--- title: "Florida 4-Point Inspection: What It Is, Cost & How to Pass" url: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/4-point-inspection-florida description: "A plain-English guide to Florida's 4-point inspection: what insurers check, when you need one, what it costs, and the problems that cause homes to fail." lang: en --- Skip to main content Image: Illustrative light coastal Florida home with sage shutters, a covered porch and palms (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/coastal-home-l_A6wcCz.jpg) All Guides: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides Florida home insurance # 4-Point Inspection in Florida: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know If you're buying an older home in Florida, your insurance company will likely ask for a 4-point inspection before it writes a policy. It's quick and inexpensive, but what it finds can affect whether you can get insurance and what you'll pay. ## What Is a 4-Point Inspection? A 4-point inspection is an insurance inspection, not a full home inspection. It looks at the four systems most likely to cause a claim: - ### Roof Type, age, condition, and remaining life - ### Electrical Panel type, amperage, wiring, and any hazards - ### Plumbing Pipe type, water heater, and any leaks - ### HVAC Age and working condition of heating and air conditioning ## When Do You Need One? Most insurers require a 4-point inspection on homes around 20 to 30 years old or older. Citizens Property Insurance requires one on new policies for homes more than 20 years old. Private insurers set their own rules, so ask your insurance agent early in the deal. ## How Much Does It Cost? Usually $100 to $300 on its own, and it takes about an hour. Many inspectors offer a discount when you book it with a home inspection and wind mitigation inspection. ## Who Can Do It? A Florida-licensed home inspector, general or building contractor, or building code inspector. Insurers can reject a report if the inspector's license can't be verified. ## How Long Is It Good For? Citizens accepts reports dated within 12 months. Many private insurers want one that's more recent, sometimes within 30 days. Check with the insurer before you order it. ## Common Problems That Cause Issues - Older roofs, or roofs with leaks or missing shingles - Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Challenger electrical panels - Cloth, knob-and-tube, or aluminum branch wiring - Double-tapped breakers or exposed wiring - Polybutylene pipes - Active leaks or signs of past leaks - Old or poorly maintained water heaters and AC units ## What About Roof Age? Florida law says an insurer can't refuse or cancel a homeowners policy just because the roof is less than 15 years old. Older roofs may need an inspection showing they have years of life left. Citizens asks for proof of at least 5 years of remaining life on shingle roofs over 25 years old and tile or metal roofs over 50 years old. ## 4-Point vs. Home Inspection vs. Wind Mitigation - **Home inspection:** a full top-to-bottom look at the home for the buyer - **4-point inspection:** four systems, for the insurance company - **Wind mitigation inspection:** hurricane features like roof straps and impact windows, which can lower your insurance premium Most buyers of older homes on the Treasure Coast get all three. ## Tips for Sellers If your home is older, consider getting a 4-point inspection before you list. Fixing a problem panel or a leak ahead of time can prevent a buyer's insurance problem from derailing your sale. ## Frequently Asked Questions Is a 4-point inspection required in Florida? It's not required by law, but most insurers require one for older homes before they'll write a policy. Who pays for the 4-point inspection? Usually the buyer, since it's needed for their insurance. Can you fail a 4-point inspection? There's no pass or fail, but if the report shows hazards or systems in poor condition, an insurer can decline coverage until they're repaired. Does a new home need a 4-point inspection? Usually not. It's mainly for homes 20 years old or older. ## Talk to Peter and Kate. Peter White & Kate Ward | REMAX Gold Peter White 772-284-1419: +17722841419 Kate Ward 772-342-4006: +17723424006 ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "RealEstateAgent", "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/#real-estate-agent", "name": "Peter White & Kate Ward, The McKinney Team | REMAX Gold", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com", "telephone": "772-284-1419", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "140 NW California Blvd", "addressLocality": "Port St. Lucie", "addressRegion": "FL", "postalCode": "34986", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Vero Beach" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Sebastian" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Fort Pierce" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Port St. Lucie" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Stuart" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Jensen Beach" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Palm City" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Hobe Sound" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Indiantown" } ], "employee": [ { "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/#peter-white" }, { "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/#kate-ward" } ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/#peter-white", "name": "Peter White", "jobTitle": "Realtor", "telephone": "772-284-1419", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "REMAX Gold" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/#kate-ward", "name": "Kate Ward", "jobTitle": "Broker Associate", "telephone": "772-342-4006", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "REMAX Gold" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Peter White & Kate Ward, The McKinney Team | REMAX Gold", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Guides", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "4-Point Inspection in Florida", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/4-point-inspection-florida" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "4-Point Inspection in Florida: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know", "description": "A plain-English guide to Florida's 4-point inspection: what insurers check, when you need one, what it costs, and the problems that cause homes to fail.", "datePublished": "2026-11-07", "dateModified": "2026-11-07", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Peter White & Kate Ward, The McKinney Team | REMAX Gold", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Peter White & Kate Ward, The McKinney Team | REMAX Gold", "url": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/4-point-inspection-florida" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is a 4-point inspection required in Florida?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It's not required by law, but most insurers require one for older homes before they'll write a policy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Who pays for the 4-point inspection?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Usually the buyer, since it's needed for their insurance." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you fail a 4-point inspection?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "There's no pass or fail, but if the report shows hazards or systems in poor condition, an insurer can decline coverage until they're repaired." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does a new home need a 4-point inspection?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Usually not. It's mainly for homes 20 years old or older." } } ] } ] ```