Four-Point Inspection in Florida: What Homeowners Need to Know

If your Florida home is 25 years old or older, your insurance company may require a four-point inspection before issuing or renewing your homeowners policy. Named for the four systems it covers — roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — this inspection is separate from a home inspection and has nothing to do with a building permit. But it often turns up unpermitted work that complicates both insurance coverage and future sales. Here's what Florida homeowners need to know.

What Is a Four-Point Inspection?

A four-point inspection is a limited-scope property inspection that documents the current condition and age of four major systems in a home: the roof, electrical panel and wiring, plumbing, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). Unlike a full home inspection, it does not examine structural components, windows, insulation, or the interior in detail.

Florida insurers use four-point inspections to assess risk on older homes. A home with a 30-year-old roof, aluminum branch wiring, galvanized pipes, and a failing HVAC unit is a much higher liability than a home with updated systems. The inspection gives the insurer a standardized snapshot without requiring a full appraisal.

Four-point inspections in Florida are typically performed by a licensed home inspector, a licensed general contractor, a licensed building contractor, a licensed architect, or a licensed engineer. Insurance companies often have their own preferred form — the Citizens Insurance four-point inspection form is the most common standard in Florida, but other carriers use similar forms.

When Is a Four-Point Inspection Required in Florida?

There is no Florida statute that mandates four-point inspections — the requirement comes from insurers, not the state. In practice:

• Most Florida insurers require a four-point inspection for any home that is 25 to 30 years old or older before issuing a new homeowners policy or renewing an existing one.
• Citizens Property Insurance, Florida's insurer of last resort, requires a four-point inspection for homes 30 years and older. The inspection must have been performed within the past 5 years to be accepted.
• Some lenders may require a four-point inspection as a condition of mortgage approval on older homes, even when the buyer's insurer does not independently require one.
• Home buyers and sellers sometimes order four-point inspections voluntarily during the due diligence period to assess insurance eligibility before closing.

The threshold age and the specific form accepted vary by insurer. If your insurer requires one, they will tell you the acceptable age of the report and which form to use.

What Does an Inspector Look for in Each of the Four Systems?

Each of the four systems has specific items that directly affect the inspector's assessment — and the insurer's decision:

Roof: The inspector notes the roof covering material (shingle, tile, metal, modified bitumen), estimated age, estimated remaining useful life, and any visible deficiencies — missing shingles, soft spots, failing flashing, or signs of active leaks. The age and condition of the roof is the single most influential factor in insurer acceptance. Most Florida insurers will not write or renew a policy on a home with a roof older than 20–25 years, regardless of condition. A metal roof or new shingle roof dramatically improves insurability. This is one reason many homeowners pair a roof replacement permit with an insurance review.

Electrical: The inspector identifies the type of electrical panel (brands like Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco/Sylvania are flagged by insurers as high-risk), the panel amperage, the presence of aluminum branch wiring (wiring to outlets and switches — distinct from acceptable aluminum service entrance wire), and any visible double-tapping, improper wiring, or open knockouts. Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels are widely declined by Florida insurers. Aluminum branch wiring to outlets is a major red flag for many carriers. Any of these findings can result in a declined policy or a required remediation before coverage is issued.

Plumbing: The inspector identifies the type of supply piping (copper, CPVC, PEX, polybutylene, or galvanized steel) and the type of drain piping (PVC, cast iron, or ABS). Polybutylene supply pipe is a major insurer concern — it was commonly installed in Florida homes built from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s and has a well-documented failure history. Galvanized steel supply pipe is also commonly flagged for age-related corrosion. The inspector does not perform a pressure test or scope the drains.

HVAC: The inspector notes the age of the heating and cooling equipment, confirms it is operational, and notes any visible deficiencies. Florida's humid climate and near-constant cooling load means HVAC systems age faster here than in most of the country. Most insurers prefer HVAC systems under 15–20 years old. An aged or non-functional HVAC unit may trigger a requirement to replace it before the policy is bound.

How Much Does a Four-Point Inspection Cost in Florida?

A standalone four-point inspection in Florida typically costs between $75 and $150, with most inspectors charging around $100. Prices vary by county and by inspector. If you're also getting a wind mitigation inspection (a separate report that can qualify your home for hurricane discounts on your premium), many inspectors bundle both for $150–$250 — a meaningful savings versus ordering them separately.

The inspection typically takes 45 minutes to 90 minutes on-site, with a report delivered within 24–48 hours. The report is submitted directly to your insurer or agent.

For context on how permit fees compare for projects that may follow an inspection, see our complete Florida building permit cost guide.

What Happens if the Inspector Finds Unpermitted Work?

This is where the four-point inspection intersects with Florida's building permit system. Inspectors are not code enforcement officers and are not required to report unpermitted work to the county — but they do document what they see, and what they see can raise questions.

Common scenarios where unpermitted work surfaces during a four-point inspection:

• An electrical subpanel was added without a permit, or wiring was extended without inspection
• An HVAC system was replaced but the permit was never closed out (no final inspection)
• A previous owner added a bathroom or converted a garage to living space without permits
• A roof was replaced without a permit — the new roof may look fine, but there's no inspection record

When an insurer sees flagged electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work that doesn't match the permitted record, they may decline coverage or require further documentation. Unpermitted work also creates liability when you sell: Florida requires sellers to disclose known material defects, and unpermitted additions qualify. For a full picture of the consequences, see our guide on what happens if you build without a permit in Florida and our post on open permits and home sales.

If the inspection turns up work that may have been done without permits, the practical path forward is to consult a licensed contractor about retroactive permitting, or at minimum to have the work evaluated so you know what you're dealing with before the insurer asks. Getting a permit — even after the fact — creates a documented record of code compliance that protects you at sale and in a claim. For how long permits take, see our Florida permit timeline guide.

How Is a Four-Point Inspection Different from a Wind Mitigation Inspection?

Florida homeowners often encounter both inspections around the same time, so it's worth distinguishing them:

• A four-point inspection documents the condition and age of the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. It is used by insurers to decide whether to write or renew a policy on an older home. A poor result can result in a declined policy or required upgrades.
• A wind mitigation inspection documents hurricane-resistance features of the home — roof shape, roof deck attachment method, roof-to-wall connections, opening protection, and roof covering type. It is used to calculate discounts on the wind portion of your homeowners premium. A favorable result reduces your premium; a poor result doesn't increase it — the discount is simply zero.

Both inspections are performed by licensed professionals, and many inspectors are certified to perform both in the same visit. If you're updating your insurance on an older home, order both at the same time to save the second inspection fee.

How Do You Prepare for a Four-Point Inspection?

You don't need to do much — the inspector's job is to document what exists, not grade you. But a few steps can avoid delays:

• Make sure the attic access, electrical panel, and HVAC air handler are accessible
• Know the age and brand of your electrical panel if possible (your permit history from the county can help)
• Have records of any recent roof, HVAC, electrical, or plumbing work — particularly permitted work with a final inspection certificate
• If you've replaced your roof recently and the permit is closed, have that documentation ready — a new roof with a permit record in good standing is a significant asset on the report

If your home has known issues — an aging Federal Pacific panel, polybutylene pipe, or a 20-year-old roof — consider addressing those before scheduling the inspection or before shopping for a new policy. Some insurers will give you time to remediate a flagged item before declining coverage; others will not write a policy until the work is completed and re-inspected.

Need help navigating a permit for work your inspection flagged? Tell us about your project and we'll connect you with a licensed permit pro in your Florida county.