# Pole barn wood stove



## spartannation (Jan 14, 2016)

I recently got a letter from my homeowners insurance provider and they say that unless I remove the wood stove from my polebarn ( detatched ) that they would drop me. I've had the same company for at least 25 years with one claim. My agent tells me all insurance companies are doing this. My stove is UL listed, sets on concrete, there is cement board behind it, is not near combustables and the stovepipe is double wall stainless. Non of this mattered, they have a zero tolerance rule. Just wondering if anyone else ran into this with their insurance companies.


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## Rounder (Nov 11, 2015)

No I am curious, because at some point I will put one in mine.

Kind of BS with pole barns, not attached to house. Lots of metal.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

My insurance is that way. They were also going to drop me because of a fence charger deal. They have not covered people that did not follow the rules. Definitely check your coverage before installing or using any heating appliance in an outbuilding.


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## Golden Arrow II (Aug 8, 2009)

I believe that you can have one if it is in a room that is only accessible from the outside of the building and you run duct work into the barn. Don't know if its possible for you to do but I would check on it, a cold barn sucks to work in.


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## Rowdy Bandit (Mar 22, 2016)

A few years ago, it depended on the company. I had a similar setup, though in a garage attached via breezway. An nice feature I enjoyed a lot. One year decided to finally change ins cos after years of being bent over for premiums. Did it and began saving $1k per yr, only catch was after the new co inspected they required it removed. For those saving, easy choice. Removed the equipment and donated it to a friend. Haven't replaced yet, but plant to with ceiling mounted nat gas unit eventually.


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## davi5982 (Mar 8, 2010)

Allstate is great about wood stoves.

No problems with them.


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## spartannation (Jan 14, 2016)

I was told that it also applies to pellet stoves and corn burners. I may have to check with allstate. As I have homeowners, multiple auto policies and business insurance it will be Pioneer States loss, forgive the pun.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

spartannation said:


> I recently got a letter from my homeowners insurance provider and they say that unless I remove the wood stove from my polebarn ( detatched ) that they would drop me. I've had the same company for at least 25 years with one claim. My agent tells me all insurance companies are doing this. My stove is UL listed, sets on concrete, there is cement board behind it, is not near combustables and the stovepipe is double wall stainless. Non of this mattered, they have a zero tolerance rule. Just wondering if anyone else ran into this with their insurance companies.


Yes I have and some have zero tolerance. Check with AAA or AllState.


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## A.M. General (May 3, 2001)

Robert Holmes said:


> Yes I have and some have zero tolerance. Check with AAA or AllState.


Allstate covers just about anything but read the fine print. I have a side by side with them and they (he) are more than helpful about the laws regulating everything. My suggestion is check around locally and if nothing is good, look for insurance agents that have similar retreats. Check with 

*Chris Stevens 
Exclusive Agent | Personal Financial Representative | Agency Owner*

Allstate Insurance
4695 Lapeer Rd.
Kimball Twp., MI 48074

This guy helped me out with my utv, was a little high on my house but if I recall, he was fine with wood burning and pellet stoves. I live across the state from him but he vacations over my way so he understands your issues. I'm sure he can give you answers or point you in the right direction


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## bigbuck (Mar 17, 2001)

Its not true that all insurance companies will not allow a would stove in an outbuilding. Many will not but some will. I am a licensed agent I have some that will allow it. The ones that do look for proper installation.


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## Yarcraft (Jul 15, 2006)

I'm putting up a pole barn in near future. Farm Bureau does not cover wood indoor heat. Gas or boiler only.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

I believe nothing with an open flame in a garage where gasoline is present. This includes attached garages with gas water heaters or boilers with an open flame. Gasoline fumes tend to stay low to the surface and will get into any open flame. I think if you don't park anything in there or stor combustable fluids you'll be ok and they have to cover you. Just don't have a fire and get proven it was gasoline caused. As someone said a room with no possible way for fumes to get in or for the furnace to draw air from the pole building.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Isn't that interesting when a wood stove may drop a spark or overheat and slowly start a fire...whereas a propane or NG stove can all of a sudden go *!!KabLUIE!!* and level a place instantly.
Notwithstanding Gasoline...


