Discovery Insure has launched the Discovery 911 smoke detector, a residential fire detection and emergency response solution designed to automatically detect fires in homes and alert the insurer’s 24/7 emergency response centre to coordinate a rapid response.
“When it comes to fighting a fire, time is a critical factor,” said Precious Nduli, Chief Commercial Officer at Discovery Insure. “Yet the moments that matter most are often when people cannot act – they may be away, asleep, injured, overwhelmed, or simply unsure of who to call as panic sets in.
“The market-first Discovery 911 smoke detector and response system addresses these challenges by automating early fire detection, enabling immediate emergency escalation and rapid fire-response coordination. This automation makes for a market-first difference in the case of residential fires – enabling fast response, limiting damage and protecting human life.”
The fire response coordinated through Discovery Insure’s emergency call centre connects the public to a national network of professional fire response teams, including Discovery Insure’s Fire Force initiative, which was launched in partnership with Fire Ops SA in 2022.
Discovery Insure said most residential fires originate from everyday household activities, including cooking, heating, electrical faults, overloaded systems and illegal electricity connections.
Power outages can also increase risks when appliances restart unexpectedly once the electricity supply is restored.
Environmental conditions, including lightning strikes and seasonal wildfires, further contribute to fire risks, while winter months typically see an increase in incidents as households place additional strain on heating appliances and electrical systems.
Nduli said the majority of Discovery Insure’s fire-related claims involve partial losses but still result in significant disruption and damage.
“For Discovery Insure, 94% of fire claims are for partial losses, but even these sorts of incidents cause significant damage, disruption and personal risk,” said Nduli. “With fire risk driven by everyday behaviour, seasonal patterns and environmental factors, the most effective protection is an intelligent solution that can detect danger early and trigger response automatically.”
