Four-point inspection checklist

What should be accessible before the inspector arrives?

The inspector needs to physically see and photograph each system, so anything blocking access adds time or gets marked unable to verify. Clear a path to the electrical panel (move storage, furniture, or hanging items away from the panel door), make sure the attic hatch or access panel is reachable, and unlock any gates, sheds, or outbuildings with equipment inside. Under sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms should be clear enough to see the supply lines and shutoff valves, and the area around the water heater needs to be open on all sides. If the home is vacant or a tenant is present, arrange for someone with a key to be there, since most inspectors won’t force entry or reschedule without notice. Have any recent permits, roof replacement paperwork, or panel upgrade documentation on hand. It can support the age and condition the inspector records, and it sometimes shortens the remaining-life estimate the report gives your roof.

Roof: what gets recorded?

The inspector records the predominant roofing material (shingle, tile, metal, or flat/built-up), any secondary material, the roof’s age, and the date of the last permitted replacement or repair if known. They note visible damage — cracked or missing tiles, exposed fasteners, granule loss, ponding on flat sections — and whether there’s any visible sign of an active or past leak; if there is, the form requires them to describe it. The report also gives an overall condition rating and, for older roofs, an estimate of remaining useful life. Roofs made of soft materials (shingle, tile) over roughly 25 years old and hard materials (metal, some tile systems) over roughly 50 years old typically need at least five years of documented remaining life for a carrier to accept the report as-is; a roof that can’t clear that bar is usually flagged for repair, partial replacement, or full replacement before a policy will be written.

Electrical: which panel and wiring details are written down?

The inspector records the main panel’s type (fuse box or circuit breaker), its amperage, and the brand and model printed on the panel itself, along with a second panel’s details if the home has one. They document the wiring type — copper, aluminum, knob-and-tube, or cloth-wrapped — and note any hazards: blown fuses, breakers that trip repeatedly, empty breaker slots without covers, loose connections, double-tapped breakers, or exposed wiring. Panel brand matters beyond what’s printed on the form. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels are widely known fire-risk brands. The inspection report simply records what’s there, but many carriers use that brand alone to decline coverage or require replacement, regardless of how the panel is otherwise functioning. Homes with single-strand aluminum branch wiring now need a separate certification from a licensed electrician confirming it’s been properly remediated (pigtailed with approved connectors) before the report is considered complete.

Plumbing: what are they looking at under the sinks and at the water heater?

The inspector identifies the supply and drain pipe materials — copper, PVC, galvanized steel, or polybutylene — and notes the approximate age of the plumbing system and whether it’s been fully or partially re-piped. Polybutylene supply lines are the main red flag here: the material is prone to failure, and several carriers may not offer coverage until it is replaced or may apply a water-damage exclusion. The inspector also checks for active leaks or physical evidence of past leaks (staining, corrosion, warped cabinetry under a sink) and cracked or improperly supported connections. At the water heater, they record its age and condition and, as of the 2025 form update, must photograph the temperature-pressure relief (TPR) valve and its discharge line to confirm it’s installed correctly.

HVAC: what goes on the form?

The inspector notes whether the home has central air conditioning and heat, the age of the system, and the year of its most recent major update or replacement. If there’s no central system, they record the primary heat source and its fuel type instead. The form also flags secondary heat sources that carry their own risk: a wood-burning stove or gas fireplace has to be identified as professionally installed or not, and a home relying on portable space heaters as its main heat source is noted as a hazard. HVAC condition is generally the least likely of the four systems to sink an application on its own, but a non-functioning system or one well past its typical service life can still prompt a repair request.

What happens after the report reaches the carrier?

The inspector submits the completed report to you or directly to the agent/carrier, and underwriting reviews it alongside the rest of the application — the inspection doesn’t approve or deny coverage on its own. Serious hazards, most commonly exposed wiring, an active roof leak, a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, or polybutylene plumbing, are the items most likely to require repair or replacement before a carrier will bind a new policy or renew an existing one. Some carriers will issue coverage with a compliance deadline instead, giving you a window (commonly 30 to 60 days) to complete the repair and provide proof; others simply decline until the work is done and a new report is submitted. Passing a four-point inspection with no flagged items improves your odds but still doesn’t guarantee any specific carrier will offer a policy — the report documents condition, and each carrier’s underwriting guidelines decide what they’ll accept.