Time is running out for homeowners and businesses to remove potentially deadly electric cable from their properties, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned.

About 3900km of unsafe Infinity cable, imported from China, has been installed in thousands of buildings.

A recall was initiated last year after it was found the product failed electrical safety standards due to poor plastic insulation, which becomes brittle prematurely.

The ACCC says the degrading cable could begin causing fires and electric shocks as early as next year, and 70% of it remains unaccounted for despite the high-profile recall.

“The ACCC is urging electricians, builders and contractors to notify their customers and cable suppliers if they installed Infinity cables between 2010 and 2013,” Deputy Chairman Delia Rickard said.

“Consumers who purchased new properties, undertook renovations, had appliances installed or had electrical work carried out in the past few years should contact a licensed electrician for a safety inspection to determine if Infinity cables were installed.”

LMI MD Allan Manning told insuranceNEWS.com.au some policies have blanket exclusions on faulty workmanship.

“If your house burns down because of this cable and the insurer finds out, then you would not be covered,” he said.

“It would be the same with liability if a visitor was electrocuted.”

He says good policies, while not covering rectification of faulty work, do cover resulting damage. However, if an insured knows a building has Infinity cable installed they have a duty to disclose it.

“There is a lack of testing and as a result the number of electrical items being recalled is terrifying,” Professor Manning said. “It’ll probably take someone to die before this gets taken seriously.”