Just got this email from an agent (a nice smart one).
"Hi Michael,
I have a buyer that has finally received a short sale bank approval on purchasing a house in Satellite Beach. He is using an insurance company that is requiring 3 different professional inspectors to perform the 4-pt, wind mit and the home inspection. I explained to my buyer, Tim, that our inspectors are certified to perform these inspections and 3 different professional inspectors are not necessary. Tim has requested that I make contact with 3 inspectors and have them send a copy of a home inspection report, 4-pt and wind mit report so he can show the insurance company what they are and hopefully satisfy this requirement. Could you please provide me with a recent one that you have done? I would like to be able to send Tim a copy tomorrow. We need to get this inspection completed before the end of the week."
My response was…
“Please, please tell him to find an insurance agent with a brain.
The insurance company is not see to a full inspection report. If they see a full report, they will require all repairs whether or not they have anything to do with a 4-point.
I would be happy to speak with any “insurance agent” and provide proof of knowledge, licences and certifications required for the state of Florida and explain how the OIR “Office of Insurance Regulation” recognizes Florida Licensed Inspectors with the required certifications to perform the 4-point, wind mit or roof certification reports and is required to accept them.
Michael J Fox of Fox Inspections is also registered with Citizens Insurance as an approved Inspector.
Please forward this to Tim.
I would be happy to show him some of these reports, I cannot allow him to send any of my previous reports to any insurance agency. I cannot allow these signed documents into unknown hands, there have been many cases of fraud of changing reports or using an inspectors License # and Signature on other reports. I do not think any other Licensed Inspector would provide copies of previous reports to an insurance agent to show proof of ability.
I cannot stress how important it is to not provide a full inspection report to ANY insurance or mortgage company (the lender may require a WDO, termite inspection).
Call me in the morning and I can explain further if needed.”
Any thoughts on this one guys???
What does it take to be an insurance agent?? heartbeat and a phone??
Many do not like my tactics but from me it would be a letter to whoever said they need that crap that they are wrong and I have advised their client to file an immediate complaint with the OIR and itf they have any questions to call me.
I cannot remember a time it has not worked but hey they may have just decided to screw me and do what they are told by the fools ripping them off.
I would give them a price for the package deal HI,WM,4PT and offer that to them. If they don’t want you to do all three, request to do the home inspection and get the biggest piece of the pie:pGive them a thorough report and collect your fee and get ready for the next client.
Maybe the insurance company has a new tactic to get different opinions? Or not? Who knows;-) Some of the agents may just need help with understanding the different inspections. Just my$.02 hope this helps.
No, price or services has nothing to do with it. There is no logical reason for an insurance agent to ask for any previous report on any random property from any licensed and certified inspector to verify their ability to perform an inspection.
Something doesn’t sound right here. Maybe the stories got rearranged between the buyer, buyers insurance agent, and the buyers REA. Could it be that the insurance agent suggested to the buyer to get 3 different quotes on the inspection work, and the buyer just wants to see sample reports to make that decision. Don’t you have a sample HI report?
I have no problem showing an example report to a home buyer. The insurance agent is asking for 3 recent actual reports (full inspection, wind mit and 4-point).
Why??? Why does the insurance agent want to see examples of reports from a licensed inspector??? What right or need does an insurance agent have to request sample reports. The insurance agent did not ask for a SAMPLE report. He asked for 3 actual reports?
Is anybody understanding what I am complaining about???
I am not talking about a client, I am not talking about a real estate agent, I am talking about an insurance agent!! The buyer has not even signed a purchase contract. He inquired with an insurance agent and the insurance agent wants these reports before the buyer even schedules an inspection on a property he thinking of purchasing??? In other words the INSURANCE agent is telling the buyer which inspector he will accept reports from AND the insurance agent also wants the full comprehensive report??
Does anybody here understand how wrong this is???
