If you’re buying a home, you may have heard that you’ll need a home inspection before you can get a homeowners insurance policy. Is this really true?
No, you may not need a 4 point inspection to obtain insurance. However, depending on the age of your home – it could benefit you via long-term premium savings.
Do You Always Need An Inspection?
Whether you need a home inspection to get homeowners insurance is up to the discretion of the individual insurer. Some may be strict and require inspections in all cases (with the exception of new homes). Others may be lenient and only require inspections of homes built before a certain date—15 years being a make/break point in many cases.
The 4 Point Inspection
If they want an inspection done, insurance carriers request a 4 point inspection report. As the name implies, the 4 point inspection focuses on four critical home structures and systems:
- The HVAC
- The Roofing
- The Plumbing
- The Electrical
This inspection tailors to insurance carriers by focusing on the four areas of the home that cause the most common (and expensive) insurance claims.
Why Do Some Insurance Companies Require Home Inspections?
Insurance companies want to minimize liability. From a business perspective, they only remain profitable if payers pay more into the system than the carrier pays out in claims or settlements.
Homes that are particularly at risk—mostly older homes—need to be carefully examined to ensure that they don’t present an excessive amount of risk. If the inspection report indicates the roof needs repair or replacement, that an HVAC system is outdated, and so on, the insurer has the right to deny coverage OR charge higher rates for taking on the risk.
However, inspection reports benefit the homeowner, too!
Inspection Reports Benefit the Homeowner
Your insurance company may request a 4 point inspection if you live in an older home and cannot provide proof that the systems have been maintained, repaired, or replaced by licensed professionals. Homeowners benefit from reduced premiums if the systems are all up to date. However, prospective buyers could learn something during a whole home inspection that makes them rethink the deal.
If you’re in the purchasing phase and the inspection reveals any of these four areas need to be replaced – odds are other issues are waiting to be uncovered (septic, pest infestations, structural rot, etc.). You may need to think twice if those repairs/replacements aren’t in the budget.
For this reason, propsective homebuyers get a full home inspection. In addition to generating a 4 point inspection report for the insurers, you receive a detailed report about every aspect of the home’s status so you can schedule any necessary repairs/replacements accordingly.
The Bottom Line: Hire SIP To Get the Best Insurance Rates Available
Would you really want to live in – or purchase – a home that insurers deem too risky? If it’s not a good investment for them, it probably isn’t a good investment for you.
Super Inspection Pros is Volusia County’s go-to inspection company for 4 point insurance inspections and additional specialty inspections. We guarantee a scheduled inspection within 72 hours of contacting us, and our reports are provided in 24 hours or less once the inspection is complete. Contact us to schedule your 4 point inspection.
