[MassHistPres] Insurance for Older Homes w/ Knob & Tube Wiring

Mon Nov 13 12:41:52 EST 2006

I had the exact same problem 5 years ago trying ensure my 1914 house
with original knob and tube wiring.   USAA, (a large insurance company
based in Texas and accustomed to newer houses), wanted me to replace all
the wiring before I moved in and before their insurance took effect!
Convincing a very large company to change their policy on a technical
matter is often not as easy as sending them a letter from a local
inspector.  After trying unsuccessfully to convince them that it is
safe, I gave up and took an easier approach - insuring with a company
that is already okay with knob and tube wiring.  I went with Vermont
Mutual, who are far more accustomed to old houses, and who didn't have a
problem with it.    They've held my house insurance policy since. 

Matthew Bronski, Winchester Historical Commission

Matthew B. Bronski, Assoc. AIA
Staff Engineer/Designer 
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
41 Seyon Street
Building 1, Suite 500
Waltham, MA 02453
Direct Dial: 781 907 9264
Operator: 781 907 9000
Fax: 781 907 9009
E-mail: mbbronski at sgh.com 
Website: www.sgh.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Matthew Van
Heynigen
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 12:18 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Insurance for Older Homes w/ Knob & Tube Wiring

Greetings,

My wife & I are in the process of obtaining homeowner's insurance for a
home we've purchased that was built in 1900, and which still has some
knob & tube wiring in the attic & the basement.  In making an initial
call to an insurance broker about getting a rate quote for a policy, I
was told that we would not be able to get coverage from any of the
companies they write policies for because of the fire hazard this poses.
I'm sure coverage is available for us somewhere, but probably at a
higher rate due to the greater risk to the insurer.  If anyone can offer
any information regarding the following, I would be most grateful: 

1) the names of any insurance companies you know of that will cover
homes with knob & tube wiring? 
2) information from personal experience as to how much of a higher rate
one would expect to pay for a policy on a home that has knob & tube
wiring?

Thank you. 

Matt VanHeynigen
Westfield, MA

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of
masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 12:00 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: MassHistPres Digest, Vol 9, Issue 6

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Today's Topics:

   1. Looking for structural engineers specializing in	historic
      wood frame (emxmees at juno.com)
   2. Re: Looking for structural engineers specializing in	historic
      ... (ElsaFitzgerald at aol.com)
   3. Re: MassHistPres Digest, Vol 9, Issue 5 (Alan Rohwer)
   4. Design review (D. Aikman)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 21:57:59 GMT
From: "emxmees at juno.com" <emxmees at juno.com>
Subject: [MassHistPres] Looking for structural engineers specializing
	in	historic wood frame
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Message-ID: <20061109.135822.5535.1417352 at webmail13.lax.untd.com>
Content-Type: text/plain

Hello
can anyone recommend a structural engineer for historic wood frame
construction?
Thanks,
Liz Mees, AIA, IIDA
Braintree Historical Commission

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 18:00:59 EST
From: ElsaFitzgerald at aol.com
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Looking for structural engineers
	specializing in	historic ...
To: emxmees at juno.com, masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Message-ID: <c68.498e512.32850d2b at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hello Liz,

Please check out the Consultants Directory that is posted on the  
Preservation Massachusetts website _www.preservationmass.org_ 
(http://www.preservationmass.org)  . There are  many architects and
consultants listed there who may need 
your needs.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I can also
assist  
you if you are interested in being listed in the Consultants Directory.

Elsa   

Elsa N.  Fitzgerald
Preservation Massachusetts
Northshore  Office:
203 Pine Brook Drive
West Peabody, MA  01960
Phone: 978-535-5556
elsafitzgerald at aol.com 

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:26:19 -0500
From: Alan Rohwer <alan.rohwer at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] MassHistPres Digest, Vol 9, Issue 5
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Message-ID: <4553D53B.7010601 at verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

One advantage of a twelve month delay is that it assures access to an 
Annual Town Meeting, if Town action is required. That, and just the 
extra time bonus, was the reason Boxborough enacted a twelve month delay

by-law.

    - Alan Rohwer, Boxborough Historical Commission

-- 
Alan Billingsley Rohwer
Boxborough, MA, U.S.A. 01719
42.476 N, 71.498 W, 95 m elev.

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:41:13 -0800 (PST)
From: "D. Aikman" <theaikmans at yahoo.com>
Subject: [MassHistPres] Design review
To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
Message-ID: <879610.42780.qm at web30303.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

The Chatham Historical Commission is intending to request an amendment
to its current Bylaws authorizing "design review" for major renovations
to historic homes. 
  Do any other Towns have such authority and would they be willing to
share their Bylaw wording?

---------------------------------
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and get things done faster.

------------------------------

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