looking to find insurance for wood shed/OWB

[scag52]

I built a 24/32 garage over my owb and called my homeowners insurance to add it to my policy. They wont insure it . Even sent me a letter to sign . Anybody else have this ? I use Erie Insurance co.

 

[sunfish]

Insurance companies are crooks! Their goal is to get as much money coming in as possible, with as little going out as possible.

I don't and will not have home owners insurance. Yes I own my home

 

[scag52]

I wouldn't insure it if it were mine.

why not. seems like they would be happy to see the fire outside instead of the house. I would be.

 

[1harlowr]

Set up an appointment with the professionals (your agent) to have it explained in more detail. Maybe there is a misunderstanding of the what the building actually is..... garage or 5'x5' enclosure.
There are so many differences between states, even with the same company, few here could give you an accurate answer.

 

[scag52]

Thats what i'm going to do . My agaent is a real nice guy. Came over to my house when i first signed up ,looked over everthing and wrote the policy. He had no problem with the stove in the house or the one in the shop. I didn't talk to him personally so i'll have to call back. I was just wondering if anyone else had this issue.

 

[MNfarmer]

I wouldn't insure it either. Build it as cheap as you can and if something happens to it just put up another one. Just my opinion though. Good luck!

 

[woodfarmer]

well i am an insurance inspector and here is our deal. there must be 4' clearance to combustibles in front of loading door and any other clearances by mfg. instructions. on a poured concrete pad, 8" sides and rear, 18" in front of loading door. the shed or garage must be 35' minimum from house. prefer models with stainles steel chimney's and steel roof on shed.

 

[scag52]

Thanks for the reply. I will ask him to come over and take a look . If he cant do it thats ok i'm sure someone will do it. If not oh well . I'll just cross my fingers .LOL

 

[scag52]

Insurance companies are crooks! Their goal is to get as much money coming in as possible, with as little going out as possible.

I don't and will not have home owners insurance. Yes I own my home

One of the biggest rackets out there.

 

[rmh3481]

Other structures like an unattached garage are already covered for 10% of the coverage A dwelling limit, or at least here in Pa they are.

 

[goosegunner]

Probably because very few OWB are UL listed to be in a structure. Many aren't UL listed at all.

gg

 

[applefarmer]

Not trying to sound stupid here, but what are you insuring it for? Just for potential fire loss, or do they insure for other losses, freezing, leaking,ect? I never really thought about insuring mine maybe I should?

 

[Storm56]

I own an insurance agency and write for Erie Insurance. Erie has no problems with an OWB as long as the specifications are met that the manufacturer sets.

No disrespect, but you took the unit out of spec when you put a building around it. That is why they are giving you a problem. Do not blame Erie Insurance because you took it upon yourself to put an outdoor wood stove inside.

 

[scag52]

Not stupid at all. I was originally just going to put up one of those metal carports like you see all over the place.Low cost ,starting at 695.00. I changed my mind and went with a pole garage so i spent 10,000 on it. With the cost of the furnace that puts me up to 17,000. I just thought i would check on insurance just in case it would catch fire someday. Not the end of the world if i cant get it insured.

 

[Storm56]

Insurance companies are crooks! Their goal is to get as much money coming in as possible, with as little going out as possible.

I don't and will not have home owners insurance. Yes I own my home

No disrespect sir but all insurance companies are not thieves. We are one of the most regulated industries out there. We cannot simply raise our rates because we want a higher profit, we must submit all of our profit/loss figures to the state and the state will decide if we need a rate increase. And often the allowed increase is less than we really need. By the way our typical profit margin runs about 3 to 5 percent. Show me any other industry that runs on that slim of a profit margin. It is also a highly competetive industry and we often must gauge needed increases vs what our competition is doing.

I can assure you that in 20 years of being an agent I have MANY customers that were absolutley ecstatic to have insurance to put their lives back together after a disaster. Without us they would be in financial ruin.

