Wood stoves and insurance

[smartc]

I've just finished building my new man cave and have been told by my insurance company that they will not insure me because I have put a wood stove in there. The stove is new, certified, professionally installed and on a concrete floor. I expected a hike in premiums but not for them to decline coverage. My fault for not checking further beforehand, I guess.

That said, can anyone on here point me to an insurance company that will provide coverage with a wood stove installed in an out building? Appears to be a few threads that mention this but I didn't see one specifically on that topic. If not comfortable sharing company name publicly, drop me a PM. I'd rather not tear out my stove!

Corey

[rccam1]

I'm with RBC insurance and have a detached garage with a wood stove. All they did was send one of their inspectors out to check the installation. There were no issues and all is good.

[bsmitty27]

Intact has never given me a issue. 2 wood stoves in garage and one in the shop.

[pointer]

I just bought a new house that has a wood stove in the basement and co operators had no issues whit giving me insurance put it all trough yesterday no issues at all

[smartc]

Awesome! Thanks guys. Will check them out.

[Zip]

Originally Posted by pointer

I just bought a new house that has a wood stove in the basement and co operators had no issues whit giving me insurance put it all trough yesterday no issues at all

x2 on co operators...they have been good with us as well

[omega50]

Some years back our insurance company was putting us through the wringer about our long existing woodstove and were going to decline future coverage unless I paid to have a WETT inspector come out rurally at my cost.
Having no previous claims in 20 years I was more than ****ed off.
Father-in-law asked if I was happy about it.
I said"No"
He said "Dump them and find another insurer"

I did and lived happily ever after-well until the divorce

[blacknorthernjk]

Originally Posted by Zip

x2 on co operators...they have been good with us as well

Watch out for them, they're all to happy to take your money but should you ever need a claim....
I suppose that likelihood goes for most all insurance companies, but my recent dealing with cooperators specifically, garbage absolute garbage

[Zip]

Originally Posted by blacknorthernjk

Watch out for them, they're all to happy to take your money but should you ever need a claim....
I suppose that likelihood goes for most all insurance companies, but my recent dealing with cooperators specifically, garbage absolute garbage

Sorry to hear that you have had a rough go with them..just a few months ago i had all my camera equipment stolen as well as a few other things while we were in Jamaica..i put a claim in and i had a cheque in my hands within 2 weeks of making the claim...but we have been with them for close to 16 years,the people in the office here were nothing short of Awesome to deal with very friendly and helped us to even fill out the paper work..I think sometimes it all depends on the people who are right in the office that makes the difference..

[blacknorthernjk]

Originally Posted by Zip

Sorry to hear that you have had a rough go with them..just a few months ago i had all my camera equipment stolen as well as a few other things while we were in Jamaica..i put a claim in and i had a cheque in my hands within 2 weeks of making the claim...but we have been with them for close to 16 years,the people in the office here were nothing short of Awesome to deal with very friendly and helped us to even fill out the paper work..I think sometimes it all depends on the people who are right in the office that makes the difference..

And in the fairness of full disclosure my instance was an auto insurance claim, 100% the other guys fault...BUT...he also was insured through the cooperators
So in handling my claim they were in full conservation mode

[bison]

In my case Co-operators did insure my wood stove only if i listed it as secondary heat source.
I have a nat gas furnace too so it was no problem but insuring a wood stove is only 10% of the battle.
The fight to get the claim paid will start when you burn the house down because of it.
Don't hold your breath.

Insurance gives one only the "right to sue"

[smartc]

Originally Posted by rccam1

I'm with RBC insurance and have a detached garage with a wood stove. All they did was send one of their inspectors out to check the installation. There were no issues and all is good.

Just as a follow up, when I called RBC they informed me that this is outside of their underwriting policy and declined to provide coverage. Meeting with a broker on Monday and will advise here of outcome.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Isn't Co-operators anti-reloading? No personal experience with them, but I seem to recall a thread on the topic.