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

jimp said:


> Isn't that interesting when a wood stove may drop a spark or overheat and slowly start a fire...whereas a propane or NG stove can all of a sudden go *!!KabLUIE!!* and level a place instantly.
> Notwithstanding Gasoline...


Insurance companies are not there to help you. They're there to take your money and hope you don't make claims.
Make a claim and your premium goes up.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

2508speed said:


> Insurance companies are not there to help you. They're there to take your money and hope you don't make claims.
> Make a claim and your premium goes up.


Yup, It's legal extortion.


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

I got cancelled by my old company for the wood stove and the pile of debris (the wood pile). I went to AAA and all they asked was if it was installed by a licensed contractor. Crazy thing is, I hadn't used that wood stove in ages and still haven't because I prefer a salamander for the little bit of time that I am generally in there.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

If my ins company ever whines about the woodstove in my polebarn, I will leave them. Been with the same company since a teenager. I would rather pay more someplace else than bow to their dictate. F_ em.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

So 5 gallon gas cans in a barn are bad, but a fiberglass boat with a full 70 gallon gas tank is OK?

I have a wood furnace in my barn but honestly have not used it in 15 years. State Farm didn't seem to care; switching the homeowners to Farmer's as soon as I get done with a new roof as they didn't like the old one...


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

CHASINEYES said:


> If my ins company ever whines about the woodstove in my polebarn, I will leave them. Been with the same company since a teenager. I would rather pay more someplace else than bow to their dictate. F_ em.


Your insurance company doesn't care if you go somewhere else. Try and collect if your barn burns down. If the fire inspector determines the fire was caused by your wood burner and you don't have a rider for a wood burner good luck collecting from your long time insurance company.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> So 5 gallon gas cans in a barn are bad, but a fiberglass boat with a full 70 gallon gas tank is OK?
> 
> I have a wood furnace in my barn but honestly have not used it in 15 years. State Farm didn't seem to care; switching the homeowners to Farmer's as soon as I get done with a new roof as they didn't like the old one...


Non combustible liquids. They won't cover your boat either. That's on your boat insurance.
Ask your agent and don't try to hide anything.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

WoW. said:


> I got cancelled by my old company for the wood stove and the pile of debris (the wood pile). I went to AAA and all they asked was if it was installed by a licensed contractor. Crazy thing is, I hadn't used that wood stove in ages and still haven't because I prefer a salamander for the little bit of time that I am generally in there.


I have AAA also. When I built my house and installed a wood burner in the basement, I had to send them pictures of the installation proving it was done correctly. They can't make you hire a professional installer.
It was about a $80.00 premium per year if I remember right.
Who's to say the local wood burner installer can do better work than you?
I've since went to an outdoor boiler for piece of mind.


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

2508speed said:


> I have AAA also. When I built my house and installed a wood burner in the basement, I had to send them pictures of the installation proving it was done correctly. They can't make you hire a professional installer.
> It was about a $80.00 premium per year if I remember right.
> Who's to say the local wood burner installer can do better work than you?
> I've since went to an outdoor boiler for piece of mind.


They didn't require a wood burner installer. Just a licensed residential builder. I was...LOL


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

WoW. said:


> They didn't require a wood burner installer. Just a licensed residential builder. I was...LOL


Again they can't require a licensed residential builder to install a wood burner.
They can only require it's up to code.
I can install a woodburner up to code and I'm not a licensed builder. LOL


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

A mechanical inspection may be required. I had to have a mechanical permit and inspection when I installed my zero clearance fireplace.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

plugger said:


> A mechanical inspection may be required. I had to have a mechanical permit and inspection when I installed my zero clearance fireplace.


