I have a client who has a second home. They set the thermostat to 42 degrees. Is there any standard temperature that would fall under the maintenance of heat clause? It seems that they tried to maintain heat even if 42 degrees does not seem and apparently was not adequate to keep the house from freezing. Is there a standard? The policy does not state any specific temperature. This is an HO-3 policy.

New Hampshire Subscriber

The policy has no standard and I'm not aware that the insurance industry itself has set any type of standard. In part, it depends on how insulated the pipes are in the dwelling and the severity of the outside temperature. The Institute for Business and Home Safety recommends no lower than 55 degrees, and other internet sources seem to concur that 50-55 is about as low as you can reasonably go. Since there is no standard, however, and the insured was attempting to keep the pipes from freezing at the lowest expense, the loss should be covered. However, I would recommend to any insured that they go no lower than 55 degrees in order to keep the pipes from freezing.