[fistfulladirt]

I recently changed insurance companies from State Farm to Farm Bureau. They don’t like my wood stove pad which is exactly per manufacturer’s specs. They’ve cancelled my policy. Their specs are ridiculous. Has anyone here had to deal with a similar circumstance?

 

[tyusclan]

My wife's sister and her husband built a log house several years ago, and he wanted to put a wood stove in. His insurance company (don't remember who it was now) would not insure it with a stove, but would insure a fireplace. It didn't matter how it was installed, a wood stove was a flat no-go. I thought it was idiotic then, and think so now.

You'll probably have to shop around and try to find a company that will insure you.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I recently changed insurance companies from State Farm to Farm Bureau. They don’t like my wood stove pad which is exactly per manufacturer’s specs. They’ve cancelled my policy. Their specs are ridiculous. Has anyone here had to deal with a similar circumstance?

My stove was professionally installed. I my have to re-engineer and go with an outdoor burner if I can’t get coverage.

 

[Ready?mom]

We were told today that insurance companies are going to start requiring a separate policy for any fires in the house. She said it’s not just California, but other states as well since it’s the insurance companies and not the states coming up with the rules. Your regular homeowners’ policies will not cover any fires, and not just wildfires. Propane tanks and wood stoves are cause for cancellation or non-renewal. She said eventually they will all probably be the same.

 

[GrizzlyetteAdams]

When I designed my home, I did it with a woodstove in mind. Before making final plans, I called several insurance companies and asked them to send me a written statement of their woodstove clearance requirements. (How far from the walls should the stove be, etc. etc.)

Some of the companies varied slightly from what is generally accepted as safe clearance. I went above and beyond what was required and added a few more inches to make sure that there would be no way for them to deny any future claims I would make, based on "not enough clearance" or something like that.

 

[barnetmill]

Mime is next to a bare block wall. I am currently not insured.

 

[hawgy54]

When I bought my home, it was all log. Allstate wouldnt even insure because of that. I have wood stove on rock pad and rock wall up to ceiling, my insurance co has no problems.

 

[tyusclan]

We were told today that insurance companies are going to start requiring a separate policy for any fires in the house. She said it’s not just California, but other states as well since it’s the insurance companies and not the states coming up with the rules. Your regular homeowners’ policies will not cover any fires, and not just wildfires. Propane tanks and wood stoves are cause for cancellation or non-renewal. She said eventually they will all probably be the same.

The insurance industry is a powerful and well-funded lobby. They can get just about any regulation or law that they ask for. Here in Florida, hurricanes are a separate part of your insurance. Your normal coverage may have a $500 deductible, but hurricane damage can have anywhere from $5000 (as ours was with Michael) to 2% of the covered amount. My son-in-law's dad (he's an attorney) had an $18,000 deductible on his office.

 

[RobertSWMissouri]

We had insurance for years, was cancelled when they found out we had an outdoor boiler. Got another insurance, was cancelled a month later when they found out it was earth sheltered. Went through a LOT of insurance companies, found NONE that would cover all 3 of the 'odd' things. We finally found 2 FARM plans, where an out door boiler, wood stove in the house, and the house earth sheltered was OK and covered liability for the entire farm, and both were quite a bit cheaper ! Went with United Home Insurance Company and have been with them about 5 years now. Coverage for 2 rental houses too through them. Had one claim on that that was fast and smooth via our agent:
Alex Parker, McGaughey Insurance, Harrison, AR 72601 (we are in no way affiliated with him/them, just low prices and good service recommendation. Not sure how many states they cover, I know AR and MO for sure).

 

[Rockin90]

State Farm canceled our insurance for a wood stove that didn't even exist. We had an oil furnace, so it had a small chimney in the middle of the house. They came out one day when nobody was home and took pictures of it and said we had a wood stove and they would not allow it. Even after allowing them to do an in person home inspection and verify that there was no wood stove they still gave us problems. When we could no longer get parts for the oil furnace due to age, we had a central heat and air put in. Took them the paper work to show all work was done, took pictures and invited them in for inspection. We received a letter from them cancelling our policy due to our wood stove.

 

[wellbuilt]

I own 3 houses in ny all with wood stove and no one even looks at them ? I walk a adjuster thru may house last year and he did not even look or ask about the stove.

 

[wellbuilt]

I do have a friend in NJ that had a snap inspection from his homeowners insurance inspector and they gave him two months to replace the shingles on his roof ?
They we’re a little discolored but they weren’t curling up , I’m sure he had 5/10 years left on them .
I wrote them a report and recommendation on the condition of the roof but they didn’t want to hear it so it was replaced ? Seams crazy

 

[Hick Industries]

I just completed a Cedar Log Home in eastern Oklahoma. I purchased a very nice woods stove (Hearthstone) and had the stove dealer install it. My Farm Bureau agent walked through after the stove was installed and had no problem covering the house.

I also have a wood stove installed in my shop, and this building is also covered.

 

[Don H]

State Farm canceled our insurance for a wood stove that didn't even exist. We had an oil furnace, so it had a small chimney in the middle of the house. They came out one day when nobody was home and took pictures of it and said we had a wood stove and they would not allow it. Even after allowing them to do an in person home inspection and verify that there was no wood stove they still gave us problems. When we could no longer get parts for the oil furnace due to age, we had a central heat and air put in. Took them the paper work to show all work was done, took pictures and invited them in for inspection. We received a letter from them cancelling our policy due to our wood stove.

I've had State Farm for 30 years and they've never looked at my house or said anything about our 2 stoves. Maybe it's more agent driven than company policy?

 

[Ready?mom]

I think that it’s anything that brings attention to your home. In our case it was a change of address to a PO Box, although she said it would have happened eventually anyway. We skated under the radar for 15 months with neighbors being cancelled or non-renewed right and left and thought maybe we were ok. The agent gets the call from corporate and you get the letter.

 

[Don H]

Maybe because you're in California? High earthquake and fire risk?

If State Farm were to cancel my homeowners they'd also loose 3 vehicles I insure with them.

 

[Ready?mom]

I thought it was because of being in California but it’s other states as well. We have the fire issue but states in hurricane areas have had to get hurricane insurance. We have earthquake insurance, flood insurance, homeowners, etc. Insurance companies are starting to go for the a la carte method of selling policies. Unfortunately your single 1,000 dollar policy is now 3 or 4 (or more) parts that add up to much more.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

I built this house myself, it has never seen a building inspector. After 15 years with no insurance, we decided that we wanted to get a mortgage so we were forced to get insurance.

Went through the whole routine with many different insurance companies, lots of photos of our woodstove, and biggest issue was that we have a mixed-breed dog.

 

[fistfulladirt]

All fine and dandy until you make a claim. And get shot down. My worry.

 

[n1d]

CAW!

Easy fix, don't reside in cold weather areas.

No need for a wood stove on the gulf coast.

ymmv of course