Federal Pacific Panels

[Charley L. Bottger]

Had an insurance agent call last week whining about his company no longer insuring homes in this area with installed Federal Pacific panels. Question??? is anyone out there running into this item.

My answer to him was: You must not be writing many policy's because 75% of the homes in this area with any age have Federal Pacific panels

[Bruce A. King]

I have not heard of this here.

Did he specify the stab-lok type or all FPE's?

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by cbottger

Had an insurance agent call last week whining about his company no longer insuring homes in this area with installed Federal Pacific panels. Question??? is anyone out there running into this item.

My answer to him was: You must not be writing many policy's because 75% of the homes in this area with any age have Federal Pacific panels

Federal Pacific are great panels and is owned by

http://www.schneider-electric.ca/www...l/19451968.htm

They also own another good company called Sq D .
They do not have trouble here in Canada.
I wonder why we are so different to our great friends to the south .
I have one in my home and yes they are not built as well as SQ.D but seem to do a good job here .
Roy Cooke

[Jeffrey S. Campbell]

The entire Federal pacific name is being dragged down to some extent by the Stab Lok line... we run into a couple a month and advise our clients of the history and further advise them to seek a licensed electricians advise... we are not hearing much from the insurance side since they usually ask fused or breakers???...

[Russel Ray]

The Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels are insurance industry no-nos in my area. It has been this way since 9/11 when the re-insurance industry dried up (one has to understand the insurance industry to make sense of that statement). The insurance companies here are looking for just about anything to deny insurance. However, most of them won't deny insurance per sé. What they do is make it so hard, or expensive, to get insurance that the prospective Client gives up and searches for insurance with some other company. That, of course, sounds bad, but it actually is good for the insurance company for a couple of reasons. First, the company isn't insuring something that has known problems with it (and that's what our home inspection reports do, is point out known problems). Second, their insurance policy is easier to sell in the re-insurance industry. Third, when it comes time to do marketing, they can say that they insure 100% (or whatever high number they attain) of the people who apply for insurance with them. What they don't tell you is that they made it so difficult for most prospects that the prospect himself chose not to apply for insurance with them. So you can have a company that insures 100% of 10,000 applicants but made it so difficult for 90,000 applicants that those 90,000 went elsewhere. All the big companies here (Farmers, State Farm, Prudential, etc.) are now encouraging their independently owned and operated franchises to get a copy of the home inspection report, look for specific problematic items, and have those specific problematic items repaired before issuing insurance on the structure. And, of course, the 1/01 Leko decision made it all possible.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by rcooke

Federal Pacific are great panels and is owned by

http://www.schneider-electric.ca/www...l/19451968.htm

They also own another good company called Sq D .
They do not have trouble here in Canada.
I wonder why we are so different to our great friends to the south .
I have one in my home and yes they are not built as well as SQ.D but seem to do a good job here .
Roy Cooke

There is a difference between Federal Pacific Canada and Federal Pacific U.S.

[rwand1]

So whats the difference? I have FP and see many and no problems. One must remember that insurers are reducing risk (perceived or otherwise) any way they can. Even if the stats don't back up their claims.

[Jeffrey S. Campbell]

http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm

this may shed some light on the stab lok panels...

on another note... a seller informed me he could buy replacement breakers for his stab lok at Home Depot??? first I heard of that....

[Eric C. Van De Ven]

Yes, you can buy replacement breakers. American makes them.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...=07-11913717-2

I have also heard that insurance companies will not write policy if you have a FPE panel. They are also not writing policies for homes equipped with fuses and aluminum wiring.

I hope everyone is making their Clients aware of this to at least ask the insurance company before buying the home.

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by jcampbell

http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm

this may shed some light on the stab lok panels...

on another note... a seller informed me he could buy replacement breakers for his stab lok at Home Depot??? first I heard of that....

Hi Jeff,

I believe (as Eric stated) that several brands of replacement breakers are available for FPE. I have commonly seen "Challenger" brand breakers in FPE panels.

Interestingly (and just to get Eric going ) My local home depot also stocks replacement Zinsco breakers as well.

BTW, anyone know where I can get a new gas tank for my Pinto?

Regards

Gerry

[Jeffrey S. Campbell]

are these replacement breakers any better than the original??? safer...??? anyone know...? hmmmm

[Jeffrey S. Campbell]

right Gerry... I knew they were available but I thought they were a little harder and more expensive to get... I was surprised at the availablility...

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by gbeaumont

Hi Jeff,

I believe (as Eric stated) that several brands of replacement breakers are available for FPE. I have commonly seen "Challenger" brand breakers in FPE panels.

Interestingly (and just to get Eric going ) My local home depot also stocks replacement Zinsco breakers as well.

BTW, anyone know where I can get a new gas tank for my Pinto?

Regards

Gerry

We have lots of gas tanks for the Mercury Bobcat if you want me to try and get you one .
Roy Cooke

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by evandeven

Yes, you can buy replacement breakers. American makes them.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...=07-11913717-2

I have also heard that insurance companies will not write policy if you have a FPE panel. They are also not writing policies for homes equipped with fuses and aluminum wiring.

I hope everyone is making their Clients aware of this to at least ask the insurance company before buying the home.

I do not know if the Canadian FP is the same or Different but no insurance company has ever turned one down that I know of .
Roy Cooke

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by jcampbell

are these replacement breakers any better than the original??? safer...??? anyone know...? hmmmm

The replacement breakers that I have seen have been identical to the orgiginals in all respects, I don't know if the guts of the things is any better, but one of the problems with both desings was the attachment system which has not been changed in any way.

I suspect that the Challeger FPE ones may even come of the original tooling.

Regards

Gerry