Multi Fuel Stove - Insurance?

sorethumbs

Thought i'd post here rather than in the insurance forum based on probability that more owners of stoves would see it.

We have a Franco Belge 5kw multi fuel stove fitted & chimney lined and swept by a HETAS engineer. One thing i hadn't thought about was insurance.

We are with Direct Line, is anyone else with them and have a stove. Did you have to inform them? Did premium go up?

Can't find anything on their website regarding stoves, I may ring up pretending to be a new customer and enquire but thought i'd ask here first

alleycat`

I mentioned it to my insurer, not direct line, and the two people i spoke to (the initial call taker and her manager) weren't interested.
This was on my renewal and every time i renew i mention it.

It was not on their list of things to ask about / declare so as far as they are concerned it wasn't relevant.
I've also scanned through the small print and there is very little mentioned with regards to chimneys, fires or stoves.

I'd mention it to cover yourself off but in reality so long as it is regularly maintained and the chimney swept and you should be fine.

wintergirl

I had a similar experience with my insurers.
Informed them just after we'd had it installed. First girl said she would have to check and ring me back, in case our premium was going to have to go up! Then called back and said no, no increase; although they had noted on our policy that we'd had one installed. Asked if it was Hetas installed, and to get a certificate at each sweep done.
We are with More Than.

Man_Overboard_2

I know of a case where a pair of rooks came down a chimney whilst the home-owners were away, and caused untold damage before dying on the bedroom floor. The house insurance policy appeared to cover 'animal damage' (I can't quite remember the precise wording) but when the home-owners claimed, they were told that 'birds are not animals'.

I know of another case where squirrels came down a chimney and also caused untold damage (mostly to an extremely expensive set of brand new curtains), but squirrels are apparently officially classed as vermin, and vermin damage is not covered.

One of these claims succeeded, but the other failed - guess which was which...

Which of the two scenarios would you expect to experience in your own lifetime?

Gloomendoom

The insurance companies I have used have never asked me what form of heating I have, let alone how many fireplaces. Unless they ask, I wouldn't even mention it.

muckybutt

Non of any the insurance companies that we have used have ever asked whether we have open fires or stoves, and the ones we use are pretty keen as we are Grade II listed.