What Is a 4-Point Inspection?

A  4-Point Inspection is often required for a homeowner to maintain or get insurance coverage. Requirements of the inspection were designed by the insurance company so that they’re able to get a better understanding of a structure  that they are  insuring. 

This is pertinent when an older house is being insured. The older homes have had a lot more time to have their systems replaced or repaired, or for their structure to possibly fall into disrepair. Homes that are older also might have been using construction materials or techniques that, although they were normal at the time, may have been phased out because of more modern practices. These kinds of things are all critical and essential for insurance companies to know about since it will help them to determine whether or not a house can be insured with their insurance company.

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What are those four points?

The name of the inspection comes from the four important systems in a home. These systems are the most common reasons for insurance claims made on a home. For each one of these four system, the inspection is limited to each system’s visible parts.
These systems are:

• HVAC system (Heating, Air-conditioning, and Ventilation system)

• Roof system

• Plumbing system

• Electrical system

There are two things that an insurance company will be looking for when it comes to the systems.

The first thing they‘ll be Interested in is the condition of each of the systems. They want to know whether they’re a new system, a used system, and what kind of shape they are in. Is there evidence of any repairs that were made? If there have been repairs, do those repairs look as though they were done professionally? If there is any deficiencies or damage that can be noted, there’s a chance that they’ll have to be corrected to maintain or get an insurance policy.

Another thing that they will be looking at is how old the components are. If you’re purchasing a home that is older, there’s a good chance that the age of the features is going to be far beyond the carrier’s maximum age for underwriting. This is even true if the component’s condition looks to be in good shape. 

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Keep in mind everything about a four-point inspection is related to retaining or obtaining homeowners insurance. This inspection is a limited scope, and usually takes 30 - 45 minutes.