We serve a 60 mile radius from our location in Jonesville, MI! Call us or stop in for that new fireplace or stove! FREE Quotes!
(517)-688-5278 - Serving Jackson MI, too!
(517)-688-5278 - Serving Jackson MI, too!
Homeowner's Insurance Companies & Chimneys
What Kind of Chimney Repairs Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover?
Most homeowners insurance policies cover chimney repairs – depending on the cause. There is a difference between coverable problems and those that a homeowner will have to pay for.
Covered Chimney CLAIMS
Most insurance carriers include coverage for “unexpected” events in their policies. You can’t control these things, but they do happen.
Unexpected damage to chimneys can be caused by:
- Some types of Chimney Fires. This means you must clean it! Have a LICENSED Mechanical Contractor service your unit and chimney once per year! (Not uncle joe who bought a brush at Menard's.)You will receive a Pass/Fail Service Report that the insurance company will want to see if there is ever a claim! Uncle joe's word won't cut it, I promise.
- Trees and branches falling due to a storm
- Powerful winds
- Hail storms
- Lightning strikes
- Or any act of God
Unexpected events such as these are not uncommon. Most insurance policies don’t cover “expected” chimney damage .
Chimney CLAIMS that will not be covered
An insurance company assumes that you, the homeowner, will take precautions to prevent anything that might be considered “unnecessary” damage.
Our technicians inspect chimneys daily and find various types of damage that the homeowner could have avoided if they had taken proper steps. Neglecting your chimney can result in the following damage:
- Fires caused by excess creosote in chimneys. Get them cleaned!
- Cracked or broken chimney liners cause localized house fires. Yearly inspections will catch these issues while they're still small!
- Bricks and mortar are crumbling and deteriorating severely. Yearly inspections will catch these issues while they're still small!
- A leaning chimney. Yearly inspections would have caught this.
- The chimney structure collapses in whole or partly. Yearly inspections would have caught this.
- Water damage from faulty masonry, chimney crowns, flashing and caps. Yearly inspections would have caught this.
- Acidic creosote buildup causes interior damage. A yearly cleaning would have prevented this.
Homeowners insurance companies will deny a claim for these or similar conditions if they can argue that they could or should have prevented them. They call it "lack of maintenance" by homeowner and they will not pay the claim. These claims can get into the high thousands! Take precautions now with a little bit of investment and your bank account will thank you later.