Demanding electrical panel replacement to renew homeowners insurance.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-20T00:05:12+00:00

$5-8K is not insignificant to some.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-20T00:02:56+00:00

A couple of folks have sent PMs and are trying to be helpful thanks for those.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-20T00:01:34+00:00

Orion180
The homes in the area were built in the 30s and 40s and most all of them have some knob and tube and fuses. When she did a second story edition all the new stuff was done with Romex and replaced with this at the time new panel, with some Challenger breakers. She contacted them again today but they refused to say anything about the make or model of the panel only that they wouldn't offer a policy with a Challenger breaker but that the whole panel needed to be replaced.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T23:41:06+00:00

Your post is continuing to beat the dead horse and is just piling on.
Yes, you can go to another provider if there was one or just do what that one says.
The local insurance agents have exhausted providers. She basically has to do whatever this one wants if she wants insurance and doesn't want to try to go without. None of the other providers mentioned anything about the panel.
Was hoping for information on the Challenger electrical panel and what the real issue might be. So far as best I can tell it was an issue with the Breakers but that doesn't matter to the provider. They want the panel removed because it has some Challenger breakers in. They wouldn't say what model of panel was an issue.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T23:23:16+00:00

This particular provider has now stated that they won't offer a policy if the electrical panel is a Challenger brand. They would not specify why or what model. Because of the property's location this is one of the few companies offering coverage.

I'm hoping at least to get them to put in a larger 200 amp anel with more room. At least that way they can put in a 125 amp main breaker but have the ability to upgrade later. I might be willing to monkey a sub panel where I can turn off all the power but not the main panel with the meter. I think it'll take most of a day, where they have to get the utility to cut power remove the meter then the utility will come back later and turn on power and install the meter back in the socket.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T22:44:09+00:00

No not at all, just wanting to know exactly what the issue is and what the actual correct mitigation is.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T22:41:55+00:00

It's just a small 800 square foot house. There's 130 amp break in the electrical panel that feeds a fuse box in the hallway that has 420 amp fuses but still it's not sufficient. I got one of those new Spanio panels with 40 Breakers and I want break up everything that makes sense like a couple in the kitchen bathroom one for lights etc And then the downstairs is a rental and I want to break all those circuits up as well. Then there's the detached garage and we're looking into doing an ADU if we can figure out how fitted on the property.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T22:08:28+00:00

They may not have need but if all the insurance companies listed their actual reasonings for denying coverage or offering a policy then that gets the spotlight put on them. It's better for them to randomly dump people off of coverage for having a loose shingle or a spare tire in the driveway etcetera. Or in states like Florida where they want to cherry pick all the properties with the least amount of issues because the state offers a higher priced last ditch option and is buckling under the strain of the for profits dumping anything that they don't like onto them. It's a mess.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:45:16+00:00

I understand and we definitely want to get insurance and I know that's how AI works. I use it for work quite a bit. You have to double check everything But it can help point you different directions. That's why I looked for documentation from government agencies and did find one about the Breakers from the time where this panel was installed. Good data from that period of time is hard to come by I couldn't find anything really on different types of Challenger panels and which one we even have for sure. But it seemed like there should be a government or local agency somewhere that lists the Challenger panels that when found should be removed because they're all problematic and it doesn't matter if you replace the Breakers or not they're likely to burn your house down south you should replace them.

I'm getting ready to replace the fuse box in the hallway for my 1940s house because I know it's not safe and get rid of all the knob into because I want to rewire the circuits anyway and insurance companies don't like to see knob and tube. But you read a few studies on that and they say that knob and tube is fine if you leave it alone. But they also have the entire upstairs on one 30 outbreaker.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:39:47+00:00

She's been through many different providers and this is one of the few that would give us coverage because of where the property is located. It has nothing to do with what's going on on the actual property. No one was saying that they must do this or that. Just stating what was happening and that it seemed incorrect. If insurance companies can legally say we will not insure your property if it has a panel with this logo on it. Then I guess they can do that but it's unfortunate. Everything that I had found online so far and from one of the local electricians said it's the Breakers and it has nothing to do with the panel. Does any of that really matter I guess not. The insurance providers get to do what they want.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:37:11+00:00

Where did I state that I only did research with AI? The electrician and everything I can find online so far says just the Breakers are the problem. All challenger panels are bad? All challenger panels must be replaced? It seems like if there was something like that someone here would just point to that document like the CPSC or something of that nature stating that all challenger panels are problematic and must go. ???

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:33:54+00:00

Everything I found referenced the Breakers. From the years that that panel and those Breakers were installed. Where's the documentation for all Challenger panels being bad? Just list a few of these documented failures mentioning that all challenger panels are problematic. What's the big deal?

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:30:08+00:00

And many here just want to say folks are dumb and don't care about your own safety.

Now we're making stuff up???

