Thank goodness for fire insurance

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, with the risk of a kitchen fire peaking on Thanksgiving Day, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The No. 1 cause of fires in the kitchen? Unattended cooking, according to the agency.

Be thankful for insurance, as State Farm Insurance Co. reported that it paid more than $130 million for nearly 2,700 cooking/grease fire homeowners’ insurance claims in 2017.

The Top 10 states for cooking/grease fire losses in 2017 were Georgia, Alabama, New York, Maryland, Illinois, Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, Texas and North Carolina. At No. 10, North Carolina saw 138 claims in 2017 with over $5.7 million in paid losses, according to data compiled by the insurer.