4 Point Inspection Florida

What the inspector looks at in each of the four systems

The report is a snapshot of condition and age, written on a form the insurer recognizes. It is much narrower than a full home inspection.

• Roof: covering type (shingle, tile, metal, flat), approximate age, remaining useful life, and visible damage such as lifted shingles, cracked tiles, soft spots or active leaks. The inspector also checks for leak stains on ceilings inside.
• Electrical: panel brand and amperage, wiring type, and hazards. Insurers watch for certain older panel brands with known failure histories (Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco are the usual examples), fuse boxes, aluminum branch wiring, cloth-insulated wiring, double-tapped breakers and open junctions.
• Plumbing: supply and drain pipe material, water heater age and location, and signs of leaks. Polybutylene supply lines and galvanized steel pipes are common problems. Cast iron drains in older homes get attention too.
• HVAC: type and age of the system, whether it works, and the general condition of the air handler and condenser.

Photos of each item are part of the report. The insurer's underwriter, not the inspector, decides whether the home is acceptable.

When a 4-point inspection is required

There is no single state age cutoff. Each insurer sets its own rule, and many ask for a 4-point once a home is around 20 to 30 years old; some ask on younger homes, and some ask on any home with older components. If you are buying a house built in the 1970s or 1980s, which is common in Florida's coastal cities, plan on needing one.

Condo buyers usually don't need one for an HO-6 policy, since the association insures the building structure, though some carriers ask about the unit's electrical panel and water heater. Manufactured homes, townhouses with their own roof, and villas are often treated like single-family houses.

Lenders care because they require insurance at closing. If no carrier will write the policy, or only at a price that breaks your budget, the loan can't fund.

Cash buyers are not exempt in practice. You can close without insurance, but finding coverage afterward on a home with an old panel or a tired roof is harder and often pricier than sorting it out before closing, when the seller still has a reason to help. I tell cash buyers to treat the 4-point exactly as a financed buyer would.

Cost, timing and who pays

A 4-point is a quick inspection, typically under an hour on site, and costs far less than a full home inspection. Many inspectors offer it as an add-on with the general inspection and the wind mitigation report, which is the cheapest way to get all three. Ask for a package price when you book.

The buyer usually orders and pays for it during the inspection period, because the buyer is the one shopping for insurance. Order it in the first few days. You want time to get quotes back, find out what the carrier objects to, and negotiate a repair or credit before your inspection period ends.

Carriers commonly accept a report that is up to about a year old, so a seller's recent 4-point may save you a step. Ask your insurance agent whether the carrier will take it before you rely on it.

What usually causes a home to fail

Most problems fall into a short list, and each has a predictable fix:

• Roof near the end of its life. Insurers look at age and remaining life. A 2022 Florida law limits an insurer's ability to refuse coverage only because a roof is under 15 years old, and for older roofs an inspection showing several years of remaining life can help. A worn roof is still the most expensive item on this list.
• A problem electrical panel. Replacing a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel is a defined job with a licensed electrician and a permit.
• Polybutylene or galvanized supply pipes. Repiping is the fix. It's disruptive but routine.
• An old water heater, especially one without a drip pan in an interior location.
• Visible leaks, active roof stains or exposed wiring, which are usually small repairs if found early.

Insurers generally want to see that a system was updated and permitted. Ask the seller for permit records on any roof, panel or repipe work they claim was done, and check the county or city permit portal yourself.

How to use the report in negotiations

If the 4-point turns up an item an insurer won't accept, you have three practical options during the inspection period: ask the seller to repair it before closing with permits and receipts, ask for a price reduction or closing credit and do the work after closing, or cancel if the cost or the insurance quote doesn't work for you.

Repairs before closing need a written agreement and time. Many carriers will bind a policy with a condition that the item be fixed within a set period, but some won't, so confirm with your agent which path the carrier allows. If the seller fixes it, ask for an updated 4-point after the work so your insurer has a clean report.

In an AS IS contract the seller has no obligation to repair, but the 4-point still gives you the facts to decide whether to stay in the deal, ask for a credit or walk away within the inspection window.

The other insurance inspections that go with it

For an older Florida home, the 4-point is rarely the only report your insurance agent will want.

• Wind mitigation inspection: documents roof shape, roof-to-wall connections, roof deck attachment, secondary water barrier and opening protection. It doesn't pass or fail; it earns premium discounts, sometimes large ones.
• Roof certification: some carriers want a separate statement from a roofer or inspector on remaining roof life.
• Flood elevation certificate: useful for pricing flood insurance, which is a separate policy, required by lenders in high-risk FEMA zones.

Getting all three early gives you real premium numbers instead of estimates. On a house near Florida's typical value of $396,809, the difference between a home with good wind mitigation features and one without can change the yearly premium enough to matter in your budget.

If you're looking at older homes and want to know which ones are likely to insure without trouble, ask for a shortlist and I'll flag roof age and system updates on each.