Home insurance re:wood stove

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PapaDave

PapaDave

Minister of Fire
Feb 23, 2008
5,739
Northern MI - in the mitten
Ok, this may be in the wrong spot, so feel free to move, but I would like all you Michiganders (you know who you are) to let me know (perhaps via PM) who your insurance Co. is.
Mine is starting to act like a home association, and it's getting me just a wee bit peeved. I'm shopping and have at least a couple I'll be contacting, but would like to get as many quotes as possible and recommendations for a good company that won't try to control whether a blade of grass didn't get cut.
I may be overreacting, but I have a pretty long fuse most times, so I don't think so.
I'll wait.
Thanks to those who reply.
 
Will they also cover your CSS wood if someone steals a cord or three over-night??? Great post!!
 
Are you saying this insurance company is not allowing you to have a wood stove...or are they just trying to increase premiums?
 
They're requiring a re-inspection. When we first moved here, I sent them an inspection from an installer which took care of it, and may be able to do so again.
However, the inspector showed up unannounced when we weren't here and inspected the premises. The report showed he/she was "denied" access to inspect the stove. Hard to deny access when not present.
They also noticed a few things that they deemed needing attention. I won't go into detail, but it struck me as trying to tell me to clean up the yard to their specs. Most of it was wood related, and an ongoing endeavor. Sounded like they thought it was messy. Well, duh. It's firewood processing, and I live in the woods. No neighbors within 300' on either side.
I received a non-renewal notice due to these "infractions". Pretty shady if you ask me. No note in the door, mailbox, or anywhere asking me to fix......
I contacted the local office and am working w/them, but now have an extremely bad taste from it all. Probably won't help getting another carrier, but now I don't trust these folks.
So, asking for recommendations.
dorkweed, I should ask that question.;lol
 
All State, no problems to this point. The house has a fireplace in the living room and we added the stove to the family room. They didn't seem to care about the stove when it was added, they asked the value of it and changed our policy to reflect it's replacement value.
 
I dont live in Michigan. But I have State Farm in Ohio.

Never had any quirks. My Insurance lady dont even care about my pellet stoves. The wood stove she measured, and I answered 100 questions she had and some she didnt have. Super nice and commented about all the wood and time it probably took.....

I have No Qualms with them ( Hope thats not who you have :()
 
Sounds to me like a "newbie" insurance adjuster trying to save you from yourself!!!!

If I were you, I wouldn't deal with that person..........I'd go to the top!!!!!

This is in Michigan??????? And I though Ill-Annoyz was bad!!!!

Good Luck!!
 
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Vehicle is State Farm. Been with the same agency for about 25 years, but they're downstate. Asked for a quote on the house and still don't have it. Time for a gentle reminder.:cool:
I have better things to do than babysit ins. agents.:mad: That I'm paying.
 
I go through Eaton Insurance In Clio, Mi. When i installed my wood insert they simply said " go ahead with your plan, no pic needed, no increase to my policy". Not sure what the case would be for a free standing stove. This insurance company was the cheapest when i bought the house by $1200 as well. Good Luck hope it helps. 810-686-1470
 
Because we have Veteran status...we went with USAA and they didn't care either...everything remained the same.
 
PapaDave said:
They're requiring a re-inspection. When we first moved here, I sent them an inspection from an installer which took care of it, and may be able to do so again.
However, the inspector showed up unannounced when we weren't here and inspected the premises. The report showed he/she was "denied" access to inspect the stove. Hard to deny access when not present.
They also noticed a few things that they deemed needing attention. I won't go into detail, but it struck me as trying to tell me to clean up the yard to their specs. Most of it was wood related, and an ongoing endeavor. Sounded like they thought it was messy. Well, duh. It's firewood processing, and I live in the woods. No neighbors within 300' on either side.
I received a non-renewal notice due to these "infractions". Pretty shady if you ask me. No note in the door, mailbox, or anywhere asking me to fix......
I contacted the local office and am working w/them, but now have an extremely bad taste from it all. Probably won't help getting another carrier, but now I don't trust these folks.
So, asking for recommendations.
dorkweed, I should ask that question.;lol
Click to expand...
Papa Dave...can I ask what the loml reference to wife means??? I'm thinking it might be something funny?
 
My experience with insurance companies has been that the local office or agent can be the biggest factor in satisfaction, or lack thereof. I was with AllState close to 20 years, and had both great and awful agents in that time. When I moved, I took the opportunity to switch to State Farm, because I was with a completely unresponsive agent at AllState, and now have a great agent at State Farm. My wife and in-laws had a horrendous experience with Erie Insurance in another part of the state, but many of my friends highly recommend the local Erie office.

I think all insurance companies have some awful agents. A few of them have really good agents. Good luck!
 
I just dropped Nationwide late last year and picked up Erie (much less $$$, more coverage, less crap - I know though you don't have Erie in your area). I grew up with the agent, and he told me basically they inspect the stoves, inserts, etc. for basic common sense stuff like installing a stove a few inches from your curtains. Other than that, they admit they are not experts. Told me the two inserts I have will have little to no bearing on my premiums. For some reason or another you got a company or an agent that is trying to push you around a little. There's too much I have to worry about besides taking their crap.
 
I received Consumer Reports monthly issue yesterday. Amica and USAA were tied for first place for homeowners insurance. Both have been in first place before, over the past several years. I have USAA and they do a great job.
 
Before I installed my stove, I called my State Farm agent to find out if they required an inspection. I don't have to much regard for the township inspector here, and didn't want to pay for a permit if I had to educate the inspector. Anyway, he said no, just to call when I was ready, and he would come and take some pics and measurements. He didn't bother to measure anything, because I far exceeded CTCs. He just commented on how warm the house was, and it didn't smell smoky.

I think it cost an extra $5/year. No State Farm office up there?
 
I have the Jeep on SF, but the office is downstate........wayyyy downstate where I lived many years ago. I'm expecting a callback or e-mail from them, or I'll call them.
They've been dragging their feet. I currently pay an annual surcharge of $58.
Everything may get moved to a local Co. up here.
 
I have a local agent who is great to work with. On a first name basis with everybody in the office.

I could probably save a couple bucks somewhere else, but it wouldn't be worth it.
 
I too fell for that high rating crap of amica insurance. When we bought this place 4 years ago we went with them because of the ratings. The rates were somewere in the middle of other quotes. After the first year they started raising prices, same thing in year 2, and 3. When I called they wouldn't even talk to me. Very unprofessional, take it or levae it attitude. Bye bye amica.
 
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I have Erie here. The response I got from my agent when i was researching the stove was that I wouldn't have to have an inspection if I had the unit professionally installed. I tore the old ZC fireplace out, built a new hearth, and the shop installed the chimney and put the stove in place. Rate on the house actually went down a little this year.
 
I have Farm Bureau 30.00 a year more one inspection on install 4years ago
 
I live in mi and I have citizens insurance,I had to fill out a couple papers,have 1 inspection after instalation...it raised my insurance $100 a yr.
 
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