Homeowners Insurance references

[huntview]

Hello Everyone,

Those of you who heat only with a wood stove, who provides your homeowners insurance? Specifically asking members who currently have HO insurance.

Am located in Maryland. The HO insurance I have just renewed for $400 more per year It's difficult to shop around because of non-conventional heating.

Are there agents who insure in the New England states licensed in Maryland that anyone is aware of? Or is there an insurance company (other than the well known names) that can be recommended? People who own cabins, who do you use?

Thanking you in advance for your guidance.

 

[Caw]

I think you'll find 99% of us who heat with wood also have a backup system of some kind to appease the insurance companies and for if we are out of town, sick, or injured etc. Whether that is a furnace, heat pump, mini splits, baseboard etc. If your only heat in the structure is wood you're going to have a hard time insuring it.

I personally heat 100% with wood but have a heat pump and resistance strips as back up. My insurance only went up a touch when I installed my stove because I added it to the policy. They were totally fine with it after I submitted documentation that it was installed professionally and inspected by the town.

Our carrier The Andover Companies/Merrimack Mutual through a local agent here in MA.

 

[all night moe]

Get yourself some electric baseboard for backup. Not even required in every room, insurance wise. Just the key rooms with plumbing.
No one said you have to turn them on.

 

[stoveliker]

^^ That.
Cheapest way, and you can keep them off.

 

[mellow]

Or for that matter install a MR Cool unit and have dual use in the summer with air conditioning. Heck, even costco sells the DIY units now and they really do work for heating.

 

[huntview]

Get yourself some electric baseboard for backup. Not even required in every room, insurance wise. Just the key rooms with plumbing.
No one said you have to turn them on.

Such a creative response!! Never thought outside of the box! Thank you.

 

[huntview]

I think you'll find 99% of us who heat with wood also have a backup system of some kind to appease the insurance companies and for if we are out of town, sick, or injured etc. Whether that is a furnace, heat pump, mini splits, baseboard etc. If your only heat in the structure is wood you're going to have a hard time insuring it.

I personally heat 100% with wood but have a heat pump and resistance strips as back up. My insurance only went up a touch when I installed my stove because I added it to the policy. They were totally fine with it after I submitted documentation that it was installed professionally and inspected by the town.

Our carrier The Andover Companies/Merrimack Mutual through a local agent here in MA.

I think you'll find 99% of us who heat with wood also have a backup system of some kind to appease the insurance companies and for if we are out of town, sick, or injured etc. Whether that is a furnace, heat pump, mini splits, baseboard etc. If your only heat in the structure is wood you're going to have a hard time insuring it.

I personally heat 100% with wood but have a heat pump and resistance strips as back up. My insurance only went up a touch when I installed my stove because I added it to the policy. They were totally fine with it after I submitted documentation that it was installed professionally and inspected by the town.

Our carrier The Andover Companies/Merrimack Mutual through a local agent here in MA.

Another good point made; there would be a need for backup when not healthy. The house is a 670 sq ft shack essentially. Don't want to put a lot of money into installing an HVAC system, and q mini-split quote was 10K. Baseboard heating could be the ticket. When I sell, the house will be torn down....it's the acreage that will be the selling point (and no, it cannot be subdivided).