Home Owners Insurance

[billjr]

Hi,
This is my first post here so if I'm in the wrong forum feel free to tell me which one I should be asking this. While I have been burning for 40 years I have just recently discovered that some home owner insurance companies do not cover wood burning stoves. The company I had at one point wanted me to take the stove and metal lining completely out to continue coverage. So I found a company that allows it, but has pretty high rates. Can anyone recommend or suggest a company that you have that is reasonably priced and covers wood burning stoves? I live in Connecticut if that helps being that some insurance companies are not all over. Thanks for any help.

Bill

 

[AmbDrvr253]

I have travelers and have had no issues. I got a quote from All State as well with them being aware with no issues. Hope this helps.

 

[Poindexter]

Best case, you have a furnace of some kind and are running your wood stove for "supplemental" heat.

At my house, if the oil burner furnace kicks on I am not supplementing it enough with the wood stove, but my insurance agent knows I am running both.

Even up here, getting a homeowners policy with wood stove as primary heat source is expensive. Your wood stove is your "supplemental" hear source, correct?

 

[firefighterjake]

I have Travelers ... no increase in the premium. I was required to gave it professionally installed and the Fire Chief/Fire Inspector had to inspect it.

 

[ddahlgren]

Liberty Mutual no increase and said just install according to instructions or fire code. No inspection no increase in cost

 

[Simonkenton]

I am with Prudential. No increase in cost and they did not, to my astonishment, inspect the install. Here in North Carolina there is also no requirement from the state that a stove install be inspected.

And some of 'em should be as my neighbor, the Florida Yankee, burned down his house because he installed his own wood stove and didn't know what he was doing.

 

[Squisher]

To the people that have had no issue with their insurers just telling them make sure it's code compliant. That's all well and good but if you have a loss you'd better be damn sure your install was code compliant, because that's when they'll be sending an investigator to inspect and measure. Not saying anyone isn't code compliant, just bringing it up.

 

[billjr]

Thank you all very much for your very prompt and helpful reply's. First yes I do have an oiled fired furnace, but probably like some of you it only comes on when I let the fire burn down. This all started when I made a change to The Hartford via AARP who wanted the stove and metal liner removed from my masonry lined chimney for my fireplace. My stove sits on a raised masonry hearth and is metal lined through the entire length of the chimney, stove through the damper and all the way up. I have since changed to USAA because I heard they were veteran friendly and a great company. I guess you could say they're friendly, but not inexpensive, especially after being with them the second year. Again thank all of you for your suggestions which I will use on my search for a new insurance company. Oh and yes it does exceed code here.

 

[gnatboy911]

I have Farmers and there was no increase for the addition of a "supplemental" heater. Just install per manufacture specs. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[kennyp2339]

I have home site, (prudential company) When I installed my free standing stove I called them up, explained what I did, my contact told me it was a $50.00 a year surcharge, keep the stove manual, they did not ask for any type inspection and to my knowledge haven't been on my property to see the chimney. I guess insurance companies follow regional protocols.
I do have to say that prudential for me anyways seems like a solid company, I have both my house and car under them, I get some good discounts for combining them, plus they offer a first responder discount, another one from my company and an additional one for my yearly cevo cert. A penny save in NJ goes a long way lol

 

[Squisher]

It was mentioned earlier too but obviously listing your stove, insert, fireplace as supplemental heat makes it a lot easier with your insurance company. Just know that if your place burns down and it always had a $300 gas bill and then from the date you informed the insurer of your addition of 'supplemental' wood hear your gas bill drops to $30 and you have gas hot water it will potentially not be viewed as supplemental heat and your policy could be null and void.

I'm pointing out worst case scenario but is saving a couple hundred a year on your insurance really worth risking your coverage on probably the most expensive thing you'll ever own and insure?

