What Are Home Insurance Inspectors Looking For?
Roof condition, the home's age and systems, and safety hazards like missing rails or old wiring that could lead to a claim.
Free to compare
The Roof
Inspectors check the roof's age, material, and condition first because it's the most expensive thing to replace and the most common source of claims. A roof nearing the end of its expected life can get your policy declined or priced higher, even if it isn't leaking yet.
Electrical and Plumbing
Older wiring like knob-and-tube or aluminum, and outdated plumbing like polybutylene pipes, raise red flags because they're linked to fire and water damage. If the seller's disclosures or inspection report mention either, ask whether updates were made before you apply.
Safety Hazards on the Property
Missing deck rails, broken steps, trampolines, and swimming pools without a fence are liability risks insurers want addressed. Some will still issue the policy but require the fix within a set number of days, so ask what the timeline is before you sign anything.
The Home's Age and Systems
Older homes get closer scrutiny on the furnace, water heater, and foundation because those systems are expensive to repair and more likely to fail. A home inspection you already paid for often answers these questions before the insurance inspector ever shows up.
Quotes Vary on the Same House
Insurers weigh the roof, wiring, and age of the home differently. One may decline or add a surcharge where another won't, so comparing quotes before closing can mean a lower price for the same coverage.
When Does the Inspection Happen, and What If Something's Wrong?
Timing depends on the insurer. Some send someone out before the policy is bound, especially on older homes or ones with a higher dwelling coverage amount. Others bind the policy first based on photos or an application questionnaire, then schedule an exterior inspection within the first 60 to 90 days of the policy. If you're closing on a tight timeline, ask the insurer directly which approach they use. It changes how much you need to resolve before you have a binder in hand for the lender.
An exterior-only inspection is the most common kind. Someone drives by or walks the property to check the roof, siding, driveway, and any visible hazards like a pool or trampoline. They aren't going inside to check your wiring or water heater unless the home's age or the application raised a question that needs a closer look. Most of what gets flagged comes from what's visible from the street or the yard.
If the inspection turns up a problem, you'll typically get a letter describing what needs to change and a deadline to fix it, often 30 to 60 days out. Common examples are a tree branch touching the roof, a missing handrail, or exposed wiring in an outbuilding. Insurers generally don't cancel the policy outright for this. They give you the window to make the repair and send proof, like a photo or a receipt. If nothing changes by the deadline, that's when the policy can be canceled or non-renewed, and the notice period for that is set by your state.
The inspection report itself isn't something you'll usually see in full. What you get is the outcome. That might be an approval, a request for repairs, a premium adjustment, or a decline. If you're declined, ask why. Insurers have to tell you the reason, and knowing whether it was the roof, the wiring, or something else helps you address it before applying somewhere else. A decline from one insurer because of roof age doesn't mean every insurer will respond the same way, since each one sets its own underwriting rules for what it will and won't take on.
Can You Prepare for the Inspection Before It Happens?
There's no need to wait and see what an inspector finds. Walk the exterior yourself first. Look at the roof, the siding, the driveway, any rails or steps that seem loose, and whether a pool or trampoline has a fence around it. Fixing what you can before you apply often avoids the surcharge or repair letter altogether, and it costs you an afternoon instead of a deadline later.
The seller's disclosure and your own home inspection report are worth reading again with insurance in mind, not just resale value. A home inspector flags things like an aging furnace or a roof with a few years left because a buyer should know about them. An insurance underwriter cares about the same facts for a different reason, so if the report already says the roof is 18 years old or the panel is outdated, you can ask the insurer about it upfront instead of getting surprised by a decline.
Photos help more than people expect. If you've already made a repair, like replacing a handrail or trimming a tree near the roofline, a dated photo or a contractor's receipt can settle the question before an inspector ever drives by. Some insurers will take this at the application stage and skip flagging it later, which matters if you're trying to get a clean binder to your lender without extra back-and-forth.
None of this guarantees a particular price or that every insurer treats the house the same way. What it does is put you in a better position walking into the application, with answers ready instead of surprises arriving by mail after the policy is already in place.
Before You Apply
Check your home inspection report for the roof's age and the condition of the wiring and furnace. Having those answers ready, and photos of any recent repairs, makes comparing quotes faster and the binder easier to get.
