Aim: The aim of the paper is to show forensically important traces that point to arson and possible motives for arson with an emphasis on those for gaining material benefit. Connecting these traces with for the investigation important clues that point to possible perpetrators and their helpers and/or principals is important for proving and prosecuting the crime of arson. All found traces and objects should be properly forensically interpreted in order to be accepted as evidence in court. Methods: The paper presents five cases of arson in which, thanks to the quality work of the investigators in finding clues and connecting them with for the investigation significant indicators, the perpetrators of the crime of arson were successfully prosecuted. Sources of data on processed cases are the website of the United States Department of Justice, the website of the FBI and the website of the U.S. Fire Administration. Results: The results of the analysis of the mentioned cases indicate the need to pay special attention during the arson investigation to the means used to start the fire, the place of outbreak and the way the fire spread, the motive and occasion for the arson. The insurance policy, financial statements and other relevant documents are important for discovering the cause, but they can also serve as evidence of the origin of the arson. Conclusion: Based on this paper, it can be concluded that arson for the purpose of obtaining insurance by defrauding the insurance company is extremely difficult to prove. Success in the quality detection and prosecution of this criminal offense depends on the success in discovering, recognizing and elucidating cause-and-effect relationships, as well as interlinking possible important pre-fire, during the fire and post-fire clues. A multidisciplinary approach to research and constant work on acquiring new knowledge, along with the study of existing known examples of arson, are the basis for quality resolution of arson cases and the prosecution of perpetrators of this crime.