Just want to let everyone know that if you install a wood insert, wood stove ,ETC Let your home owners insurance CO know !!! I did and found out that this insurance CO will not insure a unit like that ! I did get a policy from another CO & I'm good to go. There's no ifs or buts ! Cover yourself !!
I have found that insurance companies are UN-educated (ignorant) when it comes to venting requirements for wood stoves.
With so many people heating with wood , and people adding stoves to help offset fuel bills , why wouldn't have a addendum on the policy??
Insurance stuff can get crazy! You have to dot the i's and cross the t's for sure! I had to rebuild the entire chase on my house because one member was 3/4" too close in order to get covered. Anymore you have to play the game or you are left out in the cold. A guy I knew worked as an adjuster and got sent down to NOLA when Katrina hit. He said it was the worst thing he's ever had to do because his company had them deny most everyone's claims. The reason was that they had hurricane insurance and not flood insurance. When the levys broke that was considered a seperate "peril" (flood) than the hurricane (wind damage)
My ins co was far from ignorant. They had me fill out a solid fuel wood burning device questionnaire and required a signed permit from the building inspector on the installation. The venting requirements fell onto to the building inspector.
Insurance co. policies - totally designed to be able to wiggle out of just about anything. Just a legalized version of Guidio selling protection down on the corner.
Same here I told them when we built the new house that I was thinking of a wood stove. They told us to let them know if we put one in. After the install they sent us the paperwork for the building inspector to sign. I don't think it changed the policy $ but covers us if something did happen. They also like to see that the chimney gets cleaned as needed.
My company covered my house but not one in my detached block garage..... so I use an open flame propane contractors heater in there. Craziness.
Thanks for this post, which reminds me to contact our insurance Co. They came out, measured, took pictures, compared to manual specs and copied the installer's report a few weeks ago. The previous stove here was rejected. I gotta be sure this is added ($35 / year extra).
My agent came out and looked at my install. He asked about the hearth and tile surround than asked me if it was up to code. Um.....I thought that was what you were suppose to determine. Luckily I could honestly say yes and he was happy and walked away.
