Florida 4-Point Inspection: What Insurers Check, How Long It's Good For and Who Can Sign
Twenty years. That's the line Citizens Property Insurance Corporation draws: every new homeowners, dwelling and mobile home application on a property more than 20 years old needs a four-point inspection of the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC (Citizens inspections page). Many other Florida insurers ask for one too, often on older homes, but no Florida statute says when. It's an underwriting requirement, set insurer by insurer.
That matters because a four-point isn't a formality. It's the document an underwriter uses to decide whether to write the house at all. A bad answer on one system (an active leak, polybutylene supply lines, single-strand aluminum branch wiring, a roof near the end of its life) can stop an application before anyone talks about price. Here's what the inspector records, which findings cause trouble, how long a report stays good, who can sign it, and how it differs from the wind mitigation and roof forms.
Source: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Inspections; Citizens FAQ 3251; Florida DFS, What to Expect: Four-Point Inspection.
What a four-point inspection is, and what it isn't
The Florida Department of Financial Services' consumer guide describes it as "a specialized evaluation of a property commonly required by homeowners insurance companies in Florida when issuing or renewing a policy." Its purpose is to judge the condition and safety of four systems so the insurer can decide if the house is insurable (DFS four-point guide).
Three things follow from that, and people get each of them wrong:
- It's not required by state law. I couldn't find a "four-point" requirement in Florida's insurance statutes. The DFS guide's own words are "commonly required" and "some insurance companies mandate." The trigger (home age, policy type, new business vs. renewal) comes from each insurer's underwriting rules, and DFS notes those criteria are generally similar but can vary.
- It's not a home inspection. Florida law defines home inspection services as a limited visual exam of the structure, electrical, HVAC, roof covering, plumbing, interior and exterior components and site conditions (s. 468.8311(4)). A four-point looks at only four of those.
- It's not a warranty. Citizens' form says the information is used "only" to determine insurability and "is not a warranty or assurance of the suitability, fitness or longevity of any of the systems inspected" (Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form). A clean four-point doesn't mean your water heater will last another five years.
Most of the detail below comes from Citizens, a state government entity that by law functions as a residual market, writing coverage only when it can't be found in the voluntary market (s. 627.351(6)). It publishes its form and rules. Its sample form is Insp4pt 03 25. Citizens says that specific form isn't required, but any other report has to carry at least the same level of detail.
The four systems: what gets recorded and what causes trouble
For each system the inspector gives age, type and condition, plus photos. The third column is where applications run into problems. Every item in it comes from Citizens' published form or FAQs; other insurers set their own lists.
| System | What the inspector records | Findings that block or complicate coverage at Citizens |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, date of last roofing permit, full or partial replacement (and %), condition, signs of damage (cracking, curling, granule loss, exposed felt, missing tabs or tiles, soft decking, hail), leaks in the attic or ceilings; photos of each slope | Shingle roof over 25 years or tile/metal over 50 without proof of 5+ years of remaining life; under 5 years left requires proof of full replacement; any roof (main or secondary) not in acceptable condition |
| Electrical | Panel type (breakers or fuses), total amps and whether they're sufficient, panel age, brand/model and year updated, wiring type (copper, aluminum, cloth, knob and tube), hazards like double taps, scorching, exposed wiring, over-fusing; photos of the panel with its door and with the cover off | Service under 100 amps on new business; single-strand aluminum branch wiring unless remediated (copper rewire, COPALUM crimp or AlumiConn); any existing electrical hazard |
| Plumbing | Water heater age and location, whether it has a temperature-pressure relief valve, active or prior leaks, condition of fixtures and appliance connections, pipe type (copper, PEX, CPVC, galvanized, cast iron, polybutylene) and whether the house was re-piped; photos under sinks and of the water heater | Active leaks or unrepaired water damage; plumbing not in good working order; polybutylene piping in a home over 20 years old |
| HVAC | Central air and heat, primary heat source if not central, working order, date of last service, system age, wood-burning stove or gas fireplace and whether professionally installed, space heater as primary heat, leaks at the air handler or drain pan; photo of the dated manufacturer's plate | Heating system not in good working order or with an existing hazard |
Source: Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form (Insp4pt 03 25); Citizens FAQs 2513, 2865, 1550, 1360, 1713; Citizens inspections page.
A few of those deserve a closer look.
