Licensed Florida real estate brokerage
Why does my insurer want a four-point inspection on the home I'm buying?
A straight answer from a licensed Florida real estate brokerage — then what you can check yourself and when to bring in a licensed professional. Free consultation: (888) 440-3766.
Your insurer wants a four-point inspection because it needs documented proof of the condition of four big-loss systems (roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC) before it decides whether to cover the home. Florida insurers commonly ask for one on older homes, and the report helps them judge risk from something other than the age of the house.
The result can affect whether you are offered a policy at all, and on what terms. Roof age and condition are frequently the deciding factor. That is why it is worth ordering the inspection early in your inspection period, not just before closing.
Why it comes up in Florida
Florida's climate is hard on houses: hurricanes and tropical storms, heavy rain, year-round humidity, salt air near the coast, and long cooling seasons that keep HVAC systems running hard. A worn roof, outdated wiring, aging plumbing or a failing air conditioner can each lead to a large claim, so insurers want those four systems checked on older homes.
Florida's housing stock ranges from mid-century and 1970s–1980s construction to newer homes built under the post-2002 Florida Building Code. Older homes are the ones most often asked for a four-point report. Newer construction often has different insurance and wind-resistance characteristics, so the request may not come up at all.
A four-point inspection is not the same as a wind mitigation inspection. The wind mitigation inspection documents features such as roof-to-wall connections and impact-rated openings. A licensed inspector records them on the uniform mitigation form OIR-B1-1802, and insurers offer credits for documented features (s. 627.0629, F.S.). Your insurer may ask for one, both or neither, and the amounts vary by insurer.
What you can check yourself
Ask your insurance agent what is required
Ask which inspections the insurer needs, what the report must show, and how recent it must be. Requirements differ by insurer and by the age of the home.
Find the roof's age and history
Ask the seller for roof age, permits and any repair records, and check permit history with the local building department. Roof condition often drives the coverage decision.
Read the seller disclosures
Review the known-material-defects disclosure and the flood disclosure (s. 689.302, F.S.). Mentions of leaks, past repairs or past flooding can affect coverage and what you ask for in the contract.
Check the flood zone separately
Look up the property on FEMA flood maps. Flood damage is generally excluded from standard homeowners policies, and a lender generally requires flood insurance in a Special Flood Hazard Area.
Ask about market-of-last-resort options
If coverage is hard to find, verify options with Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
When to bring in a licensed professional
If the four-point report flags a problem, or your insurer will not offer coverage until something is repaired or replaced, you are in a negotiation as well as an inspection. Your purchase contract's inspection and financing provisions control what you can do next: ask for repairs, renegotiate, or cancel within the contract's terms. A Florida real-estate attorney can answer legal questions about those terms. We are a brokerage, not a law firm.
Call us at (888) 440-3766 or send the form on this page before you finalize an offer on an older home, or as soon as an insurer raises the request. A licensed real-estate professional, either Premier Real Estate Group Inc or a licensed agent we refer you to, will contact you by phone or email. The consultation is free and carries no obligation.
Premier Real Estate Group Inc is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage (broker license BK3314523). Verify at Florida DBPR.
What a licensed real-estate professional will do
- Plan insurance into the offerWe help you write inspection and financing provisions that leave room to get insurance quotes and order the four-point and wind mitigation inspections before your inspection period ends.
- Guide you through the inspection periodWe help you read the reports, understand which findings matter for insurability, and decide on requests to the seller.
- Review condo and HOA documentsFor condos, we help you review budgets, governing documents and the association's milestone and SIRS reports, which can affect assessments and insurability.
- Coordinate with lender and titleWe keep your insurer, lender and title company in step through closing, so required coverage is in place when your lender needs it.
Related questions
- Who pays for the four-point inspection?
- It is set by your purchase contract and is negotiable. A buyer often orders it for their own insurance, but the seller may already have a recent report. Ask your agent to address it in the offer.
- What happens if the home fails the four-point inspection?
- There is generally no pass or fail by the inspector. The insurer decides based on what the report shows, and may require repairs, offer different terms or decline coverage. Your contract determines whether you can renegotiate or cancel.
- Is a four-point inspection the same as a home inspection?
- No. A general home inspection looks at the whole house for your decision to buy. A four-point report covers only roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, in the format an insurer wants.
- Do I still need a wind mitigation inspection?
- It is a separate report. A licensed inspector completes form OIR-B1-1802, and insurers offer credits for documented features (s. 627.0629, F.S.). Ask your agent whether it is worth doing for the home you are buying.
- Does a four-point inspection cover flood risk?
- No. Flood is generally excluded from standard homeowners policies and needs separate flood coverage, and homes outside a Special Flood Hazard Area can still flood. Check the flood zone and the seller's flood disclosure.
Tell us what you're looking for
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Licensed brokerage
Premier Real Estate Group Inc
Broker of record Maxim Bohadana, Florida broker license BK3314523
(888) 440-3766