"Ray" wrote in message
news:e4Zsj.4332$%x3.2510@trndny06...
Our very old six-unit coop building uses an oil-fired boiler furnace. The
last one we had lasted for only eight years.

Is it possible to get insurance on boilers? If so, where?

Yes, but probably not what you need.

You may want insurance to insure against catastrophic failure and the damage
it can cause. Hartford Steam is one of the biggest in that areas. Travelers
does boiler insurance also. They require it be opened and inspected every
year.

What you really need is proper operation. First of all, you have to find
out what you have. You either have a furnace or a boiler. You mention both
in your post, but they are different things. Furnaces heat air, boilers
heat water. In a six unit place, changes are you have water or steam heat
and a boiler.

Who is in charge of operating it? There must be a trained and knowledgeable
person that has responsibility for operation. You should know the condition
of the water you are using in it, how often it should be cleaned and know
the signs of when it needs cleaning on the fire side. Proper maintenance can
triple or quadruple the life of the boiler. You may want to consider water
treatment too. How often is the boiler checked? Is a log kept? Anyone
monitor things like stack temperature? That will tell you when it is
getting sootted up and need cleaning.

What was the cause of failure in the old unit? What type, brand, size, do
you have now?