4-Point Inspection Florida: What It Is, What It Costs, and What Fails

You've found a home you want to buy. It's priced right, the general home inspection went fine, and you're ready to close. Then the insurance company asks for a 4-point inspection — and suddenly the deal is in jeopardy because the roof is too old or the plumbing material isn't acceptable.

This scenario plays out regularly in Florida. Understanding what the 4-point inspection is and why it matters is not optional for buyers in this state.

What Is a 4-Point Inspection in Florida?

A 4-point inspection is a limited inspection that evaluates the four major systems of a home from an insurance underwriting perspective:

1. Roof — age, material, condition, and remaining useful life
2. Electrical system — panel type, wiring material, and overall condition
3. Plumbing system — pipe materials, water heater age and condition
4. HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) — system type, age, and operational status

It is not a full home inspection. It doesn't evaluate structural components, appliances, windows, or cosmetic conditions. Its sole purpose is to help the insurance carrier determine whether the property represents an acceptable risk to insure.

Which Florida Homes Require a 4-Point Inspection?

For homes more than 20 years old, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and most private admitted carriers require a current 4-point inspection before they will bind a homeowners policy. Some carriers set the threshold at 25 or 30 years; Citizens is typically at 20.

If you're buying a home built before 2006, assume you'll need one. If the home was built before 2000, it's nearly certain.

New construction and homes with recent renovation permits may be exempt if the relevant systems have been recently replaced and documented — but verify this with your insurance broker before relying on it.

Florida 4-Point Inspection Requirements: What Inspectors Look For

Roof

The roof is the most consequential system on the 4-point inspection. Florida insurers are particularly strict here:

• Shingle roofs older than 15–20 years are routinely flagged. Citizens and many private carriers require documented proof of at least 5 years of remaining useful life. An inspector who cannot confirm this will typically note the roof as having zero or insufficient remaining life — which triggers a denial.
• Tile and metal roofs have longer lifespans (often 25–50 years) and are evaluated on condition rather than age alone, though a 40-year-old tile roof with visible cracking or missing sections will still flag.
• Flat roofs are scrutinized for ponding, membrane condition, and flashing integrity.

If the roof fails, the carrier will typically refuse to write the policy until the roof is replaced. This is a pre-closing negotiating point: if the roof is going to fail the 4-point inspection, you either get the seller to replace it, negotiate a price reduction to fund replacement, or walk away under your inspection contingency.

Electrical System

Electrical is the second most common deal-breaker:

• Knob-and-tube wiring — found in pre-1950s homes — is unacceptable to virtually all carriers and must be replaced.
• Single-strand aluminum wiring — used in some homes from the 1960s–1970s — is a serious underwriting concern. It requires certification by a licensed electrician confirming proper connectors and retrofitting before most carriers will write coverage.
• Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) and Zinsco electrical panels are flagged by most carriers as fire hazards. Replacement of the panel (typically $1,500–$4,000) is required.
• Doubling up or overcrowding of breakers is also noted and can trigger further scrutiny.

Plumbing

Two pipe materials commonly cause coverage denials:

• Polybutylene pipe (gray plastic, often labeled "PB") was widely installed in Florida homes between the late 1970s and mid-1990s. It is brittle, prone to failure, and most insurers will not write coverage for a home with active polybutylene supply lines. Full repiping runs $8,000–$25,000 depending on home size.
• Galvanized steel pipes corrode from the inside out, restricting flow and creating leak risk. Carriers vary in their tolerance — some allow galvanized with disclosure, others deny outright.

The water heater's age and the presence of a functioning Temperature Pressure Relief (TPR) valve are also documented. Water heaters over 15–20 years old are flagged, though this alone rarely causes a policy denial — insurers typically require the owner to replace within 30 days of policy binding.

HVAC

The HVAC section documents the type of system (central air, window units, or none) and its age. For Florida properties, functioning central HVAC is essentially a baseline expectation. Inspectors note if the system is non-functional or has exceeded its expected service life (typically 12–20 years for central systems). A failed HVAC system can trigger a denial or a requirement to replace before coverage is written.

4-Point Inspection Cost in Florida

A standalone 4-point inspection costs approximately $75–$150 for most properties. Some inspection companies offer it as an add-on to a general home inspection for $25–$75.

Prices vary by county and property size. Complex or large properties may cost more. The inspection typically takes 45–90 minutes and results in a standardized report with photographs of each system.

If you've already ordered a general home inspection, ask that same inspector if they can complete a 4-point at the same time — it saves a separate visit and usually costs less bundled together.

What Happens When a System Fails the 4-Point Inspection

Scenario 1: Roof fails. This is the most common failure. The seller must replace the roof before closing or you must negotiate a seller credit to fund replacement after closing (though post-closing, you bear the risk of finding a carrier willing to write temporary coverage during the replacement period — not always easy). Alternatively, you walk away using your inspection contingency before it expires.

Scenario 2: Electrical system fails. Depending on severity, this might be addressed through panel replacement (weeks, $1,500–$4,000) or full rewiring (much larger project, often $10,000–$40,000 for knob-and-tube). Negotiate who pays, or exit the contract.

Scenario 3: Plumbing fails. Polybutylene repiping takes 1–3 days and typically costs $8,000–$25,000. This is a pre-closing repair that must be completed and re-inspected before coverage is written — and before your lender will fund the loan if the appraiser notes uninsurable conditions.

Timing matters. Get the 4-point inspection ordered in the first few days of your inspection period, not the last few days. Discovering a failed system with 48 hours left in a 15-day inspection window leaves almost no room to negotiate repairs, request extensions, or exit cleanly. Order it alongside your general home inspection.

The 4-Point Inspection Is Not the Same as a Full Home Inspection

A general home inspection covers far more than the four systems — appliances, insulation, windows, structural components, drainage, and dozens of other items. The 4-point inspection is narrowly focused on insurability.

You need both. The general inspection protects you as a buyer. The 4-point protects your ability to get insured at all.

For homes older than 20 years in Florida, treat the 4-point inspection as a mandatory due diligence step — as important as the title search and the appraisal. The Florida First-Time Home Buyer Guide includes an inspection coordination checklist that maps each inspection to the appropriate point in the contract timeline, so nothing slips through in the rush toward closing.

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