Knob and Tube Wiring Insurance: Background
Knob and tube wiring is an older type of wiring that was used in the past and can be found today in homes that were built prior to the 1950’s. It is called ‘knob of tube’ because of insulator knobs which are used to keep wires isolated and insulating tubes that were used to guide conducting wires through walls or ceiling elements. Knob and tube wiring typically consists of a black and white wire (i.e. parallel and neutral – s. below).
From the insurance perspective knob and tube wiring is considered more dangerous than other types of wiring because the wires are quite old and worn due to their age. There is also no ground wire, which exists in modern wiring circuits. Furthermore, a contact of both black and white wires can result in a fire.
 |  |
 |  |
Sources: Wikipedia, Financial Services |
|
Knob and Tube Wiring: What You Can Do
Often insurers will require you updating the whole wiring system prior to offering a policy. In some cases knob and tube wiring can be insured after a review by a licensed and certified electrician. Specialty insurer might also be able to insure that type of property, but it will result in higher premiums.
Different Wiring Types and Home Insurance
Typically, home insurance identifies three different types of wiring with various degrees of risk:
- The Most Dangerous: Knob and tube wiring (Used in houses built prior to 1950’s; most dangerous wiring: no ground wire, old and worn out wires)
- Dangerous: Aluminum wiring (Used in houses built in the 1960’s and 1970’s; can overheat if not connected properly; may require electrical inspection)
- Safe: Copper wiring (Standard wiring; widely used today)
Interested in Home Insurance?
Get a free, no-obligation quote
We compare rates from over 20 insurers to show you the best quotes
Get a Home Insurance quote now. Start saving.
Our Publications related to Home Insurance
Introducing a New Tool to Find Out What Issues Canadian Face with Their Insurers
The arrival of COVID-19 has pushed Canadians, more than ever before, online for finding and applying for insurance and banking products. It is not easy, though, to make the right choice without knowing if a particular insurer will be there when you need them the most. As the largest Canadian review platform with thousands of […]
How Much a Good Condo View is Worth Today?
A prospective buyer is always going to be focused on a condo unit’s view. Unlike a house, these units rarely have multiple windows to the outside in various directions. The exterior wall, which usually is either glass or contains a balcony, is likely the only point of contact with the natural world. While the interior […]
Own your home? You could be eligible for these tax credits and rebates
It’s no secret that property prices in many urban areas of Canada are on fire. And it’s not limited to just the core of Toronto and Vancouver. Houses for sale in Hamilton, for example, have doubled in price in the last decade and houses in Mississauga are almost $750,000. It’s increasingly hard for the average […]
How Competitive is it to Buy a Home in Toronto? INFOGRAPHIC
Toronto real estate has been tumultuous in the last few years. At first, everything was going, up, up and up. Record low-interest rates made huge mortgages more attractive, and few new suburbs were developed thanks to the Greenbelt. Almost 90, 000 Newcomers were moving to Toronto each year, along with Canadians from other parts of […]
Canadian Condo Review Platform CondoEssentials Launched
InsurEye Inc has announced the launch of a new website: CondoEssentials. The new site is a condo review platform that has been designed to better inform Canadians about real estate, with a particular emphasis on condominiums. InsurEye has been informing consumers about details of auto, life and condo insurance for years through thousands of independent […]