Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover EIFS Siding?

Question of the Week: Insurance Problems with EIFS Siding on Home
Our question this week comes from Dillan in Farmingdale, NJ who writes:

“Aaron,  I recently received a letter from my insurance carrier saying they are going to cancel my Homeowner’s Insurance policy because I have EIFS siding on my home. My house isn’t very old, it was built in 1990. I don’t understand why the siding on my house is an issue, causing my insurance carrier to  drop me.  Can you please shed some light on this issue?”

LG Insurance Agency’s response:

Dillan, I can understand why this sudden cancellation is coming as a shock to you. Unfortunately, the EIFS siding on your home can be an issue. Homes clad with EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), often referred to as synthetic stucco, have a very strong tendency to retain moisture between the sheathing of the home and the finish system. The design of EIFS, unlike other systems (brick, stone, siding, etc.), does not allow the moisture to drain out.
The problem is water intrusion and entrapment in the wall cavities. The moisture can sit in contact with the sheathing for a prolonged period and rotting may result and damage can be serious. Another safety hazard stems from the fact that EIFS is made from polystyrene and polyisocyanurate, which are flammable. The heat release rate for these types of foam plastics can be three to five times greater than those of ordinary combustibles (e.g., wood or paper).

Because of these safety concerns some insurance carriers are not insuring homes that have EIFS siding. To protect your home, I recommend having regular inspections made to ensure seams are intact and the surface hasn’t been damaged. Be sure to check after storms, as tree limbs may dent or pierce the siding. In addition, you shouldn’t attach anything to this siding that punctures the surface, such as mailboxes, hose holders, street numbers or planter boxes.

For your personal insurance protection needs, call us at (877) 288-7169. We work with many different insurance carriers and are able to shop around to find a good fit for your Homeowner’s Insurance needs. We can help you find a carrier that will offer Homeowner’s Insurance to homes clad with EIFS siding.