The 4-Point Inspection: The One-Hour Report That Decides If Your Older Home Gets Insured

If your home is more than 20 or 30 years old, sooner or later an insurance company is going to ask for a 4-point inspection before it will write — or keep — your policy. It costs about $100–$175, takes under an hour, and it can decide whether you get coverage at all. Here’s what the inspector is looking for, and what to do before they show up.

What a 4-point inspection is

A 4-point inspection is a short report, completed by a Florida-licensed inspector, on the four systems insurers care about most: the roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, and the HVAC. For each one, the inspector records its age, type, and condition, with photos. That’s it — it is not a full home inspection, and it is not done for your benefit. It is done so an underwriter three counties away can decide whether your house is a risk they want.

Who needs one, and when

Citizens requires a 4-point on homeowners, dwelling, and mobile home applications for any property more than 20 years old. Private carriers set their own thresholds — most start asking at around 30 years, and at 40 years virtually every company will demand one before quoting. You’ll also hit the requirement when you buy an older home, when you switch carriers, and sometimes at renewal if your insurer decides to take a fresh look. The report must be dated within 12 months of the application, so an old one in a drawer usually won’t save you.

The four things that fail older Florida homes

Most 4-points pass without drama. The ones that don’t usually trip on the same short list:

A roof near the end of its life. If the inspector notes visible wear or estimates little remaining useful life, carriers react — some decline, some issue the policy on the condition the roof is replaced. Shingle roofs past their mid-teens draw the hardest looks.

Certain electrical panels. Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels are on nearly every carrier’s do-not-write list because of their fire history. Knob-and-tube or cloth-covered wiring and some aluminum branch wiring raise the same flags. A panel swap typically runs a few thousand dollars and instantly widens your carrier options.

Polybutylene plumbing. The gray plastic pipe installed widely in Florida from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s fails without warning, and most carriers will not touch it. If your home was built or re-piped in that window, find out what’s behind the walls before the inspector does.

An HVAC system on its last legs — or no central heat at all. Age alone is rarely fatal here, but a non-functioning system gets noted, and notes become questions.

Before the inspector arrives

If the report comes back ugly

A bad 4-point is not the end. Carriers differ widely in what they’ll accept: some decline polybutylene outright while others write it with conditions; some want a roof replaced while others accept a repair and a re-inspection. This is exactly where an independent agency earns its keep — we know which of our carriers will take which findings, and whether a $2,800 panel swap opens up a market that saves you far more than that at renewal. The same logic applies to older condo units, where the interior systems are on you even when the building isn’t.

The bottom line

If your home is 20+ years old and you’re shopping coverage — or your carrier just asked for a 4-point — get ahead of it. Know your panel brand, your pipe type, and your roof age before anyone with a clipboard does. And if you already have a report with a problem on it, don’t start calling carriers one by one. That’s our job.

This article is for general education, not insurance advice. Coverage is governed by policy terms and underwriting. See our Disclaimers, Editorial Policy, and About the Authors.