Raising building regulation standards could slash £34m
each year from the nation's annual fire damage bill, according to the ABI.
Responding to a government review of building regulations, the ABI has called for existing regulations to be changed to include fire safety management measures during a building's design phase.
ABI figures revealed that the cost of commercial fire
claims in the first three quarters of this year rose by 20% - the equivalent of £483m.
Jane Milne, ABI head of household and property insurance, said: "Poor fire safety management is responsible for 35%of fires.
A safety standard at design stage could reduce significantly the impact of fire."