The insurance company does not care. They'll take your money.
plugger, it was probably a building permit requirement. You probably were legit and went through the proper procedure.

These guys sneaking a wood burner in a pole building are not legal. Some don't tell their insurance. Chances are it will never burn down.
I'm just saying don't count on insurance coverage if your barn burns and your wood burner caused it. No matter if your agent is your best friend and you've been with him for 50 years.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

2508speed said:


> Your insurance company doesn't care if you go somewhere else. Try and collect if your barn burns down. If the fire inspector determines the fire was caused by your wood burner and you don't have a rider for a wood burner good luck collecting from your long time insurance company.


Yes, I know. If more people had enough ars to stand on principle rather than a dollar bill, they would have to care. Your agent is the only one who "might" care.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

2508speed said:


> The insurance company does not care. They'll take your money.
> plugger, it was probably a building permit requirement. You probably were legit and went through the proper procedure.
> 
> These guys sneaking a wood burner in a pole building are not legal. Some don't tell their insurance. Chances are it will never burn down.
> I'm just saying don't count on insurance coverage if your barn burns and your wood burner caused it. No matter if your agent is your best friend and you've been with him for 50 years.


 My insurance company at the time required any heating appliance to be installed by a licensed installed or if installed by the owner to be permitted and inspected. I was a builder but did not have a mechanical license. It is a fact that if you have a wood stove and have a fire if it is undeclared your insurance may be void.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

CHASINEYES said:


> Yes, I know. If more people had enough ars to stand on principle rather than a dollar bill, they would have to care. Your agent is the only one who "might" care.


I've got AAA on everything. House, two vehicles, motorcycle. My agent retired so now I just do everything over the phone. A lot less personal but I like it better because I don't have an agent calling me all the time with the hard sell on the latest and greatest insurance scams.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

2508speed said:


> I've got AAA on everything. House, two vehicles, motorcycle. My agent retired so now I just do everything over the phone. A lot less personal but I like it better because I don't have an agent calling me all the time with the hard sell on the latest and greatest insurance scams.


State Farm on my home, buildings, contents and boat. My agent might have tried offering that junk once years ago, but no soliciting from him. It is nice having a supportive human agent when you need to add something or make a claim. I can't stand calling an automated service department. Only once many years ago before I was married and still had my parents address did they want to raise my insurance. My Brother came of age and got his first drivers license. My agent and I had quite the talk, sometimes a bit heated as I refused to see his logic in justifying raising my ins due to my brother being 16. Not sure how he kept it from increasing as the paper I received came from headquarters. I ended the call with- unless there's a dire emergency, I can assure you that my brother will not be driving my new truck. I went on to tell him that I don't want to leave, but if my insurance increases for this reason, then state farm can kiss my ___. My parents had left this agent a few years earlier as they were joint owners of a business with other family and found a much better deal.

I take that back. They tried raising one other time when my brother rented a house from me next door. Two separate addresses. He had speeding tickets. I do not remember the details, but the increase didn't happen. Had I not had an agent, this would have been a PITA.


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

2508speed said:


> Again they can't require a licensed residential builder to install a wood burner.
> They can only require it's up to code.
> I can install a woodburner up to code and I'm not a licensed builder. LOL


I was a licensed builder but the installation was not up to code...LOL. But, that is not what they required...LOL.


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## Steiny (May 30, 2011)

I'm in the process of building a new post frame building that will have a wood stove. I insure with State Farm, and they have no problem with it, so long as it is installed per manufacturers and State Farm standards, distances from combustible surfaces, non-combustible wall behind it, sitting on non-combustible floor, etc. They also want to see the final install.


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## Big CC (Mar 30, 2010)

I had a pole barn built last summer and my insurance (Meemic) said they would not insure a non-residence that was heated with any solid-burning fuel. So I ended up installing a vented propane heater instead and it works great!


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