Mark C. Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 The will it burn post got me thinking this may help a few.For Me here in California as full time production potter guy my insurance on studio from homeowners is ZERO coverage. My agent long ago (70's) said no way-The house is 20 feet away and the line of coverage is somewhere in between as far as my homeowners insurance(state farm). I have two electrics just out side of studio door and two gas Kilns 10 feet away. My salt kiln is about 100 feet away . I bought commercial Liability insurance (about 320$) that covers 10 k for fire on shop if (or when) it burns as well as being sued when someone chokes on eating a mug as well as theft of breakage on 15 K worth of ceramics . I will say that most insurance companies will drop you after 1 claim. I say this from other pro potters (3 that I know) who filed and then got dumped after settling the claim. If I was a hobby potter the whole picture would be different and most Homeowners insurance will cover some crafts area. As long as its all done with permits My permit was in the 70's for a 2 inch gas line on a separate meter.Things sort of grew from there. Hope this helps someone. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 I always tell customers to talk to their insurance agent, even if they are just making pots as a hobby. My agent when we lived in Iowa said they didn't care about my electric kilns. Nor did my agent in Wisconsin. But every state is different. I was not a business then, but everything changes when you become an official potter. Anyone who sells pots should carry liability insurance, even hobbyists. It's cheap and will save you a ton when things go bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 My State Farm agent here in Maryland does not mind that I have a kiln in my house. I made it perfectly clear it was a full-time business. He did ask to come over and photograph the kiln and its setup area in my basement, but then he assured me if my kiln ever caused any damage to my house, my homeowners policy would cover it. I persisted in asking "are you sure?" a few times, because I had heard some scary anecdotes about insurance companies running in the other direction at the mention of the word "kiln." He said there was absolutely no reason why not. And if their adjusters ever tried to say otherwise, he would fight for my behalf, not the adjusters. This might be different in other states, other insurance companies, and other types of kilns. But for Marylanders with properly wired electric kilns, don't be afraid to tell your insurance agent. Mea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen B Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 I was told by Amica in Massachusetts that they will not cover any equipment in my home studio, which is an attached garage. I found this out when I called Amica to find out about insurance for a craft show. The agent then proceeded to hound me about my kiln (electric) and studio. I had to call her supervisor to get her to stop calling me. I think she was new and trying to make a name for herself or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arbust91 Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 I wouldn't believe the State Farm agent. You must thoroughly read you policy for exclusions. State Farm changed a lot after Katrina. While for decades they had a stellar rep for covering claims this is no longer the case. Please research current conditions in the insurance industry . Often artist worry so much about damaged or lost inventory but the real threat to you is bodily injury, loss of life and property damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnhar Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 49 minutes ago, arbust91 said: I wouldn't believe the State Farm agent. You must thoroughly read you policy for exclusions. State Farm changed a lot after Katrina. And again after the rash of tornadoes and hail/damaging winds across the Southeast a few years back. They sent us a refund check and a letter that stated they were no longer in the business of covering "log homes". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, arbust91 said: I wouldn't believe the State Farm agent. You must thoroughly read you policy for exclusions. State Farm changed a lot after Katrina. While for decades they had a stellar rep for covering claims this is no longer the case. Please research current conditions in the insurance industry . Often artist worry so much about damaged or lost inventory but the real threat to you is bodily injury, loss of life and property damage. This is why I sit down with my agent every year and do a review of all of my policies. I just did it last week, in fact, and was able to consolidate and add some coverage for almost no additional cost. I do trust my agent, but I also ask a lot of questions. Remember, it's in their best interest to make sure you're covered for what you need, otherwise they'll lose a customer, which reduces their income. I haven't had a kiln in home for a long time now, so things may have changed, but when I wrote the post above, it was accurate, and I've had several other people with State Farm get the same response about kilns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 My State Farm agent photographed my kiln room when we built our new house and studio, this was 11 years ago. They have never had a problem with my kilns but since things have change I should probably call him. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted September 14, 2018 Report Share Posted September 14, 2018 In NH we "Live Free or Die". But I got proper insurance anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgusten Posted September 18, 2018 Report Share Posted September 18, 2018 As I saw the water coming in the other night and under the kiln, I thought about my insurance. Guess I need to talk to my State Farm agent. (BTW, they would not have covered any water damage because I do not have flood insurance). Glad I saw this topic today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted September 19, 2018 Report Share Posted September 19, 2018 On 9/18/2018 at 7:09 AM, lgusten said: As I saw the water coming in the other night and under the kiln, I thought about my insurance. Guess I need to talk to my State Farm agent. (BTW, they would not have covered any water damage because I do not have flood insurance). Glad I saw this topic today. Hope you're doing ok and that you got your kiln raised up enough to stay dry. Best wishes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgusten Posted September 19, 2018 Report Share Posted September 19, 2018 3 hours ago, Rae Reich said: Hope you're doing ok and that you got your kiln raised up enough to stay dry. Best wishes! Thank you. We are OK. We got about an 1" of water in total.....small amount compared to what others are dealing with. The water coming in showed us where the problem with the foundation was. We sucked up the water and patched a couple of holes and it held. For a short time, though, I was a little panicked. It did make me think about if the house were to burn (which the insurance should cover), would the fact that I had a kiln and had not told the insurance company about it invalidate any claim I made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgusten Posted September 20, 2018 Report Share Posted September 20, 2018 Checked with my insurance agent....State Farm in NC does not care about an electric kiln. It is covered under my personal property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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