Home Owners Insurance and Pellet Stoves

Hi Gang:

Back again for another thrilling season of pellet burning, 2018-19.

Got into a problem with home owners insurance.

Was shopping home owners insurance and when the company found out I had a pellet stove, they didn't want to insure. Told them it was secondary source as we have electric baseboard as the primary heating source (of course, never use.) Anyone have this issue? Any pellet friendly insurers? How do you handle this issue, if it ever came up for you?

Auggie

 

When I had my previous house w/ the stove, I had Liberty Mutual. They just needed to see the town inspectors report that the install was right, and good to go. But that was back in 2009.

 

What was their concern? Single heat source? Operator familiarity? Rental unit? Brand and UL compliance? Installation to manufacturers specifications? NFPA 211? Local building codes? What company if you don’t mind me (us) asking? Ask them what their specific issue is and how they would recommend you remedy it...

 

What that guy said. Most want something showing it’s been approved and/or inspected.

 

yea, they are usually looking for a stove permit, which would show it was professionally installed and inspected by the local town pellet stove guru

 

I didn't have to do that here. I just notified the insurance company and they noted it on my policy. No inspections or permits.

 

And I wish we all lived in a less regulated world........here in the illustrious and all-knowing, omnipotent Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we need permission and a permit from any number of state and federal agencies to get anything accomplished.

Cant tell you how many people want to get a stove permit years after the stove has been in place, because they are selling their house and need one. Ive not heard of a insurance co dumping paying customers for a legal stove install, but I dont think its out of the realm of truth, for sure! Sucks

 

Same experience here.

 

We've switched insurances since having ours installed. In both cases(when initially installed, adding it to the policy and switching carriers), they just asked if it was installed by a licensed professional. It was. I have receipts for that and a copy of the town engineer signing off when complete.

 

Farmers accepted our wood stove as the primary source of heat. And no inspection.

 

all depends on the underwriter ( and some of those people are really arcane) Never had a problem with the wood or pellet stoves- maybe a surcharge for same, but did have a problem with a underwriter that did not like the name of my shop- and suggest I change it- yea right, been the same name before that particular person was even conceived. changed ins co.

 

We have Country Financial here at the ranch.
The rep was here and did a walk through and looked at all 3 off the Pellet stoves.

Never said squat.

We have an electric forced air furnace (The we use for the air handler for AC only)

ONE TWO OR THREE PELLET STOVES GITTERDONE

 

Never had an issue with previous home owners. Didn't even charge for having them. Ins. I got a few years ago didn't charge too much for having them. Now got a renewel in mail. Has a questionnaire and wood burning stoves is in it, but not pellet. Will need to talk to my agent and go over the questions. They new years ago when I got the policy that I had the stoves. It's all about the money

 

I use a local insurance outfit here in WI. They never blink an eye with a pellet stove. They do come out and do a random inspection every three years,,,

 

Same here love living in a small town.