Insurance Inspections - IM Home Inspections

We now offer Insurance Inspections. If you recently received a letter from your homeowner’s insurance company asking for an independent inspection in order for you to renew your insurance, we are ready to help! These are NOT for buyers or sellers who need a full inspection. These are for homeowners who need specific documents for insurance purposes.

Background:

With the large number and scope of California wildfires in the last several years, home insurance companies have lost billions of dollars. Many insurance companies have pulled out of California due to these losses.

Those that remain are often sending letters to homeowners requesting an inspection of certain home components. The purpose is to determine if the home has signs of potential future claims.

These inspections are VERY common in Florida and are now coming to California.

What an insurance inspection is:

Insruance companies have several concerns:

A primary concern of insurance companies is the type of water supply pipes. The insurance companies’ concern is if a home contains galvanized water supply pipes. The reason is that galvanized pipes are older and prone to leaks.

Another concern is if the water heater has any signs of rust or obvious potential failure. However, they are not concerned with proper installation.

The next concern is if the electrical panel is out of date. Specifically, they are looking for if the house has a Zinsco or Stab-Lok panel, an older fuse panel, or any panel that contains older wiring.

Additionally, the insurance company usually wants to know the age of the furnace and air conditioner, and any signs of rust.

The most important aspect is looking for signs the roof is worn. The insurance companies want to know if a roof will be or has been replaced before any potential leaks.

Inspector looking at an electrical panel — Aaron inspecting a Zinsco Panel

What an insurance inspection is NOT

The difference between a regular home inspection and an insurance inspection is very limited. A regular home inspection is more comprehensive. It tests the above items and many more items. Unlike a regular home inspection, an insurance inspection is not concerned with code, proper installation, or even functionality. The insurance companies are simply concerned with age and any signs of imminent failure.

If you received a letter from your insurance company

If you get a letter from your insurance company requiring an independent home inspection, we are ready to help. We will perform a limited inspection of the items your insurance company requests. Please have your letter with you when our inspector arrives to make sure all the issues are addressed. While most insurance companies all want the same few things, occasionally a particular company may ask for an additional item.

Book now by calling 818-298-3405