Now you do not believe in insurance, that is clear, and that is of course your right. But for sure you need to rethink your position in making a broad statement that all insurers are thieves. Believe me, come into my office as a spectator for a month and I can assure you that you will come away with a different opinion.

 

[applefarmer]

Oh I am sorry, I failed to read the original post about the size of the building . I thought you were just talking the owb in a small shed. Yeah for $10,000 thats a tough one. We have our buildings insured, but I hate it. We have been lucky and not had a disaster (tornado, fire). But a friend of mine did, by the time the crooks got done adjusting for deflation, age of buildings, he would have been ahead to just put his money in a jar every year and be self insured. Make sure you read the fine print when it comes to "replacment cost." Insurance companys are not in business to write checks, One more observation, of the 3 agents that I know, 2 of the 3 have lakefront homes, the 3rd has a nicer "vacation" home than most people live in. Man I hate insurance, but you gota have it, I guess!

 

[Mike44665]

Before I put in my Heatmor I was sure I wanted it in a building. Checking with my insurance, Nationwide, the answer was no, and I figured out why. The OWB won’t set it self on fire, but it could set the building it is in on fire. Which also makes me wonder why people that put tall chimneys on these things? I mean that is why it is outside, one less thing on the list, well two, chimney fires and cleaning it. I did have a scare this summer when the wind brought down a tree I thought was not a threat to the OWB. It was a near miss, I checked with my insurance man and it is covered as a structure. If it would get hit, it would be treated as any of my buildings.

One day it was +4. I was loading the beast and afterwards took a look at the houses around me. I sit up on a hill and kind of overlook the few places around. As I look I see gas furnaces on and off. Not much later they switch. I can tell from the gas fumes in the cold air who is running and who isn’t. Looking at my gas meter and knowing it is not going to move, now that is priceless.

 

[goosegunner]

I am selling my Taylor 450 because I wanted something to go inside.

I ordered a econoburn 200 to put in a boiler room that will be attached to a garage/ outbuilding. It will have its own entrance to keep it separate from garage items.




gg

 

[scag52]

I own an insurance agency and write for Erie Insurance. Erie has no problems with an OWB as long as the specifications are met that the manufacturer sets.

No disrespect, but you took the unit out of spec when you put a building around it. That is why they are giving you a problem. Do not blame Erie Insurance because you took it upon yourself to put an outdoor wood stove inside.

None taken . I'm happy with Erie .Even if i checked with them before i built i would still have covered it. Very happy with the Shaver furnace but there were times last year when i wished i could have been out of the weather dealing with it .

 

[Storm56]

But a friend of mine did, by the time the crooks got done adjusting for deflation, age of buildings, he would have been ahead to just put his money in a jar every year and be self insured. Make sure you read the fine print when it comes to "replacment cost." Insurance companys are not in business to write checks, One more observation, of the 3 agents that I know, 2 of the 3 have lakefront homes, the 3rd has a nicer "vacation" home than most people live in. Man I hate insurance, but you gota have it, I guess!

Typically when I hear a story such as this one and do some checking I find that the building in question is a 75 year old chicken coop that is ready to fall down and the insured wants a new 5 bay garage to replace it.

There are 2 types of policies, ACV (actual cash value), and RC, (replacement cost). For a building to qualify for an RC policy it must be in good shape. Of course the RC policy is more expensive.

I have run into those that do not want to pay the money to insure properly and then when a loss occurs we hear this type of complaint. Of course it is always the company that is just being unfair - usually not.

There are also anti arson laws in most states that if a building is destroyed by a covered peril and is not replaced, then the settlement is at ACV. These anti arson type of laws are in place to stop people from destroying buildings just to collect insurance money.

What kind and how many homes the agent has is completely irrelevant to the way any company handles a loss settlement. The agent does not pay the claim, he writes and services the policy. Your slamming him because he is a successful business man shows how little you know about insurance.