Homeowners Dropping Me
I’m in North Carolina and have my homeowners insurance with Travelers. Recently, I learned that they won’t be renewing my policy. When I reached out for clarification, I was informed by a representative that a satellite survey of my property revealed debris in my yard.
Upon receiving the photos, I noticed that they had circled a blue object located in the woods behind my house. This image was taken over a year ago, evidenced by a tractor visible in it.
Behind my house, there’s a 1500 sq. ft. outbuilding situated about 300 feet away and elevated 20 feet higher than the main home. There’s a gravel driveway leading to it, along with a turnaround for the garage. The blue object they identified was actually the bush hog I use to maintain the field at the back of my property, positioned right at the edge of the woods by the gravel turnaround.
When I explained this situation to the rep, I was told that having equipment on the property represents a liability for the insurer and that I would need to store everything inside the conditioned building for them to reconsider my coverage. However, a quick assessment revealed that my equipment far exceeds the available space in the building, not to mention that it would hinder my ability to work in my workshop.
I’ve already decided to transfer my insurance to a different provider, but I’m curious if anyone else has had similar experiences. Do you think they’re just looking for a reason to drop me?
It sounds incredibly frustrating to deal with such a situation, especially when it seems like a misunderstanding about your property. Insurance companies can sometimes be overly cautious, and it appears they might be using the debris as a reason to mitigate risk, even when it doesn’t logically apply.
It’s not uncommon for insurers to look for any reason to justify non-renewal, especially with increasing claims and risk assessments in certain areas. From your description, it seems like they might be using a broad definition of ‘liability’ without fully understanding your specific circumstances.
Moving your insurance to a different carrier sounds like a smart move, especially if they are willing to work with you more reasonably. In the future, it might be helpful to have a clear documentation of your property and any equipment, especially photos showing that your implements are not a liability, in case you face similar issues again.
Has anyone else had experiences with insurance non-renewals related to property assessments? It could be helpful to share your stories and see how others have navigated these challenges.