Which home insurers disallow galvanized water piping?

Question

I bought a home built in 1910 in 2002. I had home owner's and car insurance with another insurance company for years. But in 2015 my agent thought that Hanover Insurance was a better deal. Bad decision to change to them. A year later in 2016 Hanover Ins. or their branch Citizens Insurance of Illinois (with address in MI) sent me notice that I had to fix some peeling (which I was intending to do anyway) and do "plumbing upgrades" which they somehow determined had not been done for 40 years.

I could handle the painting, but did not know what the ambiguous term "plumbing upgrades" meant. So now I got a notice that my insurance is being canceled because "Plumbing does not consist of copper or PVC pipes" which as far as I know has nothing to do with IL plumbing codes as long as you do not have lead pipes.

So now that I need different insurance, how would I even know which insurance companies would require copper or PVC plumbing or disallow galvanized plumbing? I am unemployed right now, so I did not want to go through a lot of expense.

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1

Anonymous · Answer

You're going to find a VERY hard time finding an insurance company willing to write homeowners insurance on a house that is more than 100 years old, and is NOT fully updated.   It's not only about the galvanized pipes - most carriers have a firm cutoff of 75 years.

Once you're in, you're in  - but your agent made a serious mistake recommending the switch.  Clearly, they didn't do the "front line underwriting" Hanover required.    You're going to have to lay this mess right back in your agent's hands, and make them work to get your old company to take you back.   It is NOT going to be easy.

When you have a house that old, that hasn't been FULLY updated - pipes, wiring, roof, heating/cooling - within the last 20 years, you need to just hunker down and stick with the insurance company you have.  Even if they cost more.

StephenWeinstein · Answer

You could switch back to your old insurance company since they didn't seem to have a problem with it.

Or you could try Foremost Insurance, which often insures homes that other insurance companies won't insure.  (I have not used them, but I have seen other questions and answers on Yahoo Answers indicating this.)

? · Answer

Skip it Simple.
Contact local plumbing company for 3 - 5 written estimates on upgrade.
Have them educate u on building codes where you live.
It varies in the State.

Since u unemployed, u'll need insurance Brokers to find company to take ur house.
DO get fire extinguisher for kitchen   , water heater, furnace, garage.
Get smoke alarms for each room.
Ur mortgage company May get u insured.
It will be expensive.

car253 · Answer

You might want to post your state for more help.

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Which home insurers disallow galvanized water piping?

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