Insurance?

[danham]

It's been a bunch of years since I last did this, so remind me, are we supposed to notify our homeowner's insurance company that we are having a wood-burning insert installed in our new (to us) house? Is there any inspection that has to be done?

Thanks,

-dan

 

[bholler]

It's been a bunch of years since I last did this, so remind me, are we supposed to notify our homeowner's insurance company that we are having a wood-burning insert installed in our new (to us) house? Is there any inspection that has to be done?

Thanks,

-dan

Yes you should notify them. Inspection requirements will be set by your local govt and your insurance company

 

[firefighterjake]

My personal experience, work experience and just hanging around here for a few years says . . . yes . . . you should contact your insurance company.

The insurance company may do nothing, may increase your premium, may want to come out to do their own inspection, may want the town or fire department to do an inspection or in some cases may want to drop you entirely.

In my case the insurance company required the installation be done by a "professional" and I had to have the fire department fill out some paperwork. No change in premium.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I work for a company. As long as it’s not your primary heat source they normally won’t have an issue, but a change in rate or an inspection is possible. A DIY install could be an issue.

By “not your primary” I mean you have a thermostat controlled heater that automatically comes on. Frozen / burst pipes are the biggest concern there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Grizzerbear]

I told mine and premium went up 50 bucks a year. They didnt even come out and inspect. Had me take a few pics of clearances and show em that they were within bucks specs. Really depends on the company as to how strict they are.

 

[Grizzerbear]

And yeah you better tell them. If sumthin happened god forbid.....u would b screwed.

 

[Dataman]

My Insurance Co wanted copies of Permit and Paperwork. Had it done by Stove Seller.

 

[bholler]

Many areas don't require any sort of permit though so it really varies allot

 

[Sodbuster]

I would tell your insurance agent, not necessarily the insurance company. All mine wanted was a copy of the installation manual, with clearances, and a picture of the final install.

 

[bholler]

I would tell your insurance agent, not necessarily the insurance company. All mine wanted was a copy of the installation manual, with clearances, and a picture of the final install.

You insurance agent is simply a salesman. Just telling them without them forwarding it on will do absolutely nothing.

 

[Sodbuster]

You insurance agent is simply a salesman. Just telling them without them forwarding it on will do absolutely nothing.

I've been with the same insurance broker for 15 years, they consulted the insurance company on my behalf, and that is what the insurance company asked for.

 

[bholler]

I've been with the same insurance broker for 15 years, they consulted the insurance company on my behalf, and that is what the insurance company asked for.

Ok I just wanted to be sure people understand that the answers your agent or brokers gives you mean nothing unless they come from the actual insurance company

 

[Pertzbro]

I own an insurance agency with 18 employees. Call your agent.

 

[CenterTree]

Curious (and a bit of the devil's advocate here). But do we tell our Ins Co when we put in a fire pit in the yard? What about a new propane cookstove in the kitchen? If we install a space heater in the basement or an ARC welder in the garage, should we tell them too?
Xmas lights on power strips used to be a huge cause of household fires, does the Ins Co require notice of my Xmas tree?

My (MAYBE SILLY) point is... why is it assumed or why is it presumed we MUST tell them about our woodstoves? When/where did this "rule" come to take effect? Or did we all just bring it on ourselves by "thinking" we need to inform all authorizes of all our actions, all the time?

Just some FUEL for thought. LOL.

 

[Mech e]

Curious (and a bit of the devil's advocate here). But do we tell our Ins Co when we put in a fire pit in the yard? What about a new propane cookstove in the kitchen? If we install a space heater in the basement or an ARC welder in the garage, should we tell them too?
Xmas lights on power strips used to be a huge cause of household fires, does the Ins Co require notice of my Xmas tree?

My (MAYBE SILLY) point is... why is it assumed or why is it presumed we MUST tell them about our woodstoves? When/where did this "rule" come to take effect? Or did we all just bring it on ourselves by "thinking" we need to inform all authorizes of all our actions, all the time?

Just some FUEL for thought. LOL.

I would say Read Your Policy. If you have a casualty, your policy is the contract you have with the insurance company. If there is language in the policy that refers to informing them of changes to your home (a wood stove in this case), I would do it. At the end of the day it is a business. If the contract gives them an out for paying on a claim, they will take it.

