Yep, it's a headache. However I use Country Companies. Gary Owens. They've been good to me and had great rates. I started out with a national company only to be dropped because of unusually high construction rates in Wa state. I too used State Farm before this process started, but even though they've insured me, my businesses, cars and everything else, they wouldn't insure anything that wasn't locked up. Sorry, we live in a logging community, and could just see a self-loader pulling up and helping themselves to my log racks! I'm too visible and those logs looked good. So, I got someone to insure me from the get-go. I was fenced and had a locking chain at the entrance. That was good enough for them. We re-evaluated my values at every major completion. But be ready, you will pay a lot more for a log house. You can't just knock out a few walls and patch it. So your rates will be higher. Also, buy property close to a fire station!

For what it is worth - I sent my brother (state farm insurance agent in MN) an email asking about insuring a log home / cabin...He said that insurance for the building would run about 20% more than a similar sized standard structure...
J-

I just switched to State Farm this summer. Before I had Farmer's. Never had a problem and had a claim this summer due to hail damage on my roof. I did have to fill out a questionaire and described my home as hand-crafted logs. Whatever you do, don't give them too much information ie: go into the whole story of how you are building it yourself with your own logs, etc etc. Then they start asking too many questions. Also, if you are in the process of building, really rethink a free-standing wood stove. That can really come back to haunt you in your premium. Put in a true fireplace. And yes, the further you are from a fire station, the more you will pay.

How much more can woodstoves add to a premium?

jeff.wourms(nospam)@irdinc.com & take out the (nospam)