Co-Operators Insurance and reloading in your dwelling.

W

Why not?

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 99.8%
586   1   1
Location
Whitehorse, Yukon
A while back there was a thread about perhaps not being able to keep insurance with The Co-Operators Insurance if you had reloading supplies in your dwelling. I have tried to find the thread, but cannot.

Does anyone know, for sure, if this was ever resolved? I asked one of their agents about this today, and she said it is not an issue.

Ted
 
Last edited:
Why not? said:
A while back there was a thread about perhaps not being able to keep insurance with The Co-Operators Insurance if you had reloading supplies in your dwelling. I have tried to find the thread, but cannot.

Does anyone know, for sure, if this was ever resolved? I asked one of their agents about this today, and she said it is not an issue.

Ted
Click to expand...


How can they control what you do? If your policy has a specific exclusion to this effect, you have a problem. If not, you are Ok. I have never heard of an exclusion to this effect. Though there are surely limits to the amount of expolsive substances you can possess in your home in the policy.
 
Number one, smokless powder isn't an explosive; some of it isn't even all that flamable. Number two, I doubt there has ever been a house fire that has been caused, or gotten worse by having powder in the house. And last, but not least, if a company has exclusions such as that, change companies, because they will probably tell you after the fire that your wife had too much hairspray in the house and they won't cover you.
Mike
 
Number one, there was thread on this earlier this year or late last year, and Co-Operators had told one of the posters that they would cancel his insurance if he was handloading in the dwelling.

No one remembers this thread? There was quite a bit of discussion about this.

It would be really nice if the search function on this board worked. :D I just tried searching for the word dwelling in this forum, and it cannot find it, even though it has been used several times in this thread.

Ted
 
Last edited:
Why not? said:
That is what I used, 36 months!
Click to expand...

hmmm weird, I just searched for reloading insurance and it popped up

my insurance broker also told me they don;t care about reloading or firearms, though if there was a theft and storage was inadequate, as in not meeting CFC regs, I could have a problem. Likewise if there was a fire and my powder quantities/storage didn't meet NRCan standards.
 
I've never heard anything like this (and I've read more policies than you have :D) and it would certainly surprise me. That said, any insurer can set any kind of condition they want on their policies. If you find something like that written into the complete policy wordings the only thing you can really do is move your business - there's no law forcing anyone to write a policy that covers more than the basics, or include things that are non-essential. The majority of policies that I have dealt with have covered firearms under personal property with no requirement to schedule, and have said nothing at all about legal activities within the dwelling. Your option is the same as anyone in the marketplace - go elsewhere, there are certainly competitive companies (including most of the insurers that are larger than Co-Operators) that would love your business and don't care what you do in your own home, as long as it's legal.

PS. as far as an inspection goes, I'd go elsewhere. That's a load IMHO. As far as exclusions go, unless written into the policy they don't apply to most people. Assuming we are talking about "All Risks" policies, there is no secret repository of hidden exclusions. The definition of "All Risks" is; All risks not specifically excluded in this document. If you have a "Specified Perils" form then you need to be clear with your Broker/Agent and get it in writing with a signature.
 
Appreciate your good advice.

She told me that Cooperators were going to be doing inspections on all their policy renewals and new business.

Definitely will be getting my insurance elsewhere.

Thanks,
Ted
 
Last edited:
Why not? said:
Appreciate your good advice.

She told me that Cooperators were going to be doing inspections on all their policy renewals and new business.

Definitely will be getting my insurance elsewhere.

Thanks,
Ted
Click to expand...

Hi Ted:
I was with a company for over 2o years that have been purchased by cooperators in the past few years. I just had within the past two weeks the inspection you talk about. My house is only 22 years old and has been pretty well totally renovated in the past 10 years with new wiring, furnace , roof , chimney, etc and they still were here 3-4 hours. I have a list of 20 items to correct from putting on a switch plate cover to removing old boxes from my basement, but nothing I would class as major.That being said I would not want to see what they would say inspecting an older home.They were quite interested in the fact I was a hunter and reloaded so wanted to see my powder/ ammunition storage. I have a friend who works as an inspector and he told me to get some old high school lockers and convert them as per the ammo powder storage specs and nothing can be said since they will pass all federal storage requirements.I did and all went well in that catagory.
Not sure what would have happened if I didnot do this.
OH yes I forgot they are real big on counting how many smoke dectors you have and if they are working, do you have a CO monitor on every level and how many fire extinguishers especially a small one by the stove.
 
My house burned last year, and I claimed all of my reloading stuff without issue. Moved into my new house second week of Nov 2009. When co-operators did the inspection the only things that concerned them was if the house was totally finished, # of fire alarms, CO detector, and the furnace. No mention of anything else.
 
The Co-Operators inspected my house. All firearms were locked up in steel cabinets as were all loading supplies exept dies and the press which were in a wooden cabinet.

No issue whatsoever.
 
lord-humungous said:
I'd let them do an inspection. They are specialists in risk control and you might learn something to make your home safer. Sounds like a win/win situation.
Click to expand...


and if your insurer said that it would be safer if cars were limited 60 kph (which is true) and refused to insure cars that would go faster, that would be good for you too :rolleyes: The risks they control are largely their own, and they get much better at it when their financials suck. There are probably better options than someone telling you how to run your home.
 
Holy crap. Well I just got a letter this morning thanking me for addressing the items in the inspection list ( I had to send follow up pictures) however as a result of their inspection they have increased the replacement value of my home from what it was when the policy was originated in september and now require an additional 34.oo a month to be paid.:(
 
Well - it pays to shop around. Its ironic that Co-operators are putting commercials out about their modest, cooperative beginnings and people friendly attitude! I recently changed insurance companies, and knocked a whopping 35% off my combined home and auto policy.
As far as inspections go (most recently it was the dreaded woodstove), I tell them to wait for the policy renewal if they "want to roll the dice". That usually shuts them up. I dont have a mortgage, so I guess I can afford to be capricious...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom