Which London disaster in 1666 helped spur the development of modern fire insurance?

The Great Fire of London in 1666 helped spur the development of modern fire insurance.

The fire began on 2 September 1666 in Thomas Farriner’s bakery on Pudding Lane. It spread rapidly through densely packed wooden buildings and destroyed a large part of the City of London before ending on 6 September.

Although fire insurance did not appear immediately in its modern form, the disaster demonstrated the financial danger of urban fires. In the decades that followed, insurers and specialist fire offices developed organized methods for assessing buildings, collecting premiums, and paying claims. Fire marks placed on insured buildings later helped identify the companies responsible for them.

The Great Fire is sometimes described as the direct origin of fire insurance, but that is an oversimplification. Its importance was that it exposed the need for systematic protection in a growing city. London’s rebuilding also encouraged improved construction and wider use of brick.