Why are wood heaters banned by some insurance companies?

When there are so many well manufactured wood heaters around, why do Insurance companies ban them?

Chimney fires have burnt homes down, especially those where code was not strictly followed.

1. Because humans make mistakes, in operation, in maintenance, and in handling ashes. Over 20 years, or 30, the risk adds up. With a wood stove, you have to be perfect; it only takes once. I have seen this firsthand. I also confess I have had a few minor lapses, like forgetting to fully close the stove door.

2. Because the cost of building (and repairing) Code-approved houses is completely insane and out-of-control.

3. Because new urban  housing is built two arms-lengths apart, with highly flammable sheathing and siding, meaning the cost of a house fire is to repair/replace three houses.

4. Because they can't figure out how to connect the dots between increased use of local biomass and the reduction of fossil fuel use, which helps reduce their catastrophic risk.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:1. Because humans make mistakes, in operation, in maintenance, and in handling ashes. Over 20 years, or 30, the risk adds up. With a wood stove, you have to be perfect; it only takes once. I have seen this firsthand. I also confess I have had a few minor lapses, like forgetting to fully close the stove door.

2. Because the cost of building (and repairing) Code-approved houses is completely insane and out-of-control.

3. Because new urban  housing is built two arms-lengths apart, with highly flammable sheathing and siding, meaning the cost of a house fire is to repair/replace three houses.

4. Because they can't figure out how to connect the dots between increased use of local biomass and the reduction of fossil fuel use, which helps reduce their catastrophic risk.

5. Because chimney smoke is highly toxic which is why some towns are banning them from new constructions.

Andrew Pritchard wrote:5. Because chimney smoke is highly toxic which is why some towns are banning them from new constructions.

In my experience, that depends on the stove design and how it is operated. A well run stove, with properly seasoned wood, runs quite clean. Although if you magnify that by 1,000,000 units, the super fine particulate becomes a genuine health concern.

Respectfully, though, this is not an insurance issue.

I asked the question because somebody explained that was the case for themselves.
I make the following points to question some of the above comments, based on modern practise;
- wood stoves usually have a stainless steel flue all the way through, or one can be specified, so chimney fires may not be real today.
- inflammable hearths have been a requirement for a long time, or one can be specified so falling logs should not be a problem.
- poor quality chimney discharge is not an insurance issue as mentioned, by Andrew, and modern wood stoves are much better today anyway.
I have suffered with breathing problems and wood stove so I am aware of the issue.
- the matter of townships being located in a valley where smoke may be trapped is not an insurance issue.

I wonder if its a throwaway line by insurance companies and if you push back you get approval.
I cannot accept that a legally available product can be 'pinged' by an insurance company.

It might depend on your country. here a wood/straw/pellet heating system is no problem for insurance but loose straw in a barn is...

On the flip side, some insurance companies are totally on board with having backup wood heat to keep pipes from freezing and causing damage they'd otherwise have to pay for.
My own insurance company said a wood stove/fireplace must be installed by a licensed general contractor (HA!) and that having it would not change my rate unless it cost enough to become a factor in how much it would cost to replace the house in a total loss.

Well

John C Daley wrote:I asked the question because somebody explained that was the case for themselves.
I make the following points to question some of the above comments, based on modern practise;
- wood stoves usually have a stainless steel flue all the way through, or one can be specified, so chimney fires may not be real today.
- inflammable hearths have been a requirement for a long time, or one can be specified so falling logs should not be a problem.
- poor quality chimney discharge is not an insurance issue as mentioned, by Andrew, and modern wood stoves are much better today anyway.
I have suffered with breathing problems and wood stove so I am aware of the issue.
- the matter of townships being located in a valley where smoke may be trapped is not an insurance issue.

I wonder if its a throwaway line by insurance companies and if you push back you get approval.
I cannot accept that a legally available product can be 'pinged' by an insurance company.

Modern practice is all well and good but not everyone follows those practices.

Yes a stove can have a stainless flue but many don't.  And even with one chimney fires are still a very real possibility.  If it is installed properly and maintained the chance of that chimney fire turning into a structure fire are very small but it's still there


Inflammable hearths may be the requirement but that doesn't mean everyone has one or that it has the proper insulating value.

An insurance company is a private company and can choose what ever they want to cover or not cover.