Insurance companies estimate the damage caused to homes and cars by fireworks during the New Year celebrations at €8 million, which is almost half last year’s total and the lowest figure in 15 years.

The figure does not include medical costs or damage to company property and the final total won’t be known until later in the year.

Insurers say the drop is due to local firework bans and firework free zones, even though they were largely ignored. In total 16 cities brought in a ban on consumer fireworks, including Arnhem and Eindhoven for the first time.

“The bad weather may also have had a positive effect,” insurers association chief Richard Weurding said.

There were also fewer reports of fire damage. Stichting Salvage, which provides emergency help to households after a fire, was called out 88 times on New Year’s Eve, compared with 105 in the year earlier period, the VvV said.