Smart Meter caused a fire and hydro said meter was there property Who pays for the damages?

The smart meter on the side of my house caught fire and per the Fire Inspector it was the cause of the fire. Hydro came and took the meter saying it was there property. Who is at fault and if there property burnt my house why should I have to pay my deductible and risk my insurance to go up? Will my insurance go after the Hydro company? Should I get a good Lawyer?|||In Ontario, Canada and a lot of other jurisdictions, the meter itself is the property of the utility company, but the meter socket and cabling into the home belongs to the property owner. In my experience, most of these types of situations occur when there is a loose connection between the cables and the lugs in the meter socket or when the lugs themselves are loose and aren't making a good connection. Both of these conditions would be the responsibility of the property owner. Meters themselves rarely burn up if they are properly installed in a functional socket, but it can't be ruled out completely in this case. Since you mentioned that it was a "smart meter", that tells me that it was recently installed. There is the possibility that the utility staff or contractor who installed the meter did not seat it properly on to the socket causing a loose connection resulting in overheating and fire. The Fire Inspector may not have made the distinction between the meter and the meter socket in his analysis.I would follow up with the utility to see if their analysis can tell. I believe they will be fair with you, and if it was their fault, they will have insurance to cover your losses.|||I am an Independent Insurance Broker in California since 1980. It is my professional opinion that if a fire starts at your "smart"meter and it also burns your home, then your standard HO3 or Homeowner's Policy would cover the damage to your home, less your deductible. If your carrier thinks they might be able to recoup their losses (ie. claims paid to you), then they might also ask you to sign a subrogation letter and go after PG%26amp;E for reimbursement. One such claim in a 3 year period won't affect your insurability. But, depending on the carrier, it may raise your rate and you may also lose any claim-free credits. Ask your broker and you might also consult with a lawyer about this issue. Good luck to you. Alan emfsafetynetwork.org|||if the root casue of the fire was a meter, i would expect the utility to start investigating their equipment and possibly make arrangements with you for repairs - if you are not contacted by them, definitely look into a lawyer -|||I would personally be of the opinion that the power co should be putting their hand in their pocket and paying for the damage.