After owning a home for 18 years, my homeowner's insurance company notified that they require a complete inspection of my house in order to continue my insurance (I've never had a claim). They want to do a full exterior, interior, and mechanicals inspection. I couldn't get an answer from them as to what would happen if they didn't like something.
This is something I've never heard of. Anyone else have this experience?
Thanks in advance,
Mike Shapp snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com
Yes. I've gotten a few notices like that on my main residence, and I did not respond. Nothing ever happened. On another residence, covered by a different insurer they came uninvited, and looked around the grounds but were not admitted to the house. I know what you think. That's trespassing. Doesn't matter. Your insurance policy no doubt gives them the right to "reasonable access for inspections with proper notice". Go read it. They had sent one of those notices that they wanted to come, and I didn't respond, hoping that it was a bluff like the other ones. They found a few things they didn't like. Basically things like deck railings that had been up to code when built, but were not up to current code. I was given the choice of bringing thise things up to code, or not be renewed. In retrospect, I should have complied as quickly as possible. I didn't. This is a unique, Frank Lloyd Wright inspired custom built house that has been featured many times in major magazines. I didn't like the idea of screwing with the asthetics of the original design. Bringing it up to code without ruining the historic looks would have cost a fortune, and it just wouldn't have been the same. Now, to remain insured, they are going to want a full inspection of everything, and that will uncover a ton of other things I'm sure they are not going to like. It's going to cost a bundle by the time its all over.
CWM
Good for you. Keep fighting.
I have friends who went thru insurance inspections, they HAD to replace all their K&T wiring, tried getting a different company but no one else would take them. It appears theres a credit bureau version, home inspection bureau, once spotted no one wants you. He had to replace porch and a bunch of other minor stuff. Bad sidewalk must be repaired, front steps? no railing? MUST be added.
will spent about 10 grand upgrading home, was very mad but had NO CHOICE!
Hire an independent inspector to refute the company claims. Maybe from the next town. I've used this approach with "appraisers"; when selling a home.
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
I had one of these a couple of years ago. The issue was more of an "inventory" one. They wanted to be sure that was they were insuring was what they were insuring. Very cursory inspection -- size,layout, general nature of building. That was it. However, when I moved recently and placed insurance with the same company, they were an utter PITA about dogs and firearms. Really IGNORANT questions. I got a little upset, needless to say.
At this point I'm fighting to remain insured. I'm expecting to spend a few hundred thousand on updates before I'm in compliance. I don't really have much choice.
CWM
IIRC, there's been a surge in lawsuits against homeowners who have dogs over alleged attacks. Sounds like your company is trying to assess the risk that you'll get sued and they'd have to defend against it.
Not sure why the firwrm sensitivity, but maybe they've had a problem there also.
They were really interested in what breed, if the dog bit, if it was confined to the property, etc. I have a Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu mix that weighs out at 18#. As to the firearms, they were concerned if children were in the house (mine are grown), what ones I had (I basically said they were legal to have, and more than that, it was really none of their business), and if they were secured, whatever that might mean to them. BTW, the dog is used for pet therapy work in nursing homes.
had another friend their roof needed replacing, they didnt have the bucks homeowners cancelled. mortage company gave them forced place insurance on structure only at 6 times cost of previous complete coverage.
cat knocked over lamp caused bad fire 135,000 bucks damage to structure NO COVERAGE FOR CONTENTS at all.
it was a very bad thing and took over 2 years for them to get back in their home, most of their fire damaged belongings are still in storage
5 years later.insurance companies used to look at homeowners as cash cow, but hurricanes and lawsuits over dogs, trip and fall on bad sidewalks and everyone suing has them nervous and fussy about who they insure.........
For such a house, you need a carrier out of the mainstream, or at least a policy underwritten for the particular characteristics of the house. Expecting adequate coverage for such a residence even if they do underwrite it in case of loss is unreasonable -- average premiums pay for average structures.
There are firms who do underwrite these sorts of things. Also, there should be help from state and/or local agencies for historical preservation which would be another first place to turn for sources and other help.
Alternatively, given the money you're talking of spending, there's the possibility to consider of putting that out and becoming self-insured.
They inspected both my house and cottage. Much of the cottage is pretty amateurish (I have fixed the worst of it), so I was a little concerned there. Their only comment was that I had to have my wood stove chimney cleaned yearly (I told them I didn't.) I replied that I had two fires a year, and it didn't need to be cleaned. That was the last I heard of it.
If you refuse to let them inspect they will certainly cancel your policy. Good luck getting a new one without an inspection.
Note, however, that they probably aren't asking what kind of guns you have just to be nosy. Presumably, they have analyzed claims payments, and determined that people with one kind of gun cost them more than people with another kind of gun. If you don't want to tell them what kind you have, they might play it safe, and assume the kind that costs them the most, and charge you accordingly.
What about if one is a packrat, has a messy array of boxes, house painting supplies, extra furniture in the living room area, a rubber raft yet to be fixed, tvs to be repaired, tv's on the stairs and the basement landing to be repaired, a box of scrap metal and boxes of scrap wood, a row of wardrobes with camping equipement, the whole house stuffed. Magazines in stacks on the floor, a bicycle in each of three rooms, etc. etc.
Do they refuse insurance for any of these reaasons?
Who said I was paying "average" premiums for an average house?
The main issue for me is the liability insurance, which I really have to have. The insurance companies only care about risk. If they don't feel it's safe to THEIR standards, they really don't care. If someone gets severely injured on the property, a few hundred thousand isn't going to cover it.
CWM
That happened to me last year. My house is 60 years old so I was a little worried but he liked everything, even the old wiring in the basement. They are looking for hazards.
My sister was told last week by her insurance company to get rid of a wood stove that she had never used that was too close to the wall and not up to standand, and neighbours of hers were given one day to install railing on their narrow front steps.
I rent two rooms to students so my basement is full of boxes of books and other junk. I tidied up a bit before the guy came so he could see most of the walls, the pipes and the wires. He didn't seem to mind any of that stuff. I'd keep stuff off the stairs though, that seems like something they wouldn't like.
be concerned with ANYTHING that could be a hazard espically a fire hazard......
nice neat orderly stuff probably OK, looks like a bomb hit? NOT OK
inspection must be reported to the credit bureau equivalent of home inspections.
once found not insurable no one else will take you.......
much
Yep. Even if there are no kids in the house, visitors can be an issue with guns.
A lot of my extended family hunt and have hunting dogs - your dog isn't a fighting breed, so just answer the questions (you *do* take safety precautions with the guns, right?) and you'll be fine. Don't make problems for yourself.
Banty
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