What is a 4 point inspection is the question a homeowner asks the week a carrier refuses to quote an older house without one. It is a short report by a licensed inspector on four systems, the roof, the electrical, the plumbing and the heating and cooling, with photographs, ages and condition, and carriers in Florida and increasingly elsewhere require it before writing a house past a certain age. It is not a full home inspection and it is not for you; it is for the underwriter. The Insurance Information Institute's NAIC-based figure puts the average US homeowners premium at $1,411 for 2021, and the average renters premium at $170; both are national averages that no single household pays, and the rate pages on this site show what carriers actually file where you live.
What the inspector looks at
The roof's age, material, condition and remaining life; the electrical panel type, wiring type and any hazards such as double taps or aluminum branch wiring; the plumbing material, water heater age and any leaks; and the HVAC system's age and function. Each is photographed and dated.
What fails it
A roof near the end of its life or with visible damage; certain electrical panels carriers will not insure and knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring; polybutylene or galvanized plumbing and an old water heater; an HVAC system past its expected life. A fail does not always mean no policy; it means a repair before binding, an exclusion, or a carrier that specialises in older homes.
Cost and what to do with it
You pay the inspector, and the report is usually valid for a limited period across carriers. Fix what is fixable before the inspection, because the carrier prices from the report. The filed rates on this site show how carriers price older houses in your state. The III reports that 5.5 percent of insured homes had a claim in 2022, so most policy years end with nothing paid out and the price is paid for the year something is.
Questions people ask about what is a 4 point inspection
What is a 4 point inspection for?
For the carrier: a report on the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC of an older house before it will quote.
What happens if my house fails a 4 point inspection?
A repair before the policy binds, an exclusion, or a carrier that writes older homes; rarely no cover at all.
Is it the same as a home inspection?
No; it covers four systems only and is written for the underwriter.