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My insurance sent me a letter today that they are cancelling my homeowner's insurance, because I supposedly have "asbestos siding" on my house.

I don't really know what counts as "asbestos siding", but I'm 99% sure my home is using wood shingles (redwood or cedar). I don't think the inspector took any samples of the paint or the singles themselves. The home was re-painted fairly recently.

The insurance company's inspection report does not contain any explanation, other than a picture of my house from the street and the comment "this is asbestos siding". No lab report or anything.

Is this "asbestos siding"?

Located in California - might be one of their attempts to kick Californians off their policies.

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isherwood
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mitchkman
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4 Answers4

54

Just as we here in internet land cannot tell without a lab report, neither can the Insurance company.

Ask them for the lab report that verifies that your home has asbestos siding.

When they cannot produce it advise them that you are reporting them to your State Insurance Commission for canceling you without due cause.

The whole thing may go away. Or they will find another reason to cancel you because that is what Insurance companies are doing now. But if they are being a PITA to you you might as well return the favor.

RMDman
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A lot of asbestos siding was textured to look like wood. Newer mineral siding looks exactly like asbestos (and so, like wood) siding but contains no asbestos. And may still be called "asbestos siding" by some people when the distinction is not important.

For your insurance company to make that call from the street is ridiculous.

The sample in your hand looks like wood to me, but that's not worth much more than the walk-by assessment done by the insurer.

Does it behave like wood? Does it splinter? Do small fibers of it become soft? Does it absorb water and expand like wood? I would say "does it smell like wood", but if it's asbestos you don't want to be sniffing it.

jay613
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Take down a COMPLETE shingle and see what's stamped on or taped to the back of it, if anything. Manufactured boards often have branding labels on them, so you can reorder more of the same pattern. Look up whatever you find.

If you think it is wood, then do a simple burn test on a SMALL, unpainted chunk of it. Use a lighter and if it doesn't start making coals or ignite after 15 seconds, it's in question. DO NOT INHALE. Lots of other chemicals and crap in there.

Bee Kay
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I agree with others who have said that the insurance company should know for certain that your siding is asbestos before cancelling your policy. That being said, there's actually a very good reason why insurance companies don't like asbestos siding. When asbestos was declared a hazardous material, the cost of removal and disposal of asbestos siding skyrocketed. So, the cost of a claim on an asbestos sided home is disproportionately higher than a similar type claim on a home with other types of siding.
Most insurance companies won't insure a home if they know it has asbestos siding.

Evergreen
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