We are watching the clock tick on the expiration of the Fed Tax Credit and are about to purchase a wood burning stove. I asked our insurance agent about the impact a new woodburning stove would have on our current policy. At first I was told our current company wouldn't insure us if we added a stove, but she would check to make sure what our options would be, up to and including switching companies if needed. The following day she called me back with her findings. Our current company allows the installation of a wood stove as a secondary/backup heat source if we meet 2 requirements.
1) The stove must be professionally installed. I can not do it.
2) Following the professional installation, an insurance company rep must come to our house and document the installation and get copies of all pertinent info on the installed products.
On the bright side, there would not be any increase in our current premium, no permits or fire marshall inspections are required.
This could have been worse, it could have been better too, but at least I know what I need to keep everyone involved in providing my home insurance happy.
This was OK . . . . until the Fireview from Woodstock made the short list for our selection. Hmmm no local rep to install the stove.
Based on some of the threads I have dug up, there have been other interesting insurance co. discussions, but I didn't find any circumstance quite like mine. Has anyone else dealt with this requirement?
It's not a problem if we buy something local and pay for the local rep to put their product in, but will they install a 3rd party stove without charging a huge premium? The chimney sweep (who is comming on Friday to clean and inspect our lined masonry chimney) may be willing to come back out and sell me the required stove pipe connections and install those for me, would that count as a professional installation if he checks out the new hearth pad and stove placement when he connects everything. I guess I won't know till I start asking. I thought I would ask for insight here first.
I haven't mentioned it to the local shops because we haven't really decided on the Fireview but it is certainly a factor against choosing the factory direct approach.
1) The stove must be professionally installed. I can not do it.
2) Following the professional installation, an insurance company rep must come to our house and document the installation and get copies of all pertinent info on the installed products.
On the bright side, there would not be any increase in our current premium, no permits or fire marshall inspections are required.
This could have been worse, it could have been better too, but at least I know what I need to keep everyone involved in providing my home insurance happy.
This was OK . . . . until the Fireview from Woodstock made the short list for our selection. Hmmm no local rep to install the stove.
Based on some of the threads I have dug up, there have been other interesting insurance co. discussions, but I didn't find any circumstance quite like mine. Has anyone else dealt with this requirement?
It's not a problem if we buy something local and pay for the local rep to put their product in, but will they install a 3rd party stove without charging a huge premium? The chimney sweep (who is comming on Friday to clean and inspect our lined masonry chimney) may be willing to come back out and sell me the required stove pipe connections and install those for me, would that count as a professional installation if he checks out the new hearth pad and stove placement when he connects everything. I guess I won't know till I start asking. I thought I would ask for insight here first.
I haven't mentioned it to the local shops because we haven't really decided on the Fireview but it is certainly a factor against choosing the factory direct approach.