Will I be able to get homeowners insurance with a Sylvania or FPE Electric Panel?

Older electrical panels, such as those manufactured by Zinsco and Sylvania pose serious safety hazards. Zinsco panels were produced from the 1950s through the 1970s and later rebranded as GTE-Sylvania after the 1973 acquisition). These panels commonly feature aluminum bus bars and breakers that corrode, oxidize, and lose conductivity over time. As a result, they overheat, arc, and fail to trip during overloads or short circuits. In some cases, breakers even melt and fuse to the bus bar.

Experts have linked these serious defects to numerous electrical fires and safety incidents. In 2002, a class-action lawsuit accused Zinsco of knowing about the high failure rates but failing to take corrective action. Although no official recall was ever issued, the problems remain well-documented.

While Zinsco and Sylvania panels never formally lost their original UL listings, they no longer meet modern safety standards. Manufacturers would not receive current UL approval today. These panels fail to comply with contemporary National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements that mandate listed and labeled equipment for safety.

Because of these elevated fire risks and obsolescence, many insurance companies now blacklist Zinsco and Sylvania panels. Insurers frequently deny coverage or require replacement before providing or continuing homeowners insurance.

See the answer below from E&L Insurance Services about common problems with electrical panels.

Q: I recently inherited a Miami area property from my grandparents’ estate. The house was built in the 1940s, renovated in the early 1970s and late 1990s. The problem is the electrical panel. It was made by a company called Zinsco-Sylvania and I was turned down for insurance, three separate times! Is there any insurance company that will insure an older home in great condition aside from this one thing? The electrical panel works just fine, and I don’t see why it’s an issue. What insurance will insure a Zinsco panel?

A: It’s hard to say what insurance will insure a Zinsco panel. This is a well-documented issue – it’s the wiring and the breakers. Even if there’s a company that will insure the home, the presence of that panel means that your premiums could be much higher. Why? These panels cause some big problems – they cause fires.

Zinsco-Sylvania is not the only older panel with problems, either. Tinsco-Sylvania panels have long exceeded their expected lifespan. The last ones were manufactured and installed in the late 1970s. This means even the newest panels are now over 45 years old (as of 2025)! Safety standards back then were far less stringent than they are today. These panels commonly experience several serious issues:

• Breakers can appear to be in the “off” position while the panel remains fully powered.
• The bus bar corrodes over time.
• Aluminum wiring oxidizes naturally.
• When un-anodized aluminum connects directly to copper or steel wire without a proper bridge or connector, galvanic corrosion accelerates the problem.

These defects contribute to the well-known overheating, arcing, and failure risks that make Zinsco panels a major concern for safety and insurance.

This might not be what you want to hear, but it’s time to put serious thought into replacing the panels and wiring throughout your house. After all, someone did it in the 1970s to get rid of the old-style fuse box and knob and wire. The house has been lucky so far, but that luck might not hold forever on 40+-year-old wiring.

If you’re going to sell the home, there are not many inspectors who would write a clean inspection report with that Zinsco box still in place. When buying a home you will most likely run into the same problem. No insurance company is likely to want the risk that the panel represents. When renting the home, damage from a fire caused by the old wiring and breaker box, could put on the hook for material damages to your tenant’s belongings and injuries to your tenants.

Rewiring and replacing a fuse box is not a DIY job, but a job for a licensed electrical contractor and electrician. Come in and talk to an independent insurance agent about how to correct issues with your home that are getting in the way of your homeowner’s policy. We want you to be safe in your home and have peace of mind that comes with good coverage.

Integrity Home Inspection takes no liability for the information provided. This information is being provided as is, without any warranties or guarantees. Please verify this with your insurance company or associated contractor prior to proceeding.

Information is current as of 2/2/2025