New Insurance
 

I need a new insurance company. My question is that I have a 2004 hot water heater. Will they require me to replace this?

I used The Villages insurance agents. It takes a little patience as they take time to call you back. But I found they listen to your request and follow your instructions as much as they can. And they don’t suggest iffy insurance companies. And I have never been asked the age of my water heater. The roof, yes.

Most companies writing insurance on new costumers, with older homes, require an inspection that includes the roof, HVAV system, water heater, and plumbing and electrical systems. A 21 year old water heater will most likely trip a red flag for the insurance company. If it’s an electric water heater, it’s probably a good idea to just replace it as it costs a little less than a grand to have a new one installed.

Water heater is probably on borrowed time, I would probably replace before it floods

Congrats you have a heater that has last 2-3X longer than normal. Depends upon the actual insuror. On bright side a new standard heater costs < $900 installed

I would buy a new water heater, regardless of what the insurance company says.

That's old, I would replace it now.... They usually like to start leaking at 3am.

Tower Hill had no objection to my 2003 water heater. Father time, however, did.

I had to replace mine when I changed insurance companies…mine was 17 years old

A whole lot cheaper
 

It’s a whole lot cheaper to change the water heater than go through the claims, deductibles, inconvenience and increases in premiums after the claim.

I’ve been satisfied with The Villages Insurance (soon to be The Baldwin Group).

Totally agree, the longest warranty I could find was 10 years on a new one.

I have a 20 year old electric tank water heater in my parent's house up north here in MA.
I am afraid to use it. . so am getting a new one just to avoid the same steps above

though my first quote was $3,000:
Permit: 500
Tank: 900
Labor to remove old and install new: 1,600

Thinking that labor is a bit high, but considering removal, disposal of old,
purchase, transport and move into basement of new, and then plumb and electric, with two people and higher cost of living here in NE,

almost reasonable.

We just replaced our’s with Dove Plumbing. Less than $1000. It was 11 years old.

I would call a plumber on Monday and have your water heater replaced.

Unfortunately, I believe modern hot water tanks, like most modern appliances are now engineered to a specific time of failure. Growing up household systems like the furnace, hot water tank, refrigerator and I believe even washers and dryers were considered "durable goods". I had my grandparents GM manufactured refrigerator from 1940 and sold it less than 5 years ago and it was still running like a top. As for hot water tanks, when I replaced one several years ago you could purchase one with at least a 12 year warranty. Now, I see most come with just a 6 year warranty.

They objected to my newer hot water heater.