Wood stoves and home owners insurance.

[buildingmaint]

I have been thinking of installing a wood stove in my basement. I was wondering if my home owners /fire insurance would go up? Do any of you stove owners pay higher insurance because you have a wood stove in your home? And if so how much more? Or did you not bother to tell your insurance agent?

 

[BrotherBart]

I told Allstate that I was installing two stoves into existing flues in the new house, fire place and basement chimney thimble, and they said it wasn't any more on the policy.

Of course that was in 1985 and I have never brought the subject up again and don't plan to.

 

[pearsall]

I told Amica about mine and they asked if it was the only thing going into the flue (yes), internal or external chimney (internal) and if the stove was UL or EPA approved (yes-but I don't remember which they asked). My policy amount didn't change, although I already had 3 fireplaces which they knew about. . .

 

[Gooserider]

This has been asked before, many times. Bottom line is it seems to depend on the company and the agent. Advice is either way to get something in writing to the effect that they know you have the stove (if there is ever a problem, proves you told them about it...) If they try to jack your rate excessively, shop for a different company.

Note that stoves installed without permits / inspections, non-legal installs, and especially installs with code violations, are more likely to cause the insurance co. to give you a hard time if you ever had a stove induced claim.

Gooserider

 

[MrGriz]

My State Farm agent just asked a few questions and the policy didn't go up any.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Mine just wanted to make sure my install passed inspection. No change in rates.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

Mine wants to charge $20/Month - $240 per year more... They will get the pink slip very soon. Appointment already set up with new company.

ATB,
Mike P

 

[Bill]

My son in law put a stove in the basement and his insurance company charged him $50.00 more per year.

 

[TMonter]

Farmers charged me an extra $6.00 a year for the cost of replacement of the stove, pipe and install. Of course the total insured amount on the house went up 5k.

 

[scfa99]

metlife didnt care, since i was ripping out a zc and putting in a quad. i explained it to them but they said "so your ripping out one fireplace and replacing it with another one?" i said yeh thats right. they were like just get it inspected.

 

[njtomatoguy]

Mine didn't care- asked a couple questions, and that was it. and my ins. premium did not go up.

 

[Harley]

Or did you not bother to tell your insurance agent?

I really don't think most insurance companies are going to care all that much, or increase the rates a lot. If the stove installation has been inspected and signed-off - they should be fine with it. If the rates do go up - probably time to find either a new agent or insurance company. In any event... I would make sure the insurance company knows.... in writing.

 

[Rhone]

Mine asked a few questions and wouldn't have gone up except they asked if I wanted to increase my house insurance by $3,500 to cover the replacement of my stove if my house burns down. I agreed, and it went up a tiny bit. Other than that, all they cared about was that it was EPA, inspected and permitted which I had to fax them the approved permit.