Polybutylene. Citizens' rule is sharp: new-business risks over 20 years old with polybutylene piping aren't insurable by Citizens on its HO-3, HO-8, DP-1, DP-3, MHO-3 or MDP-1 forms. A home 20 years old or newer with polybutylene may be eligible if there are no signs of leaks, unrepaired water damage, disrepair or hazards (Citizens FAQ 1713). The four-point form has a polybutylene checkbox, so this can't hide.
Aluminum wiring. Multi-strand aluminum is acceptable at Citizens. Single-strand aluminum branch circuit wiring isn't, unless the house was rewired in copper or every aluminum-to-copper connection was repaired with the COPALUM crimp or AlumiConn connector method; Citizens says other connector products aren't accepted (Citizens FAQ 1550). The form asks for separate remediation paperwork certified by a licensed electrician.
Panel brands and knob and tube. You'll hear that certain older panel brands are automatic deal-breakers. Citizens' public materials don't publish a banned-brand list; its form asks for the panel's brand and model, along with whether cloth wiring or active knob and tube is present. Expect those answers to be read closely, and if your inspector flags the panel, ask your agent how the insurers you're applying to treat it before you pay for an electrician.
"Acceptable condition." Citizens defines it as each system "working as intended" with "no visible hazards or deficiencies," and it tells agents they may not submit applications for homes with electrical, heating or plumbing systems not in good working order or with existing hazards (Citizens form, special instructions). Its inspections page names exposed wiring, active leaks and evidence of leaks as things to repair before an application goes in.
When an insurer will ask for one
At Citizens, the four-point is mandatory on Personal Residential Multiperil applications for homes more than 20 years old (Citizens FAQ 1394). Three details people miss:
- New business, mostly. Citizens requires it on new-business submissions, unless Underwriting decides one is needed at renewal, case by case (Citizens FAQ 2852). Citizens can also send its own exterior or interior field survey during the policy, at no cost to you, and may require repairs it finds (inspections page).
- Not for condos or renters. Citizens says four-point inspections don't apply to tenant named insured and condominium risks. If you own a condo unit, the Florida condo insurance page explains how unit-owner coverage works.
- Other insurers set their own age. DFS describes the four-point as common, but the home-age cutoff, the policy types and the renewal practice all vary. Ask before you book the inspector, not after.
Example: a house built in 1998 is 28 years old in 2026, so a new Citizens application needs a four-point. If its roof was fully replaced in 2009, the roof is 17. That's past the 15-year mark in Florida's roof age statute but under Citizens' 25-year line for shingles, so the roof section of the four-point carries a lot of weight.
How long a four-point report is good for
There's no single answer, and the two official sources I found don't match. DFS says that generally the report "must be dated within the 30 days prior to the insurance application submission date," but that each insurer sets its own window and you should confirm it with the insurer or your agent (DFS guide). Citizens is more generous on ordinary new business and much tighter in two special cases (Citizens FAQ 3251).
| Situation | How recent the report must be | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General rule of thumb, any insurer | Within 30 days before the application, unless the insurer says otherwise | DFS four-point guide |
| Citizens, new business | Dated within 12 months before the new-business submission | Citizens FAQ 3251 |
| Citizens, lender-placed coverage in effect within 45 days of the policy's effective date | Completed within 10 days before the effective date | Citizens FAQ 3251 |
| Citizens, prior sinkhole claim | Dated within 90 days before the effective date | Citizens FAQ 3251 |
| For comparison: wind mitigation form OIR-B1-1802 | Up to 5 years, if no material changes to the structure | OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) |
Source: Florida DFS, What to Expect: Four-Point Inspection; Citizens FAQ 3251; Form OIR-B1-1802, adopted by Rule 69O-170.0155, F.A.C.
My read: if you're shopping, schedule the four-point close to when you'll actually apply. A report that's fine for one insurer may be stale for another, and if you fix something after the inspection, you'll want an updated report that shows the repair anyway.
Who can sign a four-point
Citizens requires a verifiable Florida-licensed professional to complete, sign and date the form. Its examples are a general, residential or building contractor, a building code inspector, or a home inspector. It also accepts a Florida-licensed architect, professional engineer or building code official whose license can be verified (Citizens FAQ 1394). A trade-specific professional can sign only their own section, so an electrician can sign the electrical part but not the roof (Citizens FAQ 4004). Citizens also notes that real estate appraisers aren't home inspectors.
