A 4-point inspection is a short report on your home’s roof, electrical system, plumbing and heating and air conditioning (HVAC) that Florida insurers ask for before they’ll write or renew a policy on an older home. Citizens Property Insurance requires one on homes more than 20 years old, and many private insurers have similar rules. It usually costs $100 to $300, takes about an hour and must be done by a Florida-licensed professional, such as a home inspector or a general contractor.
The roof is the part that sinks the most policies. Citizens wants proof that a shingle roof over 25 years old, or a tile or metal roof over 50, has at least five years of useful life left. The guide below covers what the inspector checks, what it costs, how your roof can pass and how to get ready.
Free download: 4-point inspection prep checklist (PDF). What the inspector checks, the paperwork to gather and the fixes to make first, on one printable page.
What a 4-Point Inspection Is and Who Needs One
A 4-point inspection isn’t a full home inspection. It’s an insurance report that tells the insurer how old the four big systems are and whether any of them is likely to cause a claim. There’s no pass or fail grade. The insurer reads the report and decides whether to write the policy, ask for repairs first or decline.
No Florida law sets the age that triggers one. Each insurer sets its own rule:
- Citizens Property Insurance requires a 4-point on homeowner, dwelling and mobile home applications for homes more than 20 years old (Citizens inspections page). It doesn’t require one for condo unit owner or renter policies.
- Private insurers often ask somewhere between 20 and 30 years of age, and some ask at renewal too. Your agent will tell you if yours does.
You’ll usually need one when you buy an older home, switch insurers or get a renewal notice asking for it.
What the Inspector Checks
The inspector photographs and records the age, type and condition of each system on a standard form. Citizens uses its own Four-Point Inspection Form, and most insurers accept the same layout.
| System | What the inspector records | What often causes trouble |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Material, age, condition, signs of leaks, every slope photographed | A roof past the insurer’s age limit, missing or curling shingles, cracked tiles, active leaks |
| Electrical | Panel brand, amperage, wiring type, hazards | Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) or Zinsco panels, single strand aluminum branch wiring, cloth or knob and tube wiring, double taps, scorch marks |
| Plumbing | Pipe types, water heater age and its pressure relief valve, leaks | Polybutylene pipe, active leaks or water damage, a corroded water heater |
| HVAC | Type, age, whether it works | Units that don’t run, leaking condensate lines, a space heater used as the main heat |
Two Citizens rules catch a lot of older homes. Homes over 20 years old with polybutylene pipe (a gray plastic pipe common from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s) aren’t eligible for new Citizens policies. And single strand aluminum wiring needs a documented fix by a licensed electrician.
What a 4-Point Inspection Costs and Who Can Do It
Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate puts a standalone 4-point at about $100 to $300 in its four-point inspection guide, and it should take about an hour. A much quicker visit may not be thorough. Many inspectors offer it together with a wind mitigation inspection, which looks at the roof’s wind resistance and can lower your premium. Our guide to the wind mitigation inspection in Florida explains that one.
Who can sign it. Citizens accepts a 4-point from a verifiable Florida-licensed professional: a home inspector, a general, building or residential contractor, a building code inspector, an engineer or an architect. A trade professional, like an electrician, can sign only the section for their own trade. The person named on the form must be the one who did the inspection, and the license must be active.
How long it’s good for. It depends on the insurer. The state’s guide says reports generally need to be dated within 30 days before the application, while Citizens accepts reports dated within 12 months. Ask your agent before you book, so the report isn’t too old by the time you apply.
How Your Roof Passes a 4-Point Inspection
The roof gets the most scrutiny because it’s the most expensive system to replace and the first one a hurricane tests. Two sets of rules apply.
