Fire Insurance Companies

In the 1700’s and early 1800’s, the responsibility for fighting fires was undertaken by various fire insurance companies. A call of "Fire" would be raised and the various fire companies would respond.  When insurance companies issued a fire insurance policy, they also issued a wall plaque with the Company’s crest on it to be mounted outside the property. These plaque were called Fire Marks. As a result of this privatisation of fire fighting, two phenomenon were common; firstly it was quite usual for the first company to arrive to step back and let the property burn if the occupiers were insured by a rival company, also, it wasn’t unusual for two companies to end up in a fight to sign up uninsured properties. This took place before fighting the fire of course!

The Insurance Company Brigades did a good job over a great number of years but in the 19th Century, towns and cities began to form their own Brigades. Twelve hundred years after the Vigiles left, Britain had fire brigades again.

Return to Contents Page