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Fires. Once Again.

Once again Galicia, once again León, once again thousands of hectares reduced to ashes. Once again families evacuated with nothing but the clothes on their backs, businesses destroyed, homes in ruins, and a country burning while you look up at the sky and see nothing but smoke.

And amid all this emergency, there’s something almost no one talks about—until it’s too late: insurance.

More specifically: what happens when the fire reaches you, and your insurer tells you that the compensation doesn’t even cover half of what you’ve lost.

Because yes, it’s great to have a policy.

But if your insurance is poorly calculated, or your insured capital is insufficient, or you’re simply underinsured… the story can end badly.

Let’s break it down: what’s going on with the fires?

This summer, Spain has faced one of the worst wildfire seasons in the past 20 years:

Over 342,000 hectares burned

Severely affected areas in Galicia (Ourense), Castilla y León (Zamora, León), Extremadura, and parts of Andalucía

Thousands of businesses, homes, and agricultural lands destroyed

More than 33,000 people evacuated

Entire families that have lost everything

And with all of this, a wave of claims is hitting insurance companies and the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros.

The real problem: you think you’re covered… until they tell you you’re not

The fire comes, destroys your house, your business, your land.

You think: “Well, at least I have insurance.”

And maybe you do.

But then the time comes to file a claim… and it turns out:

The insured capital is way lower than your property’s actual value

You didn’t declare certain areas (like the pool, garage, storage room)

The valuation was based on the cadastral value, not the real rebuilding cost

The contents (furniture, machinery, stock) aren’t properly inventoried

They apply the proportional rule and reduce your payout

Or worse: your insurer says it’s the Consorcio’s responsibility, and you have to start all over again

What is this proportional rule about, anyway?

Let me explain with a simple example:

You insured your home for €100,000. But the actual cost to rebuild it is €150,000.

Part of it burns, and the damages total €60,000.

The insurer doesn’t pay you €60,000. They only pay €40,000, because you're underinsured by 33%, and they apply the proportional rule.

You lose €20,000 because you declared a lower value than the real one.

And the worst part? This happens way more often than you think.

What if my policy doesn’t cover enough? Or if the fire was caused by natural phenomena?

That’s where the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros comes in.

It’s a public institution that covers extraordinary events: lightning fires, extreme winds, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods...

But two key conditions must be met:

You must have a valid insurance policy, even a basic one

The damaged asset must be properly declared

The problem? If your policy is outdated, if your house doesn’t match the Cadastral records, if you omitted parts of the property, or if you insured the contents “by eye”... The Consorcio can also apply underinsurance. And that means, again, the dreaded proportional rule.

So now what? How do you file a claim?

First: document everything. Photos, videos, receipts, quotes. The more, the better. Second: don’t accept the insurer’s first offer without reviewing it. Third: you’re not alone. At MataSeguros, we help people like you every day:

We review your policy

We verify whether your compensation is fair

We negotiate with the insurer or the Consorcio

We accompany you through the entire process

And we only get paid if you do

📩 Contact us and let us help you claim what’s rightfully yours—with no risk.

This isn’t just about paperwork. It’s about justice.

Because no one should lose their home and then also have to fight for the compensation they deserve.

Because when you insured your house or your business, you weren’t thinking about fire. You were thinking about protecting what you built.

And when fire comes, the least you expect is for that protection to actually work.

What can you do now to protect yourself (even if you weren’t affected)?

If your area was spared this time, don’t leave it up to luck.

Do this today, not tomorrow:

Review whether your insured capital matches the real rebuilding cost

Check that you’ve included all constructed areas: garage, storage, pool, porches…

Make sure the contents (furniture, machinery, stock) are well valued and documented

If you’ve renovated or expanded, update your policy

And if you’re unsure, ask for professional help. Seriously: better to prevent than to fight for a reduced payout.

Conclusion

Fires don’t give warnings.

But they do make something very clear: If you haven’t calculated your insurance properly, you could lose more than you imagine.

And no, this isn’t just about having a policy.

It’s about having the right policy—with the right values, well written, and properly reviewed.

Because if the fire comes and your insurance fails you… It won’t be because of the smoke. It’ll be because you didn’t prepare.

📩 Tell us your case or let us review your policy for free. We only charge if you get paid. Simple as that.