Thankfully it was painless. They were more interested in the general location, condition, and safety items. Ash bucket must sit on non-combustible flooring. Fire extinguisher close at hand. Smoke detectors in each level. CO detector up and running. Sad news was that they no longer allow stoves in a garage. Shops are allowed however. I showed him my one stall that has never had a car in it. Used as nothing but a shop for 25 years. Sounds like I may get it through as a shop! It was a interesting visit. Sounds like he sees many improper setups.
Home insurance rep does stove install inspection
- Thread starter moresnow
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huauqui
Burning Hunk
moresnow,
I wish that is the way they did it around here. My insurance company wants a install certificate from a certified installer. Problem is they can't tell me what certified means. We finally ended up having a contractor friend come over and look at our install and then he contacted the insurance and said it all looked good. I fall between the cracks of the county and small city locality for inspections which often makes things simpler but not in this case. Took me almost 6 months to satisfy the insurance company as the county/city did/does not inspect this, if you do it yourself.
Glad it worked out well for you.
huauqui
I wish that is the way they did it around here. My insurance company wants a install certificate from a certified installer. Problem is they can't tell me what certified means. We finally ended up having a contractor friend come over and look at our install and then he contacted the insurance and said it all looked good. I fall between the cracks of the county and small city locality for inspections which often makes things simpler but not in this case. Took me almost 6 months to satisfy the insurance company as the county/city did/does not inspect this, if you do it yourself.
Glad it worked out well for you.
huauqui
Well they are the only ones other than the homeowner who stands to loose anything. So yes of course they care. In our area we typically dont need inspections either but there are some insurance companies including mine who do require inspections. We do quite a few every year. The funny thing is that my own insurance company paid me to inspect the installation I did in my own house. I called them to tell them I had installed a wood stove hung up with them and about 20 mins later got a call from them on the same number that they needed me to do an inspection on my house
huauqui
Burning Hunk
bholler, that is both funny and also cool that the insurance company called you to inspect your own install.
SlyFerret
Minister of Fire
Yes but many counties don't do inspections which is where inspections by private companies or by the agents them selves come in. Other companies don't ask any questions at all
I pulled a permit when I put the new chimney in. The county came and inspected clearances and only asked where my screws connecting the ssingle wall were. I pointed to the box of self tappers sitting on the stove and explained I didn't know what he wanted to look at so I hadn't put them in yet. He was satisfied and signed off.
The hardest part of the whole process was finding the office to pull the permit.
The hardest part of the whole process was finding the office to pull the permit.
WoodyIsGoody
Minister of Fire
Nobody thought there might be a conflict of interest issue there?
It sounds like a case in which the left hand was not talking to the right hand. Very common.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
I live out in the country in North Carolina. There is no inspection here, from the building inspector, nor the fire marshall, nor the insurance company.
Which, in a way, I like, freedom and all that.
On the other hand, my neighbor moved up here, a know-it-all Yankee. Had never installed a wood stove or even used a wood stove.
So I bought a book for him off of Amazon, all about wood stoves, and it had 2 chapters on specs and regs of how to install a wood stove. Very good drawings and photos of a proper wood stove install.
So, Frank installed his wood stove and two weeks later, the second time he lit it, he went off to work and his house burned down. I saw the fire marshall's report it said "Fire due to improper wood stove install."
He got a check for $160K. So all the other people in his insurance company got to pay for his screw up.
A few weeks later I asked Frank "Did you ever get the chance to read that book I gave you."
He said "No, and it burned up in the fire."
Which, in a way, I like, freedom and all that.
On the other hand, my neighbor moved up here, a know-it-all Yankee. Had never installed a wood stove or even used a wood stove.
So I bought a book for him off of Amazon, all about wood stoves, and it had 2 chapters on specs and regs of how to install a wood stove. Very good drawings and photos of a proper wood stove install.
So, Frank installed his wood stove and two weeks later, the second time he lit it, he went off to work and his house burned down. I saw the fire marshall's report it said "Fire due to improper wood stove install."
He got a check for $160K. So all the other people in his insurance company got to pay for his screw up.
A few weeks later I asked Frank "Did you ever get the chance to read that book I gave you."
He said "No, and it burned up in the fire."
CHeath
Feeling the Heat
I am an Agent for a large US company in the northeast. If our clients burn wood, all we require is a annual cleaning by a certified sweep.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Waverly. Black Hawk Mutual. Associated with Grinnell Mut. I am thinking? I use a independent as well. Best move I ever made for insurance. After the nightmare of Farm Bureau. I better not elaborate
Waverly. Black Hawk Mutual. Associated with Grinnell Mut. I am thinking? I use a independent as well. Best move I ever made for insurance. After the nightmare of Farm Bureau. I better not elaborate
Correct, County mutuals are usually about the cheap as you can get. And they inspect everything they write. Grinnel Mutual does the re-insurance and the liability, the county does the property.
Independent agents have alot of benefits for the consumer/insured. Most direct writing companies are horrible. State Farm, Farm Bureau, etc. They deny claims so they can pay for advertising.
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