Insurance for a primary residence log cabin

[Dkny1121]

Hello. Recently sold my house in the city and am in process of buying a Log Cabin to be my primary residence. All insurance I have tried through my broker are denying insurance. Anyone recommend a company or broker who can help me get insurance?

[burbotman]

Contact Drayden Insurance out of St Albert. Shawna is great to deal with and they are great with rural properties

[Dkny1121]

Thanks I called and left her msg

[riden]

Originally Posted by Dkny1121

Hello. Recently sold my house in the city and am in process of buying a Log Cabin to be my primary residence. All insurance I have tried through my broker are denying insurance. Anyone recommend a company or broker who can help me get insurance?

I am very curious why they won't serve you? I am planning something similar in a few years.

I once had trouble getting my home insured when it used a wood stove as primary heat. Is that it?

[Talking moose]

I’m betting it’s too far from fire truck response?

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I’m betting it’s too far from fire truck response?

Not sure of the company, but my buddy got a substantially better rate for having a metal roof.


Grizz

[blgoodbrand1]

Living in a log house myself, insurance providers are difficult it find and you pay plenty with the few that do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ddeacon]

Found myself in a similar situation... my log home was 1.2 kms too far from the nearest firehall... had a friend who is involved in insurance adjusting and he pointed me towards menonite mutual insurance... no problems getting coverage and seemed like a reasonable price. (You don't have to be Mennonite to get their insurance)

[riden]

Originally Posted by ddeacon

Found myself in a similar situation... my log home was 1.2 kms too far from the nearest firehall... had a friend who is involved in insurance adjusting and he pointed me towards menonite mutual insurance... no problems getting coverage and seemed like a reasonable price. (You don't have to be Mennonite to get their insurance)

Just pointing out, I had a fire and rebuilt. My Mennonite contractor said they were the worst insurance company to deal with. I’ve heard many complaints from others who say it’s changed from what is used to be. Their application of polices is pretty liberal though.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Let's face it, a log home is a status symbol. Don't whine when you have to buy insurance for your fire trap.

Grizz

[Lost Arrow]

I have an old cabin in the foothills near Millarville. Wood siding and only heated with a wood stove or electric space heaters. Likely 100 years old. I now use Dyck Insurance from Wetaskiwin. The original insurance company dropped me due to the old wood burning cook stove and fireplace. I think 13 kms from a fire hall is the magic number, they don't like you to be further than that.
Dyck Insurance has been great. I did the Whet (sp) questionnaire and that was it.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by burbotman

Contact Drayden Insurance out of St Albert. Shawna is great to deal with and they are great with rural properties

Agree, that is who I use. Even on this years renewal she managed to save me a big chunk off of what I paid last year. It may take her a day or two to get back to you. I talked to her a couple of weeks ago and between being short staffed and virtually everyone shopping their insurance they are just slammed with quote requests.

[trapperdodge]

Distance from a responding fire hall is a big factor. Insurance companies know any fire will result in a total loss.

The cost of replacing a log cabin is another issue. Usually 2 or 3x a stick built dwelling.

Wood as the primary source of heat is another problem.

[Dkny1121]

Bump.

So I found a company but unfortunately ended up having a claim and they booted me from being insured with them. Looked around almost everywhere and the premiums are 12k-15k a year which is obviously outrageous. Anyone have any other ideas?

[colt45]

I have my log house insured through co-operators- Bradie Anderson in lloydminster 780-808-2000

[Peace Meal Farm]

Originally Posted by Dkny1121

Bump.

So I found a company but unfortunately ended up having a claim and they booted me from being insured with them. Looked around almost everywhere and the premiums are 12k-15k a year which is obviously outrageous. Anyone have any other ideas?

At that price I would roll the dice without it (assuming no mortgage). North of $1 000/monthly to cover anything other than a mansion in a flood zone seems loony tunes to me.

This is an interesting thread for me as I am at the beginning stages of building a log home in Alberta. My Norwood mill will be showing up here to the farm in the next week or so, and come the week of the 17th I have 3 truck loads of standing dead spruce being delivered. I do plan to build this cash - no mortgage, so no actual requirement to carry insurance.