ARG

[rccam1]

Originally Posted by smartc

Just as a follow up, when I called RBC they informed me that this is outside of their underwriting policy and declined to provide coverage. Meeting with a broker on Monday and will advise here of outcome.

They may have had a change in policy since I switched to them about four years ago although my coverage is still in place.

[Peterupnorth]

It must be a 'regional' thing. Up here in the Peace there would be a civil uprising if they didn't insure wood stove heat. About 70% of homes in our area heat with wood. And all different companies.
Many will require photos or spec sheet outlining clearances. Most do not charge extra, though many will try.
On the other side of the coin. I did some inspections and chimney cleaning for a few years........ohgawd....some people don't seem to think the chimney ever needs cleaned. Really; when you have almost as much smoke coming out of the stove as the chimney.......makes one understand the insurers point of view.

[alacringa]

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

Isn't Co-operators anti-reloading? No personal experience with them, but I seem to recall a thread on the topic.

ARG

I don't know, but I know that between the time of my verbal quote, and the time of the implementation of the insurance for my house, the yearly payment doubled. I went up one side of them, and down the other, but all I got was "sorry, it was an error." When my renewal comes up in August, I'm switching both home and auto.

[rottie]

Try Peace Hills they just asked my stove be WETT certified

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Peterupnorth

It must be a 'regional' thing. Up here in the Peace there would be a civil uprising if they didn't insure wood stove heat. About 70% of homes in our area heat with wood. And all different companies.
Many will require photos or spec sheet outlining clearances. Most do not charge extra, though many will try.
On the other side of the coin. I did some inspections and chimney cleaning for a few years........ohgawd....some people don't seem to think the chimney ever needs cleaned. Really; when you have almost as much smoke coming out of the stove as the chimney.......makes one understand the insurers point of view.

your right there would be an uprising here for sure..and good reminder that people need to clean their chimneys way more than they think,Thanks for mentioning.

[PAXMAC77]

I bank with Servus Credit Union and they used Johnson Insurance. After checking them out they cut my insurance by half compared to the co-operators on my home a vehicles.

Just FYI

[Dick284]

Lots of horror stories about Co-Operator's and re-loading, just go over to CGN and read about it.

[Freedom55]

Over here in SGI land homeowners are required to have 7 Certificates of Compliance (?) for a wood burning stove or an insert style fireplace. Natural rock fireplaces need one.

Put a non-certified one in your shop and the house burns down, tough luck. Live in the shop.

Free

[smartc]

Originally Posted by Freedom55

Live in the shop.

I think that's what my wife has in mind for me. Might try that angle when I talk to the broker.

Corey

[benamen]

Originally Posted by Freedom55

Over here in SGI land homeowners are required to have 7 Certificates of Compliance (?) for a wood burning stove or an insert style fireplace. Natural rock fireplaces need one.

Put a non-certified one in your shop and the house burns down, tough luck. Live in the shop.

Free

Is that something new? I have never been asked for any details other than the make and model of stove I have. And I just installed my Blaze King just over a year ago. The one thing that bothers me is that since the installation of this newer, safer stove, whenever the renewal policy comes out, it states I am not covered for fire from a solid fuel appliance. I call in and complain and the policy gets reworded. Two renewals now this has happened. So ensure you read your policy when you receive it.

[winmag]

be careful of a few of those guys and yes gals also , especially the little guy out of Red Deer [ cannot remember his name, but i will have a bill somewhere] , best use insurance recommended inspector or one recommended by a large store for the best result [ i found one in the yellow pages, learned a expensive lesson] . Learn to maintain your wood stove and stack to keep the maintenance costs down and enjoy.

[Freedom55]

Maybe so benamen. My broker said "remove the wood burner or we will not insure the premises" when I tried to buy insurance while my old Dad was living in the place, about 6 or 7 years ago. I believed him. My policy states no solid fuel stoves and I am not prepared to chance a non-compliance that may void my policy.

Having said that, there is not enough money paid out on this house to cart the ashes away and replace the foundation in the event of a fire. But I have a tenant now who may not be so careful with matches as me and I don't need the grief. And that old cook stove lives in the garden now.

Free