insurance fire

plural insurance fires

1. lawA form of arson in which a fire is intentionally started in order to enable collection from an insurance policy that protects against accidental fires.

   Most of the people thought it was an insurance fire, that Aronez or someone hired by him had set it.

   2012, David Holmberg, The Tinderbox, page 87

   3 more examples

   The other fifty-four cases were insurance fires, that is the motive was that of burning to collect insurance.

   1921, Office of the Fire Marshal of the State of Louisiana, Annual Report - Volumes 17-35, page 7

   A more likely theory is that it was an insurance fire, as the Bennett brothers were in financial trouble...

   2009, Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert, page 419

   They're even hinting that the loss of our Ingleside printing plant was an insurance fire, for God's sake!

   2016, Stephen Birmingham, The Rothman Scandal, page 619