I have a question for those (hordes) of you who know more than me on the subject of insurance.

I was recently told by an insurance agent that if I were to have a hobby that generated income that was based at my home, i.e. web-design, photography, gardening, or herpetoculture (quizzed specifically on these 4), I could not get a homeowner's policy! When quizzed further, I was told that if I had an income-generating hobby (not a listed business) based at a separate property listed semi-commercially with a different insurance company, I still would not be able to get a homeowner's policy on a new property with the company I was talking to.

Thankfully a third company had no qualms with income-generating hobbies based at home, so I'm no longer in a bind... but is the above scenario typical? I think it is pretty extreme, bordering on discrimination.