Citizens’ roof rules. For new and renewing policies, Citizens asks for documentation of remaining useful life once a roof passes these ages:
| Roof type | Documentation needed after | What Citizens needs |
|---|---|---|
| Shingle and other “soft” roofs | 25 years | At least 5 years of remaining useful life, shown on a 4-point or roof inspection form |
| Tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal | 50 years | At least 5 years of remaining useful life |
| Any roof with less than 5 years left | Any age | Proof of a full roof replacement before the policy is written |
Many private insurers are stricter. The state’s guide notes that some ask for the same five years of documented life on shingle roofs over 15 years and on tile or metal roofs over 20.
Florida’s roof age law. Under Section 627.7011, an insurer can’t refuse or drop your policy solely because your roof is under 15 years old. Once it’s 15 or older, the insurer must let you have it inspected first, and if the inspection shows at least five years of life left, it can’t refuse coverage based on age alone. Our guide to Florida roof replacement law covers both rules in detail.
So what decides your roof’s result is its age, which comes from the permit date of the last full replacement, and its condition on the day of the inspection. If the roof is near the limit, you have three options:
- Fix what the inspector will flag. Loose or missing shingles, cracked tiles, worn flashing and small leaks can often be repaired before the visit.
- Document the remaining life. A roof in good shape can earn the five years it needs on paper, even past the age limit.
- Replace the roof. For Citizens, a finalized roof permit or a paid in full roofing contract proves a new roof. A new roof also resets the 15 year clock and usually improves your wind mitigation credits.
Not sure which one fits? Our guide to roof repair vs replacement in Florida walks through the decision. A free roof inspection from a local roofer before the 4-point tells you where you stand. APEX offers one in Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Pembroke Pines.
How to Get Ready for a 4-Point Inspection
A little preparation keeps the report clean and avoids a second visit.
- Find your paperwork. Permits or receipts for the roof, electrical panel, water heater, AC and any re-piping. The inspector uses them to confirm ages.
- Clear access. The electrical panel, water heater, attic hatch, under-sink cabinets and the AC unit should be easy to reach.
- Keep the utilities on, so the inspector can test the HVAC and check the plumbing.
- Fix the small things first. Replace a missing water heater relief valve, have an electrician fix double taps or missing breaker covers and repair any slow leaks.
- Look at the roof from the ground. Missing shingles, slipped tiles or stains on the ceiling are worth a roofer’s visit before the inspector arrives.
Important: fix hazards before the report goes to your insurer. Citizens tells agents not to submit applications for homes with serious hazards, like exposed wiring or active leaks. A report that shows a hazard can stall your policy, while a repair made before the inspection usually never appears on it.
If your roof looks fine, the next report most insurers reward is the wind mitigation inspection. Our guide to the wind mitigation inspection in Florida shows how it can lower your premium. If the 4-point flags roof damage from a storm, our guide on how to file a roof insurance claim in Florida walks through the deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 4-point inspection required by Florida law?
No. It’s an insurer requirement, not a state law. Each insurer decides which homes need one and how recent it must be, so the rules can differ between companies.
Is a 4-point inspection the same as a home inspection?
No. A full home inspection looks at the whole house, usually takes two to three hours and is meant for a buyer. A 4-point covers only the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and it’s written for an insurer.
What happens if my home fails a 4-point inspection?
There’s no formal fail. If the report shows a problem, the insurer may ask for repairs before it writes the policy, write it with conditions or decline. Make the repairs, keep the receipts and ask whether the insurer wants an updated report.
Do condos need a 4-point inspection?
Usually not for a condo unit owner policy. Citizens doesn’t require one for condo unit owner or renter policies, but the condo association’s own building policy may have its own inspection rules.
Get Your Roof Checked Before the Inspector Comes
APEX Roofing of Delray Beach is a licensed Florida roofing contractor (CCC1336203) serving Broward and Palm Beach County. Our roof inspection is always free, so you’ll know where your roof stands before the 4-point report goes to your insurer. If the roof needs replacing, all compromised decking is included in the price, and every new roof is backed by our lifetime workmanship warranty. Learn more about our roofing services, request a free online roofing estimate or call us at 561.414.2909.
