Insurance and wood stove in shop

[Floydster]

Well, I have had American Family home owners insurance for over 40 years.
Last summer an agent came and inspected my home and shop, saw that I had a wood
burning stove in my shop, well, I received a letter that I have to remove my wood stove
or they will not insure me anymore when the premium is due.

Called my agent and he said that is the new policy, however there hasn't ever been a claim
that he knows of concerning a wood stove in an outbuilding.
Now I either have to get rid of my $800 wood stove or go with another company,
everyone and their brother around here has a wood stove in their shop.
Thoughts?
Thanks, Floyd

[sparky45]

Farm Bureau, State Farm, et.al. have the same condition in their policies, at least here they do. I recently switched to a Propane heater, which in my opinion is just as dangerous as a wood stove.

[Rick Hodges]

I have a wood stove in the Cabin up North...I have to pay an extra $100 per year for insurance because of it. The stove and chimney must be UL approved and installed per some fire code. (so many inches of clearance from combustibles, ceilings, and height of chimney and distance from obstacles)
My agent said the problem was too many idiots with rusted out barrel stoves left a bad taste (and debit in accounts) in the companies mouths. It is my understanding that not all insurance companies will cover them. Shop around, but there is a price to be paid.

[labradigger1]

My homeowners insurance is through Erie. They are fine with it as long as it is an acceptable installation. Welded gas pipe flue is a no no.
Only problem I had with them is I heat my garage and home with wood and that's ok but they made me install electric base board heat for emergencies. I have a lp infrared on a wall now for such instances but they will not honor it. I said the electric heat doesn't work without power but the lp does. His reply was it is the under righters policy.

[bedbugbilly]

Unfortunately, that is the way it is becoming with many insurance companies. Their attitude is "like it or lump it".

As a former fireman, we had many calls over the years due to improperly installed wood stoves - single walled pipe used in the wrong places, chimney fires due to no maintenance and cleaning and fires due to flammable materials too near the stove, etc Some were minor fires and some were major fires with a complete loss for the homeowner.

I fully understand the use of wood stoves . . . I used to have one in my house and my shop but my insurance carrier put an end to that many years ago. In many places, ordinances have been passed by the municipalities banning wood burning - some for fire danger purposes and some for the resulting smoke causing problems for neighbors - especially for those with allergy or lung diseases. And other municipalities have passed ordinances requiring inspected installations - which of course costs the homeowner $$ and makes money for them.

While many feel it is unfair (and I agree in many cases) I have known some who just went ahead and did it. BUT . . . if they have a fire loss due to the wood stove, the insurance companies will often negate the policy due to the cause. A person could go ahead and just "do it" and "self insure" and see the heck with the insurance company. But is your investment in your house or outbuilding worth loosing over it if there is a fire? And if the structure is financed, the lending institution is going to require that the premises be covered to the extent of their equity for their protection.

Some have gone to installing "hasha" (I believe that's what it is caused) where the burner sits outside and away from the structure and the hot air is blown into the structure. We had several in our township that installed such a heater and the township ended up passing an ordinance against those types of heaters as well . . . claimed they were "unsightly" and the smoke could be an "irritant" to neighbors.

You could certainly check with other insurance companies and see what they could do for you . . there might be one out there that would allow it if properly installed and inspected (if required). . . but I have a feeling that if you find one that will do it, they'll probably require a "rider" to cover it. If your property/structures are financed though .. . just remember that IF you have a fire and your insurance does not cover the loss . . . you will still be on the hook for paying your financing off which can be a very costly situation.

If you have natural gas or propane . . check in to what heaters would cost that would heat the area you have. Then if you do find an insurance company that will insure with a wood burner, you can compare and see which is the better option.

Good luck to you and hope you can get some heat of some type that will keep you comfortable and satisfy all those who "dictate".

[Mytmousemalibu]

I would look first into another company then into a pellet stove and check with your insurance. You get the look and feel but they are not as harshly regulated against and work quite well. Sucky part is you have to buy your fuel vs. chopping your own. We've had two of them and loved them, plenty of heat plus the rustic beauty of a real fire. They do require electricity though so not any help if the power goes out.

[Handloader109]

Never had an inspection except when I put in a claim. I'd search for a new company before i changed. never had an insurance company ask how I heated an outbuilding. I'd not volunteer unless asked.

[LaPoint]

Rick Hodges hit the nail on the head. If the stove and flue are UL approved and installed in accordance with current fire/building code you shouldn't have a problem getting insurance. I have a corn stove in my home and it costs me an additional $50/yr on my policy. A friend just installed a corn stove in his garage and his insurance co. was OK with it. I also reside in West Central MN.

