NH owner occupied triplex insurance nightmare.

[Stef Klynn]

Am I the only triplex owner living in insurance hell? Is it NH? Three years ago my insurance company demanded that I get a licensed electrician inspection. $550 down the drain, results = 1 jumper to hold ground if the water meter is removed. What a waste. Then insurance demanded that I replace a porch floor that is rotted. I did with quarter sawed vertical grain T&G fir, carpenter said: "What rot--there was none only some edge cracking." Nice floor for $2k. Then a month later policy "to be cancelled." Agent said "it's not you, they are pulling out of the state." Old policy $780 agent found a "nice" policy for $1900. I get a policy through Geico, "it's a triplex--owner occupied" I adamantly said. Yes it is covered. Fast forward about 14 months: "To be canceled we don't write for a triplex." I go back to Geico, get a new policy. "It covers a triplex." One month later: "To be cancelled, triplex." I go back to Geico, get a new policy. "Yes, I checked they cover triplex." One company wants a lead cert at $800 another no lead cert required @ $1400. So it's winter and I like the idea of a lead cert but want a good one and that includes outside dirt--so not an option in winter. I go with the $1400 one. Two weeks later I get a note from Hartford Insurance: "You have 30 days to get a lead cert." Letter states December 23, received Jan 3rd. (?) Ok, I'll get a lead cert, I think. I've owned my place for 34 years. All clapboards replaced, all trim chemically stripped--really! I get a list from NH and call--"we can do it in 8 weeks." Worse, since this barrage of open/close insurance, money is debited from escrow two times in a row so my mortgage goes from $1255 to $1600. Of course eventually the refunds come and then it takes hours to get the bank to accept the two checks into escrow. *Wah* I wish I had never bought this place. I'm feeling very bullied. Are other triplex/duplex owners getting this crap? Monday I'll call some private insurance agents. I'm very happy to do a lead inspection but in summer not now in winter. Btw: There appear to be two lead certs in NH 1) Insurance Safe Cert triplex cost estimate about $850 (a 2BR owner occupied + 1BR rented + 1 BR rented) 2) Lead Safe Cert. I am told this is the one to get and approved by EPA and NH but it requires (in my building ~55 "wipe samples" @$15- each)