Hey Jeremy,

This is more of a question out of curiosity, not something I have planned for our house. How does having a wood fireplace or iron wood stove affect an insurance policy? 

Good Question!

While some companies won’t write insurance on homes with wood stoves, most just add a surcharge to your annual homeowner’s premium.  West Bend, for example, has a $50/yr surcharge but it varies by company.

When a company does write coverage, they’ll want to make sure the stove is installed and maintained properly.  You may be asked to complete forms and submit pictures that prove your stove is the right distance from the walls and all necessary protection materials are in place.  In some cases, the company will send an inspector to check it out.

This is usually only required at the beginning of the policy but they can ask for additional information over the years.

One last thought, you definitely want to make sure your insurance company knows that you have the stove.  If it isn’t reported and the stove causes a fire, your insurance company won’t provide coverage for the claim.  Don’t get stuck with no coverage just to save a few bucks a month!

Thanks for asking and Shine On!

Jeremy