The 4-Point Inspection: What Insurers Check and How to Prepare
Quick answer
A 4-point inspection is a short insurer-ordered report on four systems — roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC — typically required to bind or renew coverage on homes past roughly 30–40 years old (standard practice in Florida, spreading elsewhere). It is not a full home inspection: it exists to answer the carrier's era questions, and specific materials fail it by name.
What the four points actually cover
The form asks for ages, materials and photos. For each system, these are the era items that draw attention:
| System | Era items that get flagged | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Knob-and-Tube Wiring; Ungrounded Two-Prong Outlets; Aluminum Branch Wiring; Federal Pacific (FPE) Stab-Lok Panel | pre-1950; pre-1962; 1965–1973; 1950–1985 |
| Plumbing | Galvanized Steel Supply Pipes; Polybutylene (Poly-B) Pipes; Kitec Plumbing & Fittings; Lead Water Service Line | pre-1960; 1978–1995; 1995–2007; pre-1988 |
| Roof | Hardboard / LP Inner-Seal Siding; Barrier EIFS (Synthetic Stucco) | 1985–1996; 1980–1999 |
| HVAC | Incomplete GFCI Protection (Code Era); Incomplete AFCI Protection (Code Era); Outdated Smoke/CO Alarm Coverage | pre-2007; pre-2016; pre-2010 |
How to prepare before the inspector arrives
- Collect paperwork first: roof permit or invoice, panel replacement permit, repipe documentation, HVAC service records. A dated permit answers a form question in one line.
- Photograph the data plates: water heater serial (encodes its date), furnace and condenser plates, and the electrical panel label — without opening the panel cover.
- Clear access to the attic hatch, panel, water heater and air handler; a blocked component gets written up as "unable to verify", which reads as a red flag.
- Fix the cheap items in advance: missing GFCIs at wet locations, a corroded water heater pan, exposed splices — small line items that otherwise dominate the report.
- If the house has a named era item (FPE panel, poly-B, knob-and-tube), get the electrician or plumber evaluation before the 4-point, not after the carrier declines.
What happens with a bad 4-point
Three outcomes are typical: the carrier binds with a surcharge or exclusion (commonly water-damage exclusions for aging pipes), binds conditionally on repairs within 30–90 days, or declines until the item is replaced. Documented remediation reopens standard markets — which is why the paperwork step above matters more than fresh paint.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4-point inspection the same as a full home inspection?
No. A full inspection is for you and runs 2–4 hours across the whole structure; a 4-point is a short form for the insurer covering roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC only. Buyers of older homes usually need both — the 4-point cannot tell you about foundation, drainage or windows.
How much does a 4-point inspection cost?
Commonly cited at $50–$150 standalone, and often bundled free or cheaply with a full home inspection or wind mitigation report. The repairs it triggers, not the report, are the real budget item.
Which states require 4-point inspections?
No state law requires them — individual carriers do. The practice is near-universal for older homes in Florida and common in coastal and older-housing markets elsewhere. Expect the requirement to key off home age, often 30 or 40 years.