Home Insurance Inspections: What to Expect and How to Prepare

If you've bought or renewed a homeowners policy in California recently, there's a good chance the carrier scheduled an inspection of your home. A few years ago this was rare for a normal policy. Now it's routine.

Knowing what they're looking for, and fixing the issues you can fix in advance, is worth doing. A surprise inspection finding can raise your premium, force you to make repairs on a deadline, or, in the worst case, cancel your policy mid-term.

Why insurers inspect more now

California's homeowners market has been under enormous pressure. Wildfire losses, water damage claims, and aging housing stock have pushed carriers to verify what they're insuring rather than relying on what was on the application.

Two types of inspection are common right now: exterior-only drive-by inspections (often using satellite imagery as well), and a full interior plus exterior inspection that includes a walkthrough.

What inspectors are looking for outside

Roof condition

This is the single biggest issue. Inspectors look at the age, the material, missing or curled shingles, moss, sagging sections, and visible damage. A roof in poor condition can trigger a non-renewal or a requirement to replace it within 30 to 90 days.

Defensible space (especially in wildfire zones)

Vegetation within 5 feet of the structure, trees overhanging the roof, dead brush, dry leaves in gutters, wood piles touching siding. In high fire-risk areas, these will absolutely be flagged.

Siding, fascia, and trim

Visible rot, peeling paint that exposes wood, gaps where pests can get in. These are signs of deferred maintenance, which insurers correlate with future claims.

Decks, porches, and stairs

Loose railings, rotting boards, missing handrails on stairs with more than a few steps. These are liability issues.

Other obvious risks

• Trampolines without enclosures
• Pools without four-sided fencing and self-latching gates
• Unleashed dogs of certain breeds visible during inspection
• Tarps on the roof (anything tarped looks like an ongoing problem)
• Visible RVs, boats, or commercial vehicles on the property

What inspectors look for inside

Electrical panel

Old fuse panels, certain Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels (known fire risks), and aluminum branch wiring will be flagged. Carriers may require an upgrade.

Plumbing

Galvanized supply lines and polybutylene pipes are problems. Visible leaks under sinks or around water heaters will be flagged immediately.

Water heater age and bracing

California requires water heaters to be strapped for earthquake safety. Inspectors check this. They also note the age of the unit.

Heating

Working central heat (or equivalent), no improperly vented gas appliances, no exposed asbestos around old ducts.

Smoke detectors

Required in every bedroom and on every floor. Carbon monoxide detectors are required outside sleeping areas in most cases.

How to prepare in the week before

• Walk the perimeter and trim back vegetation within 5 feet of the house
• Clean the gutters
• Replace any missing or visibly damaged shingles you can safely reach
• Patch obvious peeling paint on wood trim
• Tighten or replace loose railings on decks and stairs
• Test every smoke and CO detector and replace batteries
• Make sure your address numbers are visible from the street
• If you have a pool, make sure the gate latches and the fence has no gaps
• Move clutter away from the electrical panel and water heater so the inspector can see them clearly

What happens after the inspection

You typically get a report or a list of findings within 2 to 6 weeks. Each item will be classified roughly as a recommendation, a required repair, or a coverage-changing issue.

Recommendations

Optional but worth doing. No deadline, no consequences.

Required repairs

You'll have a deadline, usually 30 to 90 days, to fix it and provide proof (photos, a contractor invoice, or a declaration). Miss the deadline and you risk non-renewal.

Coverage-changing findings

Examples: an older roof that the carrier won't insure for replacement cost, a wood-burning stove that needs an exclusion, a trampoline that needs to be removed or excluded from liability. The carrier will modify the policy or, in some cases, cancel.

If something gets flagged unexpectedly

Don't panic and don't ignore the letter. The window to respond matters. Most issues can be resolved by either making the repair or providing documentation that the issue is not what the inspector thought.

If a carrier moves to non-renew based on something you can fix, often you can either fix it and stay or use the time to shop for a new policy without a gap. The worst outcome is doing nothing and losing the policy.

If you got an inspection letter and you're not sure what to do, send it to us. We'll tell you what's reasonable, what's a deal-breaker, and whether it's time to move carriers.