It's all fine and dandy to 'cheat' the insurance company but when the tables are turned heaven forbid,no one wants to get 'cheated' by the insurance company because they gave false information on their policy.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Insurance companies go by a system that track a persons claims record. Im not sure how for back they go but if you make a lot of small claims(or any size claims) you will get higher rates ,or no coverage at all.. I once had my Homeowners insurance cancelled ,because a tenant in a property i managed made a lot of claims.
I didnt even own the property,just managed it and do the books.Just because my name appeared on the policy. It took me 6 months to get my homeowners insurance straightened out and get my name completely out of the business properties policys i manage. Every claim made on every property was going on my record.

 

[lml999]

Thank you all very much for your very prompt and helpful reply's. First yes I do have an oiled fired furnace, but probably like some of you it only comes on when I let the fire burn down. This all started when I made a change to The Hartford via AARP who wanted the stove and metal liner removed from my masonry lined chimney for my fireplace. My stove sits on a raised masonry hearth and is metal lined through the entire length of the chimney, stove through the damper and all the way up. I have since changed to USAA because I heard they were veteran friendly and a great company. I guess you could say they're friendly, but not inexpensive, especially after being with them the second year. Again thank all of you for your suggestions which I will use on my search for a new insurance company. Oh and yes it does exceed code here.

We've been with USAA for a *long* time. I would not go anywhere else...they've taken great care of my family through a couple of household issues and seem to be competitive in my area.

 

[jharkin]

I have Amica and have never had any problems.


Amica and USAA always top the rating charts for customer satisfaction and financial security among insurers. You pretty much cant go wrong choosing USAA if a veteran or Amica otherwise.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I had Progressive. They did a home inspection..and glanced at the woodstove...said nothing and gave me a policy with no upcharges.

Fast forward 1 year, I have had USAA for the past 2 years and they are 300 cheaper and my coverage is better. I get no upcharge for the stove and no one has ever inspected it or even mentioned it.
Zero mention of primary or secondary.

If you can get USAA, get them. They are a premium insurance company..unlike many others. I have them for home and auto and through two auto claims (neither my fault) they covered my deductable upfront without the other persons insurance company paying a cent yet.
3 days and I had a check in my hand.

 

[toddnic]

Nationwide. No inspection needed and was asked if it was installed to code specifications. No upcharge.

 

[bholler]

I got paid to inspect my own install. I thought it was hilarious when I got the check I hadn't even sent them a bill

 

[mark cline]

I have Preferred Mutual , just a form to fill out and have the local fire chief inspect it, sign off on it. No increase in premiums.

 

[Eagleknight]

Allstate here and I called them when I was going to install my insert. They said my fireplace was already on there and didn't want any additional information.

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[HisTreeNut]

State Farm... No issues with the stove. Can't say how they compare to any other company because they are all we have had since we got married 21 years ago...

 

[StinkyFlueStu]

Liberty Mutual no increase and said just install according to instructions or fire code. No inspection no increase in cost

I just notified Liberty Mutual that I'm planning on upgrading the existing fireplace, which they already knew about, with a stainless steel liner and an insert. They told me it would be an increase of "about" $70. Any idea what I did wrong?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I have yet for a company to ask about a wood stove and i have about 2 dozen properties insured.

 

[StinkyFlueStu]

I have yet for a company to ask about a wood stove and i have about 2 dozen properties insured.

Just because they don't ask doesn't mean they don't care...

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Just because they don't ask doesn't mean they don't care...

They do ask about swimming pools, dangerous dog breeds,trampolines ect. I have 2 house i cant get insurance on right now simply cuz they are not occupied.

 

[Dobish]

we have had statefarm and safeco, and neither seemed too interested in the installation. Both of my places had previous wood stoves or fire places. the current place was actually listed for 2, even though there is only 1 in the house, and the insurance agent just asked if "it looked like it was professionally installed". Being someone who had no idea what I was looking for said yes... and they said ok. A few days later, I tore noticed a big puddle of water coming out of the stove pipe, and when i got up into the attic noticed that it was very poorly installed. I tore the whole thing out, patched it up, and then a year later installed the new stove in a different location, with much more of a "professional installation".