? I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours.

 

Cigarette? Sparklers? FIreworks? Dumb kid?

 

What if there was an area of wiring the contractor missed?

 

I would think that a criminal investigation would hold up the insurnace payout for quite a while.
He has to get the money as quickly as possible.

:shy: im married!

I just found an artist recently (he is fucking amazing!), so there's not much to see.
I can send you the text of a few chapters from back when it was a regular novel (as opposed to graphic novel) if you want.

 

That'd be awesome, sure!

 

PM me an email address.

 

OK then same rat "knocks a bottle of propane off the shelf in the utility room breaks the valve the valve leaks propane the furnace starts Bobs your uncle if not rat a cat would all so work or if in a seismic area a small tremor.

 

Bobs my uncle? :bugeye:

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Deed is done ,There you go, Thats about it. that sort of thing. But I guess in this case it would be Booms your uncle LOL...

 

Wow...where to start...

If you live in a climate where it gets cold in the winter, you can "accidentally" leave a space heater to close to some curtains or a couch.

If you celebrate Christmas, you can intentionally short out a set of lights on a live tree.

Depending on how close of a call (how big of a chance you won't escape) you can knock over some candles while love making. Accidentally throw a dish rag on a hot stove.

I can think of quite a few ways to "accidentally" screw the electrical wiring up.

The biggest thing is you have to be willing to accept a total loss. No saving of some special mementos before the fire. You do nothing out of the ordinary before hand. For example, grandpa's fishing rod has never left your house, let alone its display case and yet a week before the fire you remove it to be cleaned, appraised...

 

LOL!
It's a British phrase.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob's_your_uncle

 

If the neighbor hates you set fire to the place on purpose and blame the neighbor. This one would involve using materials from the neighbors place so dont get caught borrowing the tools.

 

ALL has to go - that's half the point.

Every time I think abotu one of these "accidental" fires, I think stupidity will be denied a claim.

An insurance underwriter will bend over backwards and stab his mother to avoid paying off on a claim - even if it IS valid.
This needs to be completely beyond reproach - the payoff needs to be fast and unquestioned.