At a glance
| Systems checked | Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC |
|---|---|
| Citizens trigger | Homes more than 20 years old |
| Roof rule (Citizens) | 5+ years of life on soft roofs over 25 years, hard roofs over 50 |
| Who signs | Florida-licensed inspector or contractor |
| Required by law? | No, by insurers' underwriting rules |
What is done during a 4-point inspection in Florida?
A licensed inspector looks at four systems and records their age, type and condition on a form the insurer's underwriters rely on. Citizens Property Insurance publishes a sample form (Insp4pt 01 18) that sets the minimum detail it accepts, and most insurers ask for the same information. It is a condition report for underwriting, not a warranty and not a full home inspection.
Roof
For each roof covering: the material, its age, the remaining useful life, the date of the last roofing permit and whether any update was a full or partial replacement. The inspector notes cracking, cupping or curling, granule loss, exposed felt, missing or loose shingles or tiles, soft decking, hail damage, and any sign of leaks in the attic or on ceilings. With photos of each slope, this section can replace a separate roof inspection form for Citizens.
Electrical
The main and any second panel: breaker or fuse type, total amps, whether the amperage is enough, panel age, the year it was last updated and the brand. The form asks about aluminum branch wiring and how it was repaired, and flags hazards such as double taps, exposed or loose wiring, scorching, tripping breakers, improper grounding and empty sockets.
Plumbing
The water heater's location and whether it has a temperature and pressure relief valve, signs of active or past leaks, and the condition of fixtures and appliance connections. The inspector records the pipe types (copper, PVC or CPVC, galvanized, PEX, polybutylene) and whether the house is original, partly or fully re-piped.
Heating and air conditioning
Whether there is central air and heat, whether the systems work, the date of the last service, the age of the equipment (with a photo of the data plate), and any blockage or leakage at the air handler or condensate line. The form also asks about wood stoves or gas fireplaces that were not professionally installed and space heaters used as the main heat source.
Which Florida homes need a 4-point inspection?
No Florida statute requires one. The requirement comes from each insurer's underwriting rules, so the age that triggers it varies by company.
Citizens: homes more than 20 years old
Citizens requires a four-point inspection with every homeowners, dwelling and mobile home application for a property more than 20 years old. Any serious hazard, such as exposed wiring or an active leak, should be repaired before the application is submitted.
Citizens roof rules
Citizens also requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life on shingle and other soft roofs older than 25 years, and on tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roofs older than 50 years. If the roof has less than five years left, the owner must show proof of a full replacement before a policy is written.
Private insurers
Private carriers set their own thresholds. One Florida independent agency's 2026 guide reports that most carriers ask for a 4-point at 30 years, nearly all at 40, and some, including Citizens, at 20. Ask the agent quoting you which age the carrier uses before you book.
What Florida law says about roof age
Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes, bars an insurer from refusing to write or renew a homeowners policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old. For a roof 15 years or older, the insurer must let you get an inspection at your expense first, and it may not refuse on roof age alone if an authorized inspector finds at least five years of useful life left. Roof age runs from the last date the whole roof was built or replaced.
What will fail a 4-point inspection in Florida?
There is no official pass or fail grade. The inspector reports conditions, and the insurer decides whether to write the policy. Citizens' form instructions say agents may not submit applications for homes whose electrical, heating or plumbing systems are not in good working order, or that have existing hazards or deficiencies. The items the form singles out are the ones that most often stop a policy.
Roof problems
Active leaks, soft decking, missing or loose shingles or tiles, and a roof near the end of its useful life. Under Citizens' rules, less than five years of remaining life on an older roof means a replacement is needed first.
Electrical hazards
Exposed or unsafe wiring, scorching, double taps, an undersized service, and single-strand aluminum branch wiring without documented repair by a licensed electrician. The agency guide cited below names Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, Challenger and Sylvania panels as the brands carriers most often reject.
Plumbing and water heaters
Active or past leaks, no relief valve on the water heater, and pipe types some insurers will not accept, most often polybutylene. Galvanized and cast iron lines in older homes draw extra questions from some carriers.
Heating and cooling
A system that does not work, a blocked or leaking condensate line, or a space heater used as the main heat source.
Cost, timing and how long a 4-point lasts
What it costs
No state agency publishes an average price; inspectors set their own fees. The Augustyniak Insurance guide cited below, updated for 2026, puts a typical 4-point at $75 to $150, taking under an hour. Many inspectors offer a lower price when it is booked with a wind mitigation inspection, which is the one that can lower your premium. Get two quotes and confirm the inspector holds a Florida license.
How long it is valid
Citizens' published rules do not set a fixed validity period, and private carriers decide for themselves. The same agency guide says most carriers want an inspection from the past 12 months for a new policy, and do not ask for one at renewal. If the seller has a recent 4-point, ask the agent whether the new insurer will accept it before paying for another.