The report has to show the inspection date and the inspector's signature, title, Florida license information and company, plus the required photos (Citizens form; Citizens FAQ 1397). Citizens warns that a form "may not be accepted" if the right professional didn't perform the inspection or the professional's Florida license "is not active or cannot be verified" (Citizens inspections page). Before you pay anyone, look the license up on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's site, myfloridalicense.com, which is what DFS recommends too.
How the four-point fits with Florida's roof age law
The roof section is where state law does come in. Under s. 627.7011(5), an insurer can't refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy on a roof under 15 years old solely because of its age. For a roof 15 or older, it has to let you get an inspection by an authorized inspector, at your expense, before requiring a new roof, and if that inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life, it can't refuse on age alone. Age counts from the last date 100% of the roof surface was built or replaced. The rule doesn't apply to mobile home policies, and it doesn't stop an insurer from declining for condition or other lawful reasons.
The four-point form records exactly what that fight turns on: roof age, remaining useful life and the last permit date. At Citizens, the four-point's roof section, with photos of each slope and a proper signature, can stand in for the separate Roof Inspection Form (Citizens FAQ 2868).
Don't mix up the thresholds. The statute's 15 years is a floor on age-only refusals for every homeowners insurer. Citizens' 25 years (shingle) and 50 years (tile, slate, clay, concrete, metal) are its own documentation triggers. DFS's guide gives a different example, an insurer that wants proof of 5 years of remaining life on shingle roofs over 15 or tile and metal over 20, which shows how much insurers vary. My Florida roof age law post walks through the statute line by line.
Source: s. 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes (2026); Citizens inspections page; Citizens FAQ 2513.
Four-point vs. wind mitigation vs. roof inspection vs. home inspection
Four different documents, four different jobs. The short version: the four-point and roof form decide whether you can get a policy; the wind mitigation form affects what the hurricane portion of the premium costs; the home inspection is for you as a buyer.
| Four-point | Wind mitigation (OIR-B1-1802) | Roof inspection form | Full home inspection | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Insurability of an older home | Proof of wind-resistant features for premium discounts | Roof condition and remaining life | Buyer's view of the whole house |
| What it covers | Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC | Roof covering, deck and roof-to-wall attachment, roof shape, secondary water resistance, opening protection | Roof only | Structure, systems, interior, exterior, site conditions |
| Required by | Insurer underwriting (Citizens: homes over 20 years) | Optional; you submit it to get discounts insurers must offer | Insurer underwriting (older roofs) | Not an insurance form; often part of a home purchase |
| Typical validity | Insurer sets it (Citizens 12 months; DFS: often 30 days) | Up to 5 years if no material changes | Insurer sets it | Not used as an underwriting form |
| Who signs (examples) | FL-licensed contractor, building code inspector or home inspector | Licensed home inspector with mitigation training, building code inspector, contractor, engineer or architect | FL-licensed contractor (incl. roofing), building code inspector or home inspector | Licensed home inspector |
Source: Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form; Citizens Roof Inspection Form (RCF-1); Citizens FAQ 4004; s. 627.711(2), s. 627.0629(1), s. 468.8311, Florida Statutes (2026); Form OIR-B1-1802; DFS four-point guide.
If you book the four-point alongside other inspection services, DFS notes its price may be folded into a package. The wind mitigation form is the one that earns credits; my wind mitigation inspection post covers each question. The state's My Safe Florida Home program offers wind mitigation inspections to eligible homesteaded, site-built single-family homes (s. 215.5586), but that's a wind mitigation inspection, not a four-point, so don't count on it for underwriting.
Before the inspector shows up
Some of what trips up a four-point is easy to handle ahead of time: a missing permit date, a drip under a sink, a panel cover nobody can get to. Here's what to have ready.
| Get ready | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Roofing permit date (from your city or county building department) | The form asks for the date of the last roofing permit; roof age runs from the last full replacement |
| Receipts or permits for any re-pipe, rewire, panel upgrade, new water heater or HVAC | The form asks for year last updated and wants updates described by type, date and who did them |
| Clear access to the electrical panel, water heater, air handler and attic | Required photos include the open panel, the panel with its cover off, the water heater and the HVAC data plate |
| Fix drips under sinks, at the water heater and at appliance connections | Active leaks or unrepaired water damage make a home ineligible at Citizens |
| Check the water heater for a temperature-pressure relief valve | It's a yes/no question on the form |
| Clear the AC drain pan and condensate line | The form asks about blockage, leaks or water damage at the air handler |
| Aluminum wiring remediation paperwork from a licensed electrician | Single-strand aluminum needs documented remediation at Citizens |
| Know if you have polybutylene piping | Over 20 years old with polybutylene is not insurable at Citizens |
Source: Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form; Citizens FAQs 1360, 1713, 1550.
