yet one more homeowners insurance story!

[yooperdave]

installed the wood stove last fall that coincided with a post of me looking for info on a "tri-lakes stove" company. (thanks again, coaly!) notified my homeowners of the date of changing from fuel oil to wood and waited for the increase of premium notice. it took 3 months to get it all settled. first was the install and clearances issues. the next was picture. the only thing that held up the process was one question on the form they had me fill out...is wood burning stove hooked up to a metal chimney?? well, in my case (as in thousands of others) the single wall feeds into a metalbestos ss pipe that penetrates the roof. metal chimney, right? in order to get the ins. company to approve the "chimney" i supplied them with the selkirk metalbestos web site spec page, but they said that wasn't good enough (i don't think they wanted to read it for the specs, thats all) i finally ended up getting ahold of a selkirk rep. in california who actually wrote a personal letter telling the company that it is quite common and safe for these so called "metal chimneys". he laughed and said, this isn't the first time i've had to do this. (thanx to him, too)
well, like i said, it took 3 months for all this to happen. the increase of my premium was a whopping $40!
point is, while this was going on, a few posts showed up about ins. co. cancelling policies or denying them for people that had added wood stoves. sure pays to do homework!

 

[greythorn3]

great!

 

[boxerdogheidi]

what company are you with?

 

[Cowboy Billy]

My Dad's house burnt sunday. And he passed away at the same time or just before it caught on fire. He never declared that he had a wood stove in the house. But I have to hand it to Allstate ins they are going to cover it and rebuild the house. We don't know how the fire started but it wasn't the stove, furnace or washer/dryer.

I thought three times before I posted as I didn't want this thread hyjacked with condolences. We are having a hard time believing it happened but we are working together as a family to get past this tough time.

Billy

 

[Shari]

My Dad's house burnt sunday. And he passed away at the same time or just before it caught on fire. He never declared that he had a wood stove in the house. But I have to hand it to Allstate ins they are going to cover it and rebuild the house. We don't know how the fire started but it wasn't the stove, furnace or washer/dryer.

I thought three times before I posted as I didn't want this thread hyjacked with condolences. We are having a hard time believing it happened but we are working together as a family to get past this tough time.

Billy

We have been through the same thing in our family, CB. I really, really know how you feel. The insurance company, in our case, did a decent job. Condolences sincerly extended to you and yours.

 

[48rob]

Billy,

That is a story to take notice of.

How easy it would have been for them to say "tough luck".

Dave's experience is probably typical, but it is always wise to try to understand the rules, and follow them.
I got permission to install in my garage, they were very happy I wasn't going to put a wood stove in the house...

Sorry about your dad.

Rob

 

[firefighterjake]

I guess I would be much happier to have an insurance company like I do . . . that only required me to have the install done by a "professional" and an inspection by the local fire chief or inspector . . . without any increase in the premium.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Dave, you are right in that it pays to do the homework.

Billy, our condolences.

 

[PJF1313]

Billy,

Sorry to hear about your loss.
Our condolences to you

P.J. & Kat

 

[raybonz]

My Dad's house burnt sunday. And he passed away at the same time or just before it caught on fire. He never declared that he had a wood stove in the house. But I have to hand it to Allstate ins they are going to cover it and rebuild the house. We don't know how the fire started but it wasn't the stove, furnace or washer/dryer.

I thought three times before I posted as I didn't want this thread hyjacked with condolences. We are having a hard time believing it happened but we are working together as a family to get past this tough time.

Billy

Sorry to hear about your Dad Bill..

Ray