When to book it as a buyer
Book it inside your contract's inspection period, alongside the general inspection, so an insurance problem shows up while you can still negotiate or cancel. Our Florida home inspection checklist covers the timing of each inspection.
Who can perform a 4-point inspection
Citizens accepts forms completed, signed and dated by a verifiable Florida-licensed professional, such as a general, residential or building contractor, a building code inspector or a home inspector. A trade professional may sign only the section for their trade, so an electrician can sign off the electrical section but not the roof. Photos must accompany the form, including the water heater and under-sink plumbing, the open electrical panel with its door label, each roof slope and every hazard found. Underwriters may reject a form if the inspector's license cannot be verified.
4-point vs full home inspection vs wind mitigation
| 4-point | Full home inspection | Wind mitigation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who asks for it | The insurer | You, the buyer | You, to claim discounts |
| What it covers | Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC | The whole house | Hurricane-resisting features |
| Form | Insurer's form (Citizens sample Insp4pt) | Inspector's own report | State form OIR-B1-1802 |
| Effect on price | Decides if a policy is written | Informs your offer and repairs | Can lower the wind premium |
| How long it lasts | Set by each insurer | Not applicable | Up to 5 years |
A full inspection report can stand in for a 4-point only if it contains at least the detail on the Citizens sample form; Citizens says any report submitted must meet that minimum. The Florida wind mitigation guide explains the separate discount inspection.
Can you get insurance without a 4-point inspection?
Yes, if the home is newer than your insurer's age threshold, because the insurer will not ask for one. For an older home, an insurer that requires a 4-point will not bind the policy without it, and that includes Citizens for homes over 20 years old. If a report shows problems, the usual paths are to repair and re-inspect, to shop other carriers whose rules differ, or to accept an offer with conditions such as a roof endorsement. An independent agent can compare carriers; our Florida homeowners insurance guide explains how to compare quotes by county.
Common mistakes
- Ordering it after the inspection period ends. You lose the chance to renegotiate if the roof or panel is a problem.
- Relying on the seller's word about the roof. Insurers use the permit date. Look up the last roofing permit with the county or city.
- Letting an unlicensed handyman sign. Underwriters check licenses and can reject the form.
- Forgetting remediation paperwork. Aluminum wiring repairs need separate documentation certified by a licensed electrician.
- Treating it as a full inspection. It does not look at the foundation, windows, appliances or pool. Book a full inspection as well.
Common questions
What is a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
It is an insurance inspection of four systems: the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating and air conditioning. A Florida-licensed inspector records each system's age, type and condition, with photos, so an insurer can decide whether to write a policy on an older home. It is not a full home inspection and does not grade the house pass or fail.
How old does a house have to be for a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
It depends on the insurer. Citizens Property Insurance requires one for homeowners, dwelling and mobile home applications on properties more than 20 years old. Private insurers set their own ages; an independent agency's 2026 guide reports most ask at 30 years and nearly all at 40. Ask the insurer quoting you before you book.
What is the average cost of a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
No official average exists because inspectors set their own prices. One Florida insurance agency's 2026 guide puts a typical 4-point at $75 to $150. Many inspectors discount it when booked together with a wind mitigation inspection. Compare two quotes and check the inspector's Florida license before you pay.
What will fail a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
Insurers most often decline for active roof leaks or a roof near the end of its life, unsafe or exposed wiring, unremediated aluminum branch wiring, certain older electrical panels, polybutylene pipes, active plumbing leaks, and heating or cooling systems that do not work. Citizens will not accept applications for homes with existing hazards or systems not in good working order.
Can you get insurance without a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
Yes if the home is newer than the insurer's threshold, because it will not ask for one. For an older home, an insurer that requires the inspection will not write the policy without it. If the report shows problems, you can repair and re-inspect, try carriers with different rules, or accept conditions such as a roof endorsement.
How long is a 4-point inspection good for in Florida?+
No state rule sets a validity period, and Citizens does not publish a fixed one. Each insurer decides. An independent agency's 2026 guide reports most carriers accept a 4-point from the past 12 months for a new policy. A wind mitigation form is different: it is valid for up to five years if the home has not materially changed.
Who can do a 4-point inspection in Florida?+
Citizens accepts forms signed by a verifiable Florida-licensed professional, such as a home inspector, a building code inspector or a general, building or residential contractor. A licensed tradesperson may sign only their own section, for example an electrician for the electrical system. Photos of each system and every hazard must accompany the form.
Sources
- Citizens Property Insurance: Inspections (4-point and roof requirements)
- Citizens Property Insurance: 4-Point Inspection Form (sample Insp4pt 01 18)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7011: Homeowners' policies (roof age rules)
- FLOIR: Wind Mitigation Resources (OIR-B1-1802 validity)
- Augustyniak Insurance: What is a 4 point inspection in Florida for home insurance? (updated 2026; agency estimates of cost, validity and carrier thresholds)