If the four-point comes back with problems
- Read what actually failed. The comments section has to explain any hazard, deficiency or system not in good working order. It may come down to a single item, such as a double-tapped breaker, a leak at a fixture or a ceiling stain from an old leak.
- Fix it with a licensed trade and keep the paper. Permits, invoices and photos. For aluminum wiring, Citizens wants documentation of the remediation method. For polybutylene, the form records whether the house was completely or partially re-piped, so keep the re-pipe permit and invoice.
- Get the report updated. An insurer underwrites what's on the form. A repair that isn't on an updated report doesn't help the application.
- Buying a house with a bad roof? Citizens has a narrow path: if the purchase closes within 45 calendar days of the requested effective date and you have a signed contract with a licensed general, residential, building or roofing contractor to fully replace the roof within 30 days of that date, the application can be submitted unbound for review (Citizens FAQ 5056). Line this up before closing, not after.
- Ask for the reason in writing. If an insurer refuses to issue or renew and the only reason is roof age, check it against s. 627.7011(5). If you think a refusal broke the rules, the Florida Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services takes complaints online or at 1-877-693-5236 (DFS).
If you're heading to Citizens because private options dried up, my Citizens 2026 post covers eligibility and takeouts. And if you'd like a second set of eyes on a four-point before it goes to underwriting, the Florida home insurance page explains how I work with Florida homeowners.
FAQ
What is a 4-point inspection in Florida?
A four-point inspection is a limited evaluation of a home's roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems that many Florida homeowners insurers use to decide whether an older home is insurable. It is not a full home inspection and not a warranty.
Is a 4-point inspection required by Florida law?
I found no Florida statute that requires a four-point inspection; it's an insurer underwriting requirement. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, for example, requires one on new applications for homes more than 20 years old.
How long is a 4-point inspection good for in Florida?
Each insurer decides. The DFS guide says reports generally must be dated within 30 days before the application, while Citizens accepts a report dated within 12 months before a new-business submission, with shorter windows for lender-placed coverage and prior sinkhole claims.
Who can do a 4-point inspection in Florida?
A verifiable Florida-licensed professional, such as a general, residential or building contractor, a building code inspector or a home inspector. A trade-specific professional, like an electrician, can sign off only on the section for their trade.
How much does a 4-point inspection cost in Florida?
Costs vary by inspector, region and home size. The Florida DFS guide says a standalone four-point inspection may typically range from $100 to $300, and it may be included in a package price with a home inspection.
Your own policy wording, each insurer's underwriting rules and Florida law control how any of this applies to your home. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent, the Florida Department of Financial Services or Office of Insurance Regulation, or, for legal questions, an attorney.
Sources
- Florida DFS, Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate: What to Expect: Four-Point Inspection
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: Inspections
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: sample 4-Point Inspection Form (Insp4pt 03 25)
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: sample Roof Inspection Form (RCF-1)
- Citizens FAQ 1394: When is a four-point inspection needed?
- Citizens FAQ 3251: What is the acceptable age of a four-point inspection report?
- Citizens FAQ 2852: Does the four-point requirement apply to renewal policies?
- Citizens FAQ 1397: Is the Citizens four-point form the only acceptable form?
- Citizens FAQ 1360: Plumbing inspection requirements
- Citizens FAQ 1713: Polybutylene pipes
- Citizens FAQ 2865: Minimum amp requirement
- Citizens FAQ 1550: Aluminum branch wiring
- Citizens FAQ 2868: Four-point form in lieu of the Roof Inspection Form
- Citizens FAQ 2513: Roof age requirements
- Citizens FAQ 5056: New home purchase with roof damage
- Citizens FAQ 4004: What is the purpose of a home inspection?
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7011, homeowners' policies; roof age (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.351(6), Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 468.8311, home inspection definitions (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.711, mitigation discounts; verification form (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.0629, windstorm mitigation discounts (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 215.5586, My Safe Florida Home Program (2026)
- Form OIR-B1-1802, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (Rev. 04/26)
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 69O-170.0155
- Florida DBPR license search
- Florida DFS: consumer resources and helpline
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.