Thinking aloud here - I wonder if a guy could purchase a home policy but limit the payout in order to keep premiums low; insuring the log home for $300 000 replacement cost (or value owing on the mortgage??) but keeping the premiums in the $200/month range and maintaining liability coverage.

Finally, I also have a ~900 sq foot recreational log cabin in the Yukon. It is covered by RBC/Aviva as a secondary property on the same policy as my primary residence. They know full well that it is off-grid, water access only, and is heated by an antique cook stove and a barrel stove. $1 000/year for building and liability coverage. I have a strong dislike for their customer service, but I cannot complain about their rates.

[Sprucegum]

Originally Posted by Peace Meal Farm

At that price I would roll the dice without it (assuming no mortgage). North of $1 000/monthly to cover anything other than a mansion in a flood zone seems loony tunes to me.

This is an interesting thread for me as I am at the beginning stages of building a log home in Alberta. My Norwood mill will be showing up here to the farm in the next week or so, and come the week of the 17th I have 3 truck loads of standing dead spruce being delivered. I do plan to build this cash - no mortgage, so no actual requirement to carry insurance.

Thinking aloud here - I wonder if a guy could purchase a home policy but limit the payout in order to keep premiums low; insuring the log home for $300 000 replacement cost (or value owing on the mortgage??) but keeping the premiums in the $200/month range and maintaining liability coverage.

Finally, I also have a ~900 sq foot recreational log cabin in the Yukon. It is covered by RBC/Aviva as a secondary property on the same policy as my primary residence. They know full well that it is off-grid, water access only, and is heated by an antique cook stove and a barrel stove. $1 000/year for building and liability coverage. I have a strong dislike for their customer service, but I cannot complain about their rates.

If you are trimming all four sides is it still called a log? Why not go timber-built or even stick-built with real thick sticks?

[Peace Meal Farm]

Originally Posted by Sprucegum

If you are trimming all four sides is it still called a log? Why not go timber-built or even stick-built with real thick sticks?

PM sent! Didn't want to overly hijack this thread.

[Drewski Canuck]

[QUOTE=Peace Meal Farm;4568111]

Thinking aloud here - I wonder if a guy could purchase a home policy but limit the payout in order to keep premiums low; insuring the log home for $300 000 replacement cost (or value owing on the mortgage??) but keeping the premiums in the $200/month range and maintaining liability coverage.

Please look up the concept of CO INSURANCE and ask if the Policy has a Co Insurance Clause.

Basically, the Insurer wants to insure for ALL the value. That is why it is important to look if the Policy has an Inflation Adjustment Clause so you are never UNDERINSURED.

What happens on a partial loss, say at $200 K, but your face value is $300 K on $500 K actual replacement value, is that you are taking the risk as the Owner, for a proportion of the damage. IE Insurer reduces the $200 K for 40 % as you are the Co Insurer. Meaning they pay you LESS THAN $200 K even if the loss was less than the total amount of insurance you bought.

Drewski

[Peace Meal Farm]

Did not realize that it is proportional. Thanks Drewski.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Let's face it, a log home is a status symbol. Don't whine when you have to buy insurance for your fire trap.

Grizz

Unlike vinyl sided wood frame with asphalt shingles.

[leeelmer]

Mennonite mutual
I have a timber frame (built myself) wood heat. The rates i have been quoted well they are laughable
Some over $10,000 per year.
These guys are fantastic and insured my farm as well. For less than i ussed to pay for a 20’ wide.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Let's face it, a log home is a status symbol. Don't whine when you have to buy insurance for your fire trap.

Grizz

A status symbol?

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by leeelmer

Mennonite mutual
I have a timber frame (built myself) wood heat. The rates i have been quoted well they are laughable
Some over $10,000 per year.
These guys are fantastic and insured my farm as well. For less than i ussed to pay for a 20’ wide.

Mennonite mutual is 10k a year?

[Big Grey Wolf]

Uncle in BC had best policy with respect to insurance. He had 10 rental houses and 'NO' insurance on any of them. He saved $1000's $$$ over the years.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Dkny1121

Bump.

So I found a company but unfortunately ended up having a claim and they booted me from being insured with them. Looked around almost everywhere and the premiums are 12k-15k a year which is obviously outrageous. Anyone have any other ideas?

For that price put in a sprinkler system…inside and out.