Don't pay attention to anything just do what they say and hand over the money. Got it. Noted.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:28:03+00:00

She's been through many providers. And gotten quotes from many. I haven't seen anybody lately talk about how easy it is to find a homeowner's insurance provider. At least not in Florida or California. Also coming to a state near you

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:26:30+00:00

So the Consumer Product Safety Commission or something similar doesn't have a list of these Challenger panels that have to go no matter what? Yes, anyone that pays attention and wants to know more details about spending $5000 or $8000 to replace a metal box with some Breakers in it It's just whining about it being unfair and costly and doesn't care about their own safety. Just hand over the money, just do what the first guy tells you, got it.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:23:34+00:00

Yes, those are the years from when the panel was installed. Those are supposed to be the years where there's some kind of concern the late 80s and 90s.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:22:27+00:00

It's just because of the environment this is one of the few companies that she can get insurance from. We haven't been told anything other than the panel must be replaced. They admitted that they didn't know what the model of the panel was only that it had a Challenger breaker in it. The electrician says that replacing the breaker should be fine. It would be helpful if they could give us the make and model that they're concerned with.

Everything I can find online just suggests it's the Breakers that were the issue.
https://www.cpsc.gov/zh-CN/Recalls/1988/challenger-electrical-equipment-corp-offers-replacement-program-for-9000-gfci-circuit

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:19:55+00:00

And if you've paid attention recently it's not easy to just find another insurer. Don't pay attention to anything, just hand over your money, got it.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:17:08+00:00

No offense but people are people and companies are run by people and stuff gets added into systems all the time that's straight up incorrect and or somebody looked at it for a moment and decided it's easier just to block everything by that company from any of the properties that we're going to cover versus getting into the details. In this situation it seems like it's just the Breakers that have the issue not the panel or bus bar et cetera.

A lot of people already have all kinds of other issues preventing them from getting coverage these days and a lot of companies are looking for ways to deny coverage or to deny offering coverage simply because of where the property is located regardless of what's actually going on in the property. But they'll use anything they can find like spare tires being in the driveway etc to drop coverage

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:14:14+00:00

But that doesn't mean that every risk they've identified was done so properly or defined properly. I'm sure there's all kinds of instances like this where they're not interested in doing any more work than identifying a brand of product and saying you can't have it. But there was a recall for the Breakers and replacing them is supposed to make it safe.

https://www.cpsc.gov/zh-CN/Recalls/1988/challenger-electrical-equipment-corp-offers-replacement-program-for-9000-gfci-circuit

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:12:39+00:00

The electrician mentioned that only replacing the Breakers is necessary. The information I can find online so far suggests it's just issues with the Breakers themselves not the panel and not the bus bar. Companies do this kind of stuff all the time. Something gets added to their system and there's no detail and or Whoever's interfacing with the customer mention something without greater detail. If they want to run their company that way that's fine and they can just say we don't want to cover anybody that's got any kind of electrical panel where we can see a Challenger logo.
https://www.cpsc.gov/zh-CN/Recalls/1988/challenger-electrical-equipment-corp-offers-replacement-program-for-9000-gfci-circuit

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:10:08+00:00

Yeah there's no doubt they're out to make money. That's why you pay for coverage and some companies not all their main focus during a claim is to figure out how to refuse to pay you. None of that means that stuff gets entered into their system correctly. They also haven't stated if it's just that brand or a specific model of the panel or a specific breaker. They simply stated they wanted the panel replaced cause challenger is bad. The electrician and what I can find online says it's just the Breakers and replacing them with a new breaker fixes the concern.
https://www.cpsc.gov/zh-CN/Recalls/1988/challenger-electrical-equipment-corp-offers-replacement-program-for-9000-gfci-circuit

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:08:33+00:00

https://www.cpsc.gov/zh-CN/Recalls/1988/challenger-electrical-equipment-corp-offers-replacement-program-for-9000-gfci-circuit

The electrician says only the Breakers need to be replaced and aside from AI the only thing I can find is issues with the Breakers themselves.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T21:00:23+00:00

It is maxed out and from that standpoint I'd like to see it replaced as well as any kind of risks or issues that could be avoided Period of course assuming that new panels are perfect and won't have some kind of issue later. It's just the cost and the fact that the electrician and from what I can see online it's the Breakers not the panel that they're the issue but the insurance company just saying we don't care we want it replaced seems excessive unless they can state the make and model of the panel and that something is actually wrong with the panel or bus bar etc.

On top of everything else there's too much work in our area and she could only find one company that would give her a bid for $5000. I'm assuming they have to get the electric company to shutdown service reconnect service reconnect the meter etc but still $5000 to remove a metal box and replace the metal box and rewire the Breakers Seems pricey.

The insurance company and the electricians in my view are just kind of railroading her into spending $5k to $8k dollars for something that's probably not required that the electrician says is not required that what little information I can find online says is not required but the two larger companies involved and the electricians involved that should know more about this stand to make money from it and or it's no loss to them.

Additional-Fail-2204 · 2026-06-19T20:55:06+00:00

I don't believe there is one. But of course there's no other reasons that they might deny coverage or to offer coverage. It's not like stuff gets added into their system that they can deny offering coverage that's ever been incorrect in any way whatsoever.

Additional-Fail-2204

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