[leeggen]

In our area if you have a wood stove they won't insure you. But, get this , if nyou have a wood burner they will insure you. Ask our agent what the difference was and all he said was the wording. Yip makes good sense to me ---------I guess.
CD

[RogerDat]

Yes wood stove has to be in compliance with all fire codes for insurance to cover it. And some of that stuff can be a PITA. I seem to recall at one point looking into it and finding stove had to be raised x inches above floor so flammable gases that flow across the floor would not flow to it as easily.

There is a risk to a wood stove, insurance company views that risk in aggregate, your individual actions to maintain safety are not relevant beyond code compliance. I had a friend that used one in a garage shortly after buying a house, set the wall on fire. Drywall screws carried the heat back to the studs. We bought a house where the garage had two badly burned rafters from wood stove chimney. Burned the electric wires running on those rafters to black ribbons of charcoal.

Point is expect to get it inspected for code compliance and pay an extra price. Just the way it is, you pay for the stupid stuff others have experienced. No different if you purchase a car with a higher risk of being stolen. Has nothing to do with your specific risk but rather is based on an overall risk.

[MaryB]

I looked at wood for heating my new garage, extra $200 a year premium... the gas bill for a small furnace will run about the same but no maintenance. And no stacking wood/feeding the fire etc.

[Frank46]

State Farm wouldn't insure the house until I removed the diving board for the pool. Then they sent out someone to check that it had been removed. Funny thing as the diving board had been there for over 20 years. Frank

[Floydster]

Thank you everyone for replying, I guess I will be going with a propane ceiling hung heater.
Too much of a hassle otherwise, life goes on, less freedom, more restrictions.
Sure did enjoy the smell of burning oak My agent said I don't have to comply with the change till this May, when my insurance is due, so I get to enjoy it yet.
Floydster

[MT Gianni]

My homeowners insurance is through Erie. They are fine with it as long as it is an acceptable installation. Welded gas pipe flue is a no no.
Only problem I had with them is I heat my garage and home with wood and that's ok but they made me install electric base board heat for emergencies. I have a lp infrared on a wall now for such instances but they will not honor it. I said the electric heat doesn't work without power but the lp does. His reply was it is the under righters policy.

I have never seen an LP infrared that was listed as a primary heat source, all have been listed and UL approved as a supplemental heat source. The issue is mainly the lack of a venting system.

[Tackleberry41]

Insurance companies are only trying to stack the deck in their favor, by removing as much risk on their side as possible. Wood stoves are like guns, used properly they are safe. But we all know what happens when morons use them. And there are plenty who will use whatever is cheapest to put in a wood stove. It was expensive to put in the approved triple walled stuff, its lasts a really long time, but most go for cheapest. And they are also the same people who will say 'it will be okay a few inches closer to the wall'. Insurance companies would be better served figuring out who the idiots were and cancelling their policies, vs simply making us all pay for it. But we all know thats not how things are done.

[runfiverun]

I told my INS. man it was not a wood stove chimney but was a vent hood for my gas check [copper] annealing tool, and he didn't even question me.

[dragon813gt]

On a somewhat funny note. I had to fight w/ my insurance company because I didn't have a wood stove. All they did was a visual inspection of the outside of the home. The masonry chimney was in such disrepair that the previous homeowner installed an all fuel chimney. It's looks absolutely horrible but meets code. They just assumed I had a wood stove and wanted to charge me a ridiculous amount because of it. It took two different inspections to make them understand I had natural gas fired equipment hooked up to it. The pictures I sent to them weren't good enough. HVAC is my trade so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm looking at :laugh:

[MaryB]

Funny thing is my grandpa had an old pot belly wood stove in his wood shop. Single wall pipe up through a roof jack. Sawdust everywhere because he made a lot of the toys I grew up playing. He never had an issue except the time grandma started a fire and his hidden bottle of whiskey exploded and started the floor(sheet of tin under it) on fire when it sprayed out the door cracks.

[FISH4BUGS]

If the insurance companies decided to not insure anyone with wood stoves, they would not have any business here in rural NH. On a cold winter morning with no wind, you can actually see the haze and smell the wood burning from the wood stoves from miles around. EVERYONE uses them here.
The only thing our insurance company wants to know was 1) the installation of the stove done by a licensed professional, and 2) do we have the chimney cleaned annually by a licensed professional.
The insurance company sent someone out to inspect the farm house when we bought it and they were adamant about the professional licensed part of the stove. When I showed the inspector the receipt for the installation, they were happy.
I'm not sure we get charged more for the stove.

[rondog]

Wow, something I never would have thought of!

What about built-in wood burning fireplaces?