Property stained by soot may have to be cleaned by professionals and, often, the property has to be replaced. You may have assumed that the only materials found in candles were the wick and some type of wax. Another surprise is that the candle-making industry is not required to tell consumers about the ingredients used in their products, including when a wick is used which contains a lead core. Besides the use of oils and chemicals, candle-makers sometimes create problems because they make other mistakes. Damage to a home or personal property due to soot can create serious problems for both an insurer and a homeowner.
Losses involving soot can create thousands of dollars in damages.
Depending upon the details surrounding a loss and the wording of the particular homeowner policy, coverage for the damage may not be available. Because the source of loss might be considered the result of pollution, which may be excluded. Another reason for rejecting a claim may be an assumption that the damage was gradual instead of sudden, so it wouldn't be considered accidental and sudden damage. A claim could even be affected by the knowledge of the insured. For instance, even if the policy covers soot-related losses, a claim could be denied if a homeowner knew that the type of candle they used could cause damages.