A four-point inspection is an insurance report on the four systems most likely to cause a large claim in an older home: the roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, and the heating and air conditioning (HVAC). Florida insurers use it to decide whether they'll cover a house and at what price. Because a mortgage can't close without a homeowners policy, the report matters to your loan as much as to your insurer.
What the inspector records
A Florida-licensed inspector fills out a standard form and attaches photos. For each system, the insurer wants the age, the type and the condition:
- Roof: covering material, age, remaining useful life, and any leaks or damaged areas.
- Electrical: panel brand and capacity, wiring type, and any hazards such as exposed or double-tapped wiring.
- Plumbing: supply pipe material, water heater age and location, and any active leaks.
- HVAC: age of the system and whether it works properly.
Serious hazards, such as exposed wiring or an active leak, generally need to be fixed before an insurer will bind the policy.
When it's required
Citizens Property Insurance, Florida's state-created insurer, requires a four-point inspection on homes more than 20 years old. It also wants roof documentation showing at least five years of remaining life on shingle-type roofs older than 25 years and on tile, metal and other hard roofs older than 50 years. Private insurers use their own age lines. Florida law also protects owners of newer roofs: under section 627.7011, an insurer can't refuse to write or renew a homeowners policy solely because of the age of a roof under 15 years old, and an older roof that an inspection shows has five or more years of life left gets the same protection.
How it can change your approval
The insurance premium is part of your monthly payment, so it counts in your debt-to-income ratio. Picture a $320,000 single-family home bought with FHA at 3.5% down, at a 5.75% rate on a 30-year fixed, with taxes at 0.95% a year. The buyer earns $5,500 a month, and FHA's automated approval allows a house payment up to 46.9% of income, $2,579.50.
| Payment piece | With a $283 policy | With a $395 policy |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest on $314,204 | $1,833.61 | $1,833.61 |
| Monthly mortgage insurance | $141.53 | $141.53 |
| Property taxes | $253.33 | $253.33 |
| Homeowners insurance | $283.00 | $395.00 |
| Total house payment | $2,511.47 | $2,623.47 |
| Share of $5,500 income | 45.66% | 47.70% |
The $112 difference in the insurance quote moves this buyer from inside the 46.9% limit to just over it. A new roof, an updated panel or replaced supply lines can bring a quote down, and a seller can often handle those items before closing. A co-borrower's income or a slightly lower price fixes the ratio too.
Order it early
Schedule the four-point during your inspection period, alongside the wind mitigation inspection, so you have a firm insurance quote before your loan goes to underwriting. Ask the seller for any recent four-point or roof report as well. Our cash to close guide shows how the first year's premium is paid as part of the money you bring to closing. For a payment built on the actual quote for the house you want, call AAA Capital Funding at 888-601-8344.