 

[ColdNorCal]

Changed insurance companies recently and they asked about having a wood burning stove. They required 5 pics - both sides, front, where the flu enters into the chimney and where flu exits roof/chimney. Installed everything myself with the help of this forum and was very nervous about the verdict . It took three loooong days before they emailed me accepting the wood stove.

 

[Pertzbro]

Curious (and a bit of the devil's advocate here). But do we tell our Ins Co when we put in a fire pit in the yard? What about a new propane cookstove in the kitchen? If we install a space heater in the basement or an ARC welder in the garage, should we tell them too?
Xmas lights on power strips used to be a huge cause of household fires, does the Ins Co require notice of my Xmas tree?

My (MAYBE SILLY) point is... why is it assumed or why is it presumed we MUST tell them about our woodstoves? When/where did this "rule" come to take effect? Or did we all just bring it on ourselves by "thinking" we need to inform all authorizes of all our actions, all the time?

Just some FUEL for thought. LOL.

Think of a solid fuel heating device like a trampoline or a pool. If you dont let them know, they are not rating for it and can cancel your coverage at any time for not being open about your risk when policy was put in force. They can also exclude claims because you were not upfront with them to begin with. Some companies will not write homes with solid fuel heat. Some wont insure with pools or trampolines. This is based on their own underwriting guidelines and contracts they also make with their own insurance companies (called re-insurance). If you're not open and truthful, they can exclude any claims from being, like the law - ignorance is not an excuse.

EDIT: It should also be noted not all insurance is the same. It's different from company to company and form type to form type. Form type explained here: https://www.esurance.com/info/homeowners/types-of-homeowners-insurance-explained

 

[danham]

Thanks, folks. Called my agent. She emailed a simple form to submit and predicts little or no premium increase.

-dan

 

[Sodbuster]

I own an insurance agency with 18 employees. Call your agent.

Agent or company? We have members promoting each one. I called my agent.

 

[bholler]

Agent or company? We have members promoting each one. I called my agent.

Call your agent they will contact the insurance company on your behalf. The only statement I had an issue with was saying tell your agent not nessecarily your insurance company.

 

[Sodbuster]

Call your agent they will contact the insurance company on your behalf. The only statement I had an issue with was saying tell your agent not nessecarily your insurance company.

Interesting, because I've never called my insurance company for anything. The quote, and the home data, size, type of construction, flooring, outbuildings, decking, contents etc. all went through the agent. If the insurance company didn't rely on these people, why would they pay them? If a company can sell their widgets without a salesman getting a cut, why use them in the first place?

 

[bholler]

Interesting, because I've never called my insurance company for anything. The quote, and the home data, size, type of construction, flooring, outbuildings, decking, contents etc. all went through the agent. If the insurance company didn't rely on these people, why would they pay them? If a company can sell their widgets without a salesman getting a cut, why use them in the first place?

Exactly what I said. Contact your agent and they will contact the company on your behalf. Again I had no issue at all with saying contact your agent. Just what I thought was a statement implying that you should somehow not tell the insurance company.

 

[Sodbuster]

Exactly what I said. Contact your agent and they will contact the company on your behalf. Again I had no issue at all with saying contact your agent. Just what I thought was a statement implying that you should somehow not tell the insurance company.

Fair enough

 

[Ludlow]

My Ins company sent me a questionnaire before renewal this year. Asks questions like: Year that roof was installed?, Trampoline?, pool?, solid fuel heating appliance?, business conducted on premises?.

You dont necessarily have to inform them every move you make. If they send you a questionnaire and you lie then you are screwed. If they blindly renew you year after year without inquiring with you then they are kind of on the hook. If there is language in your policy that you must notify them then you are on the hook. Install an unlisted appliance or against manufacturer instructions then you are negligent. So many sentences for a lawyer to drool over. If it were me, in my home, I would talk to them upfront and do it right. My opinion.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think I've mentioned this before, but probably worth mentioning again.

A number of years ago my father installed an outdoor wood boiler. While billed as safe (and probably they are), long story, short the stove ended up burning their house down. The investigation determined the cause to either be faulty wiring or a hot ember rolled out and came to rest against the shed he built around the outdoor wood boiler so he could stay dry while loading the stove in the rain and snow (in retrospect I suspect he wished he had put down something more than a flush concrete pad and had knee walls or a footer instead of bringing the wooden walls right to the pad.)

In any case, the insurance company came out and after several weeks of screwing around ended up denying their full replacement insurance policy and settled with them for a lump sum as they said he had not told them about the wood boiler . . . or the attached indoor pool come to think of it.