Can I Get Home Insurance Without an Inspection?

If your homeowners insurance company requests a home inspection during the underwriting process, you cannot refuse a home insurance inspection without encountering higher rates, the denial of your application for new coverage or the nonrenewal of your current policy. That said, the inspection should be free, and you may even be able to conduct it yourself, depending on the circumstances.

Read on to learn more about whether you can get home insurance without an inspection and why your insurance company wants to inspect your house.

Do I Need a Home Inspection To Get Insurance?

Most homeowners insurance companies will require you to have your home inspected when you apply for coverage, though the type and thoroughness of the inspection may depend on your location and the characteristics of your home.^[1] Unlike an inspection that you might pay for before buying a new home, your insurance company will generally pay for an inspection that is required as part of the underwriting process for your homeowners insurance policy.^[2]

One type of home insurance that often doesn’t require an inspection is force-placed insurance, which your lender may purchase on your behalf if you fail to maintain homeowners coverage in compliance with your mortgage agreement. However, force-placed insurance is often expensive and provides less coverage than a standard policy, so you should try to avoid having to pay for a force-placed policy.^[3]

Are Home Inspections Required in Some States?

You are not required by law to get a home inspection in any state. That said, your insurance carrier may be more likely to require an inspection if you live in a high-risk region, such as a coastal city in Florida.^[1] In addition, to get a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), you must undergo a home appraisal that both determines the value of your property and ensures it adheres to federal safety standards.^[4]

Can I Get Insurance if My Home Fails an Inspection?

If the issues discovered during your home inspection are relatively minor, your insurer may still cover you while simply charging you a higher premium or excluding insurance coverage for certain losses under your policy. Alternatively, if there are more serious problems that cause you to fail your inspection, your carrier may refuse to sell you a new homeowners insurance policy or renew your existing policy unless you agree to have the damaged parts of your home repaired.

Of course, different insurance companies will likely have different underwriting methods and requirements, so if you believe the issues uncovered during the inspection should not make your home uninsurable, then you could consider shopping around and comparing quotes from multiple insurance companies to see if another carrier is willing to cover your property at a more affordable price.

If multiple insurers decline to cover you, your best option may be to buy a policy from a company that specializes in insuring high-risk properties or a government-established Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) plan, if your state has one. You should note that these policies will generally be very expensive and should only be purchased as a last resort.

Can I Use My Appraisal To Get Home Insurance?

It’s possible that your insurance provider will accept a home appraisal in lieu of a traditional inspection, but this varies from company to company. Keep in mind that a standard appraisal merely measures the value of your home, which does not necessarily help your home insurance company assess the risk of covering your property. However, an insurer may be more likely to accept an FHA appraisal since it includes a home safety inspection.^[4]

What Happens if I Don’t Get a Home Inspection?

Even if your insurance carrier doesn’t require you to get an inspection for homeowners insurance, choosing to go without one could cost you in the long run since it may be cheaper to fix underlying issues with your home up front than to wait to address them until they cause more significant damage.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damage that occurs gradually due to unaddressed structural issues, and while many sudden sources of damage are covered, you will still have to pay your deductible and potentially deal with an increase in your premiums anytime you file a homeowners insurance claim.

What Is Looked for During a Home Inspection?

In general, home inspectors look for signs of existing damage to your home systems and structure and any problems that could result in damage the insurance company would be responsible for covering later on. The exact details will depend on the type of inspection your insurance company requires.

For example, your insurer may simply require you to do a self-inspection that involves submitting photos of the interior of your home if you have a newer or low-risk home. Meanwhile, an exterior inspection may be required for any home that is more than 32 years old, along with homes that are more than 10 years old and don’t have masonry construction, a metal or tile roof or a roof that is under 15 years old.^[1]

Homes that are more than 40 years old or require more than $1 million worth of dwelling coverage often need to have an interior and exterior inspection. Additionally, older homes and those located in high-risk areas may need to undergo a four-point inspection, during which the inspector will take a close look at four common subjects of home insurance claims:^[1]

• Roof
• Plumbing
• Electrical wiring and panels
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)

Tips To Pass a Home Inspection

One of the best ways to set yourself up for a successful home insurance inspection is to perform regular home maintenance to minimize the chances that there will be underlying issues with your home that you aren’t aware of. Similarly, you should conduct a preliminary inspection of your own home before your insurer’s inspector arrives so you can check for existing damage. Take care of anything you can fix yourself, like a leaky roof, and hire a professional to fix any major problems you discover, like a sizable crack in your foundation.^[5]

Also, it’s best to let your homeowners insurance company know about any changes you have made that could affect the risk of insuring you up front so there won’t be any surprises during the inspection. For example, your insurer will generally need to know about home renovations, swimming pools, trampolines, pets and new sheds or fences.^[5]