Just so you know the K&T insurance issue is true heres a paste from
another board discussing it. I have NO connection with anything there,
and put some of this up as a reference to insurance rules today!

As you can see insurance has become picky recently....


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Posted by Jerry_in_OC_MD (My Page) on Tue, Nov 8, 05 at 16:55


We had the home inspection on the 1920 "Dutch Colonial Revival" that we

are in the process of purchasing.
The Inspector had a lot of concerns about the knob and tube wiring in
the house. Some, but not all of the electric is updated. He recommended

that we (or preferably the seller) have the wiring inspected and safety

tested by an licensed electrician before we take possession of the
house.


He mentioned that it might be tough to get a homeowners policy with the

electric in it's current state. Has anyone else had difficulty getting
an insurance policy for their home because of knob-and-tube?


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Posted by homemaker (My Page) on Tue, Nov 8, 05 at 18:11


Here in Ontario, if you have an existing policy, most insurers will
cover a newly purchased home with knob & tube wiring, and give you
30-60 days to disconnect and replace it.
This is a fairly recent change, for a couple of years, it was nigh on
impossible to get insurance for any house with knob & tube unless it
was with a high risk company.


First time home buyers are having more luck these days, but it often
means wearing out your dialing finger. Having an electrical certificate

stating that the wiring is safe and adequate and also advising what
percentage of the wiring is knob & tube may help.


If you have home insurance now, check with your current broker to see
how your company deals with knob & tube issues.


Hope this helps.


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Posted by joed (My Page) on Tue, Nov 8, 05 at 19:00


Here in Ontario I know of at least one person who was forced to replace

their K&T or their insurance would not renew.


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Posted by homemaker (My Page) on Tue, Nov 8, 05 at 21:49


I should have been clearer. Most insurers here will not take on a home
with knob & tube, or keep an existing property with K & T unless it is
disconnected and replaced within 30-60 days.
The only exceptions I know of have been elderly folks who really don't
use much power and tend to have no computers, VCR's, microwaves, and
who live much more simply than those of us with all kinds of fancy
appliances and toys. Electrician's letters advising that the wiring is
safe and adequate for the senior have satisfied many insurance
companies. Makes it tough for those buying the house if it's sold
though.


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Posted by bas157 (My Page) on Tue, Nov 8, 05 at 22:06


When I bought my house, USAA (insurance company) wanted to see the home

inspection report, which pictured some knob and tube wiring. They
wanted it replaced until I showed them better pictures which clearly
show the wiring was just a few pieces and the knobs, obviously hooked
up.


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Posted by kennf (My Page) on Wed, Nov 9, 05 at 14:21


Other than insurance, the other problem with K&T is that you aren't
supposed to insulate over it. So if you want to insulate the attic
better than 1920s standards, you may be out of luck.


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Posted by Vermonster (My Page) on Wed, Nov 9, 05 at 14:45


We were unable to get homeowners insurance with knob and tube
energized. Agreed to de-energize circuit and update. Policy is through
Vermont Mutual.
VT


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Posted by NancyLouise (My Page) on Thu, Nov 10, 05 at 8:01


We have a 100 year old home. When we recently switched insurance
companies, during the inspection one of the first questions the
inspector asked was if there was any K & T wiring. Luckily there
wasn't. It is a very real safety concern. I believe it may be more
difficult to get insurance because of it. Perhaps you can have monies
taken off the asking price of the home to get the home's wiring up to
code. It can't hurt to ask. NancyLouise


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Posted by Mom1993 (My Page) on Thu, Nov 10, 05 at 15:00


We own a 1920's house, had all original K&T wiring. Amica (who we have
used for 15 years) wouldn't insure the house - Fireman's fund would. We

are replacing almost all of the original electrical...Good luck!


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Posted by athomein1914 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 11, 05 at 20:36


Our house was almost entirely knob & tube when purchased and we had no
trouble insuring. (Allstate)
We've since rewired to code and insulated the attic. There was zero
insulation when we purchased our home.


Another insurance issue we've run into is insuring for replacement of
the historic home we have as opposed to a flat rate per square foot. I
find there is tremendous variation among insurance companies, and among

policies, and every so often I call around to update myself and my
home. You can insure beyond the "standard" to protect your
not-so-standard home.


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Posted by terryr (My Page) on Sun, Nov 13, 05 at 16:44


We have Grange Insurance on an 1896 house. They didn't ask us about
knob & tube, only about fuses vs. circuit breaker. We had 90 days to
upgrade to a CB.


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Posted by Bella_Design (My Page) on Mon, Nov 14, 05 at 23:23


I have a 1918 house in TN. It has some K&T in it as well. The main
breaker had two 100 amp fuses in it and was able to insure it with the
condition that I replace the fuse box with a circuit breaker, but none
of the wiring was a problem. The thing I had the most problem with was
that it is partially asbestos sided. Try Erie Insurance if they are
available in your area.