Farmers Mutual of Osage
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
Verified official homeowners underwriting guide is still published on the carrier site. Current published Home appetite is a West Virginia-focused personal lines program for owner-occupied homes, generally written on HO-1, HO-2, or HO-3, with other structures eligible for increased limits. Binding authority is delegated to agents for risks meeting manual rules, with Coverage A capped at $300,000; minimum Coverage A is $30,000 for Form 1, $50,000 for Form 2, $100,000 for Form 3, and $10,000 for Form 4. Structural preferences vary by form: Form 2/3 require continuous solid masonry foundation; Form 3 requires central heat that is 25 years old or newer, breaker electric 25 years old or newer, copper/plastic plumbing, shingle or metal roof within 25 years, and is limited to one-family occupancy. Form 1/2 allow broader construction features such as pier foundation with skirting for Form 1, space heaters for Form 1, floor/circulating/baseboard heat for Form 2, galvanized plumbing for Form 1, and one- or two-family occupancy for Forms 1/2. Townhomes are acceptable if units are separated by an approved fire division. Homes under construction or in total renovation are redirected to Dwelling Fire; hybrid homes with room additions are redirected to Mobile Homeowners if owner-occupied, or Dwelling Fire if tenant/seasonal. Submission requirements are explicit: mailed applications must be complete and signed with payment and photos of all insured structures; online submissions must have all screens completed with payment info and photos, with signatures retained in the agent office. Photos are also required when extending liability to other structures. Co-habitating individuals must all be listed as named insureds. For properties over 5 acres, Farmer’s Comprehensive Liability is mandatory whether farming occurs or not, with additional premium for each separate tract and location details required via ML29. Risk control requirements include handrails on steps with 4 or more risers; in-ground pools must be fenced and locked; above-ground pools must be enclosed with railing, gated and locked, or fenced. Wood stoves are acceptable only if venting meets guideline specifications, and a completed wood stove questionnaire plus photo must accompany the application. Declined/unacceptable Home risks include dwellings using a wood stove as the sole heat source or using kerosene space heaters, vacant or unoccupied dwellings, mobile homes or hybrid dwellings on this form, vicious dogs or specified breeds/mixes (Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Chow, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Akita), trampolines, broken steps, missing handrails, unfenced pools, applicants canceled/non-renewed/declined by another carrier within the last 5 years, applicants with a total loss or theft claim, risks with prior losses unless cleared by underwriting, structures originally built for non-residential occupancy, and student housing. Mortgage limit is no more than two per policy, and dwellings in estate must be written in Dwelling Fire. Producer notes: Farmers Mutual states it writes insurance for West Virginians through more than 60 in-state agencies and emphasizes local agent placement; reinstatement of canceled business requires underwriter approval and a signed no-loss statement. The homeowners guide itself is labeled HO-UND-1/2/3 Rev. 5/18, and no newer official homeowners underwriting guide was verified on the public site during this refresh.