I have contacted 3 different farming insurance companies to see if they would insure a straw bale barn. Thus far, 2 have denied insurance based on (1) They don't know of any straw bale buildings in our geograhical region--Georgia; or (2) They don't know how to assess the value of the straw bale barn. I have provided excerpts from 'The Straw Bale House' to include hurricane, fire, moisture, insect resistance, etc. and have passed on information about these buildings long-life span in Europe, Canada, and particularly out west. I am so frustrated as I've wanted to build with straw bale for years--I don't believe in quitting! I'd already convinced the building inspector of the benefits of this construction method and he approved our barn plans. PLEASE, if you have any suggestions, I would welcome them!

-- Marsha (CaprisMaa@aol.com), April 24, 2001

Answers

Consider this. When you have insurance on a structure, you are gambling that it will be damaged, the insurance company is gambling that it will not be. Who usually comes out the winner monetarily? The answer is, the insurance company.

Now you must figure out for yourself if you can withstand a loss, i.e. rebuild without insurance funds, with only from what you have saved by not paying premiums. Some can stand the loss, some not.

I'm certainly not saying that you should gamble by going without insurance, but it may be an option that might be able to consider.

I'm 54 years of age, and in my hometown area, I've only known of one barn burning, and a few others damaged by wind. Roofing can be replaced pretty easily. How about your area?

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), April 24, 2001.

While there might not be any homes in your geographical area, there is an awful lot of research across the country. There are lots of sites for organizations on the web that can be of great help to you... I will try to find some of the addys I had before I moved. I know there was one that had all sorts of documentation - I THINK they were in NM.

As for the insurance issue itself, are you taking out a loan to do this? Do you have a loan on the property? If so, then you might be required to have insurance. If there are no loans, you are not required to carry a policy. I have never had a renter's or a homeowner's policy - even when living in the burbs of Chicago.

In the meantime, just check out what you can find on the search engines... I will get back with you shortly about some specific addys.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 24, 2001.

I'm back - check the two new posts on this...

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 24, 2001.

Thank you both and especially Sue for all the great website lists. Will try to do more research. I'll need farm insurance and just wanted the strawbale barn approved up front. The barn will be a combination garage, storage, tack room and barn. AND, I'd want to attach the garage/barn to the house--hence wanting the insurance approved up front. I'm not concerned about insurance on the barn, but the fact that I want to attach it to the house is my biggest concern. At this point, I'm ready to build without it and say my prayers. Had a house fire 30 years ago without insurance and it was rough starting over.

-- Marsha / GA (CaprisMaa@aol.com), April 25, 2001.

If you build a loadbearing strawbale structure, it will be difficult to stretch the poor insurance companies' envelopes to cover them. But if you build a non-loadbearing type, (post & beams holding up the roof with strawbale infill), just tell them it is a post & beam structure, and you may be able to find a company that will insure that. The strawbales become non-structural, just insulation really, and not worth mentioning. Given that it's an alternative building technique, they will try to charge you for their lack of statistical information on strawbale buildings. The fact is, that the earthquake strength is better and the fire rating is better than stick-built. Fixing them is not all that expensive anyway, so you would be spending a lot to quell the insurance company's insecurities! I live in a strawbale house and love it, and I think strawbale would make a great barn. They are very quiet, and I think your animals will feel very safe and tranquil. Be sure to have the eaves overhang at least 2 ft all around.

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), April 26, 2001.

Marsha, we built a strawbale house and love it. Ours is bank financed so we have to insure, however, I would anyway. Our mortgage guy pitched it to the underwriters as a stucco home with strawbale insulation and that seemed to work for everyone else. Our home is a post and beam, NOT load-bearing. We built a load bearing practice shed and it has really shown some signs of settling......Build a Pole Barn and insulate it with straw! God bless, Pam

-- Pam Harsh (harshhaus@aol.com), April 27, 2001.