Insurance question

I was going to put my boiler in the shop but insurace said no. they said putting it in the house would be fine but I didn't want it in the house so I built a shed. some insurance charge extra each month for a wood burning appliance in the house and some just don't seem to want to insure them. Others don't seem to care one way or the other. I would call around and see what your local agents say. J.T.

My insurance company notified me of their intention to cancel at the end of 4 years because they decided not to cover my wood boiler in the garage. The boiler was there when I first bought the policy and they took pictures before they sold the policy. They just changed their mind. I fought it and lost. Worse yet was I could not get anyone to cover me with the boiler in the garage due to a fed. govt. recommendation against solid fuel appliances in a garage so the boiler had to go. I now pay around 2x my previous policy and have been classified as a "protection class ten" since which means if I have a fire that they believe the place will be a total loss before help can arrive as I live about 13 miles from the fire-department that is assigned to my area. I was a level five before the cancellation. Neither the fire-department nor I have moved. I think I am being spanked because the policy was cancelled kind of like auto ins. and high risk attitudes. As a final touch the originating ins. co. then refused to sell me a new policy even after compliance to all their mandates. I guess what I am trying to say is move cautiously your investment is at stake. You really are the only one who stands to lose.

State Farm told me I'd have to pay a monthly surcharge of ten dollars, plus the boiler had to be UL listed and the installation pass the local building inspection. I showed them the brochures BioHeat provided for the Solo Innova and they seemed satisfied this was not an unsafe boiler. There are a lot of plain old woodstoves heating homes around here so it wasn't that big a deal I suppose.

Mike

I am one of the only people I know who is actually fond of my insurance company-- it's a cooperative, owned by the members [Cooperative Insurance Co. of Vermont; they also write policies in NH]. They've been utterly reasonable about wood heat, and basically great to deal with in any situations in which I've had contact with them.

For those of you elsewhere, see if you can find a cooperatively owned or small local/ regional mutually owned company.

Hi Chris.

First let me start by saying I am an Insurance Agent and have been for over 25 years. I have specialized in Property and Casualty Insurance for that time. I have had an Econoburn 150 for the last 4 years and I have insurance on my home here in Pa with no surcharge or overblown premium do to having a wood heating device. I have also insured many homes that have a variety of wood burners, wood boilers and pellet burners. The only criteria we have here is A)that the furnace/stove be a UL approved B) installed to code. C) the home has an automatic alternative backup heating source should the fire go out. We can install in garages provided the fire box is to code height. Now I am not saying the same will apply to you as all insurance companys have different rules in each state.

If I were you I would start to search for a quality Home Insurance company that can meet your needs. Try calling an Independant Insurance Agency. One that offers more than one carrier. They should be able to help you.

Musclecar Joe
1965 Buick GS
Econoburn 150

When my insurance lady asked me about my heat source, I told her I would be using a heat pump but using an outdoor wood boiler about 65' from the house for my primary heat. She said the wood boiler didn't affect my house at all since it was far away from the house. She classified me as having electric heat since I had a heat pump capable of being primary heat.