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Small Cabin Forum / Properties / Insurance for a Boat-Access Only Off-Grid Property in British Columbia BC
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hershey
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2020 16:56
Reply 


Hey there fellers!

Recently purchased a boat-access only, off-grid cabin on the Sunshine Coast of BC, in Pender Harbour to be specific.

The insurance provider, TD Monnex, on our primary residence was about to offer me insurance on the cabin but I was ultimately denied as I'm not X kilometers (by road) from the nearest fire hall); there is no road for that matter. doh!

anyhoo, I consulted Auntie Google and these relevant posts came up so I'm waiting to hear back from the Co-operators and Wawanesa. :fingers crossed:

https://www.small-cabin.com/forum/5_6414_0.html
https://www.small-cabin.com/forum/5_8155_0.html

Now that it's 2020, any other suggestions folks? any good home insurers providing 'rural' cover in BC.

the boat-access makes it tricky for me, the wood burning stove as the primary heat source is probably another hurdle to overcome.

thanks in advance for the advise!
-Hershey

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2020 15:20
Reply 


Good luck, wood heat, off the grid, no fulltime power, no hydrant, not within a mile of a firehouse. Its over.

SE Ohio
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2020 16:44
Reply 


I was turned down (in US) and I have road access! I’m off grid, no running water, wood heat. My neighbor is insured due to generator powered baseboard heat.

SE Ohio

Alaskajohn
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2020 10:18
Reply 


I’m not able to get insurance as my place is way beyond the response range of any fire department. Some insurance companies will allow you to have a “rider” policy for cabins if you have a primary residence insured by them. These riders usually have a cap at about $30k.

RiverCabin
Member
# Posted: 22 May 2020 12:13 - Edited by: RiverCabin
Reply 


Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech
Good luck, wood heat, off the grid, no fulltime power, no hydrant, not within a mile of a firehouse. Its over.


You're also forgetting the water issue. My cabin has fulltime power, it's on the grid, and it has no wood heat. It however overlooks a river. My independent insurance agent just laughs at me when I ask about insurance.

Edited to add: I actually did get a quote one time. Less than ten years of premiums exceeded my entire cost for the cabin and contents.

beachman
Member
# Posted: 25 May 2020 18:33
Reply 


Right on, River - as I have said before, even if you can get it, they will deny a claim for some obscure reason. Start banking for a new cabin and self insure. Liability is the bigger issue. You might want to protect yourself from others who wander onto your property and trip on something.

Mabel_Lake
Member
# Posted: 25 May 2020 18:56
Reply 


Hey Hershey,

our place is boat access only in the interior of BC. (Salmon arm area).

Same issues, no fire hall or hydrants, wood burning stove. we ended up going through HUB international. They are a broker, I forget the underwriter, Ill try and see if i can dig it up.

Wasn't cheap but they got us covered.

quarry bay
Member
# Posted: 25 May 2020 20:31
Reply 


I've never had a problem insuring my boat access only cottage (near Pender Harbour) for 25 years. I do it as an addition to my home insurance. The only caveat is recently the insurance underwriters are getting increasingly insistent that dwellings with wood heat as the primary heat source get a WETT certificate. (Wood Energy Transfer Technology) Any company that sells or installs wood stoves in Canada will have a list of local companies that will go to you cabin, do the inspection and issue the certificate.

hershey
Member
# Posted: 30 May 2020 15:03
Reply 


thanks @Mabel_Lake! looks like HUB international is my best bet. just need to get a WETT inspection/approval.

if you can provide me with your underwriter information, that would be fantastic!

hershey
Member
# Posted: 30 May 2020 15:06
Reply 


thanks quarry_bay! this is most helpful. The folks at HUB insurance have been most helpful but require a WETT inspection as you stated.

Can I ask who your insurance provider for your primary residence and your cabin?

The funny thing is that several insurance providers laughed at me over the phone when they saw the inside of the cabin was largely incomplete. They'd only insurance once it's fully constructed.

With all that said, the HUB laid said a lot of cabins have exposed subfloor / framing, etc. and this is not a reason for them *not* to give me insurance. I just need to get the WOOD burning stove checked out as a heat source.

On the lake
Member
# Posted: 25 Sep 2021 17:32
Reply 


Mabel_Lake
Hi, I have property on Shuswap Lake (near Mabel. I have been turned away from multiple insurance agencies as we are listed as "water access only". You mentioned that you went to HUB and could provide your underwriter info, I would really appreciate that information.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 26 Sep 2021 10:15 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
Reply 


For those unable to get insurance, I was able to get landowners insurance from the NWOA or national woodland owners association. This covers me in case someone get hurt and tries to sue me. They have a policy to protect you if you allow hunting on your property too and recently, they have a plan that can include personal property, ie quads etc. So might be able to add the cabin?

My policy covers no injuries, just goes to bat for me if someone get hurt and tries to sue me.

Of course, this was in the US, I am not sure if they extend to my northern brothers and sisters in Canada and if not, maybe you guys have an association that works the same way?

Cost was 28 cents an acre, minimum of $160 plus I have to em a member of the NWOA and I get a nice monthly magazine out of it too. So under $200 a year

hershey
Member
# Posted: 26 Sep 2021 12:48
Reply 


Hi @Mabel_lake! Contact kathy.bermudez@hubinternational.com at HUB International Insurance. She was successfully able to get us an insurance quote on our boat-access only cabin in Pender Harbour, BC from “Cansure”. The problem is that the quote is for $4100 a year; certainly not cheap but perhaps worth it to have liability protection.

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