Hi to all,
Can anyone get me more information on Florida 4 point inspections?
and a general cost to the home owner to do One?
Daniel,
If you are doing them for Citizens you need to be ICC certified, or have a roofers and electricians license to do them. The other alternative is to be an ASHI or FABI member, as they have been approved by citizens to use a special form.
We have people doing them down here for $85.00, although I charge $150.00. The cheaper guys usually are in and out in under 5 minutes, and having someone sign off on them.
Other companies only require a one page report and do not require you to be a roofer or electricain.
Thanks William for the info
Daniel
If you decide to proceed, send me an email after you get the ICC certifications and I’ll give you whatever help I can to get you started.
The certification exams cost $150 each, $100 each if you take 2 in one day.
I have been doing them for Citizens with none of the listed requirments and have not had one bounce yet
Is this a case of one hand not talking to another???
rlb
Richard,
I dont know how you are getting away with it. They do require what I have listed above.
I’m surprised too Richard. I didn’t originally get the ICC certs for the 4-points. I wanted the knowledge and the confidence more than anything else, it was just a nice extra benefit.
I’m surprised nothing has been said.
I have done some for customers of Citizens, most recently they required a licensed Electrician only. I came in behind him and he missed a ****load of items that should have been noted. My customer asked me to go ahead and do the full 4 point for his own peace of mind. He said he was going to call the electrician back to correct some of the items. I believe the deal is now, Citizens has to charge 15% more than the next highest insurance carrier. They are trying to discourage people from using Citizens due to all the flack. It was always suppose to be be the carrier of LAST choice, but became carrier of first choice for many.
From what you all have said I too am surprised
I am wondering if other insurance companies will follow Citizens lead
Really do not understand why ICC for a simple 4 point but what do we know
rlb
Me either Richard, I did a lot of 4 points going back over 10 years now. Back then only a few people would ask for them but now it is almost automatic. It has only been within the last year or two that anyone stated the electrical had to be done by a licensed electrician. Ive never been asked if I was ICC certified.
Doug,
With the new legislation just past, Citizens is no longer the insurer of last resort. And they are cheaper than many other companies right now. They will also now be able to cover more items on their policies than before.
The reason for a licensed elecltrician (and I heard this through the grapevine) is that there were some problems with some of the inspectors glossing over the insepction. I also heard that there were a couple of lawsuits agianst inspectors due to fires in the home.
They are going to licensed roofers due to all the problems with the roofs and also due to the hurricanes.
I have heard that changes are coming across the board for insurance inspections, but we will have to wait and see what happens with that - you know how anything political goes.
Another 4 point issue
Home was bad – (rental and trashed)
Owner had not seen the home in two years
I refused to complete the inspection and returned the check.
The owner called me back after needed updates and repairs were completed for the inspection – Home was vacant
How do others handle homes that in your opinion are substandard 4 point wise like NO HEAT??
rlb
Richard,
I write them and charge them. I usually tell them not to turn in the report, but to have all the work done and then turn in the report with all the paperwork from the licensed contractor who did the work. There is no way I am driving to a home (anymore) and not getting paid for what I was hired to do. Just my little rant, because it has happened all too much in the past.
Hope the industry does put so many requirements on this type of inspection that we don’t have enough inspectors to do the job
Another thing to look at is that it cost $$ to get all the required training that the home owner (not the insurance company) must pay
If it goes to all licensed trades the cost could be quite high.
Right now in my market a licensed plumber charges $120 for his inspection a general contractor is about the same.
Most of contractors of this nature do not have the time to mess with this crap. They are not inspectors they are DOERS
In some cases they have little knowledge of insurance inspection the want and need the update and repair business.
rlb
Bill
Understand – How should a home owner handle repairs that do not require the services of a contractor - say well within the skill level of the home owner??
If this becomes a problem for me I will just charge for 2 four point inspections.
As you say, we can’t always give away the store for every hard luck case or we will be out of business.
Not much profit in this type of inspection to start with.
rlb
A couple a month is good for gas money, if not raise your prices.
Doug – that is about it
rlb
Richard,
I hear what you are saying. Most of the electrical problems I come across will require an electricain. Most homeowners cannot repair improperly bonded boxes, double taps, install GFCI’s, replace boxes, raise weatherheads, etc. My theory is, do it right (use the electricain) and let him sign off that everything is correct. If not, expect a call from the insurance company when the handy homeowner repair causes a fire and you signed off on it on that little old 4-point form.
Bill
Might as well have the electrician do the inspection to start with
Looks like a HI is only good if everything is OK. I am sure that any good tradesman will be able to find repair work if he looks hard enough
Perhaps now would be a good time to ask – What issues would you put in a report that would be an insurance killer???
I have never seen a list from any insurance company of defects that are deal killers
I did get ask if there were any dogs, swimming pool, trampoline on the property from All State.
rlb
Richard,
I only report what I see. I do not make a judgement as to what would be a deal killer. One of the actual forms from Citizens for the electrical asks if the home is up to current code. That kind of binds you to list all the defects.
Just out of curiousity, would you report a converted fuse box? I see those all the time and know that many of the inspectors are not reporting this. They only report on the presense of breakers or fuses. And what about low service drops. Many inspectors do not report an 8 foot drop. I never look to kill the deal, but I also am going to cover my rear end.
You, as well a I, are capable of reporting the electrical on a 4-point. If that were the case, then we should not be reporting on electrical during an insepction. It is our job to report defects. It is for the protection of the customer (and our pocketbooks should something go wrong).
I think the real problem here is that inspectors go too lightyly on an insuance inspection because we dont want to see anyone denied insurance. But on the other hand, missing something that could be a potential hazard, whether fire or safety, does not serve our client or the insurance industry. Just a case in point - how many fires have you heard of because one outlet in the home was not grounded. I dont know about you, but I dont want to have to live with something like that. I do work with all my clients on these inspection