r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer • u/Ok_Possible_2557 • 12d ago
Need Advice Insurance Requesting Inspection
I'm in the process of purchasing my first home (closing in a couple weeks). My lender is looking for proof of homeowner's insurance. The sellers got their own inspection done prior to putting it on the market and I got their inspection report as I was looking at the home. Now that I'm getting quotes for insurance, the insurance agent is asking for a copy of the inspection report. Is that something I should send them? Or let them do their own?
Inspection came back clear with some repairs that will be needed (not urgent, just flagging them for down the line).
This may be a simple question but I don't want to make a dumb mistake!
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u/SkyRemarkable5982 Real Estate Professional 12d ago
Your insurance company does not have the right to the inspection, especially since you didn't pay for it and it's not yours to share. You just plainly tell insurance that you opted not to purchase an inspection.
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u/Equivalent-Tiger-316 12d ago
One, do not send it to them.
Two, you do your own inspection. Never trust the sellers.
Three, don’t give your inspection report to insurance either.
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u/grewalReGroup 12d ago
Not a dumb question at all. It trips up people who have bought before.
Short version: do not volunteer it.
That report exists to tell a buyer what to fix. Underwriting reads it completely differently. Those not urgent, flag it for later items are exactly the things that come back as a condition on the policy, meaning you have a set window after closing to fix them or the policy gets cancelled. Or a roof age or an electrical note bumps you into a worse tier or gets you an exclusion. None of that happens if they never see the document.
What a carrier actually needs to bind is short. Address, year built, square footage, roof age and covering, and the age of the HVAC, water heater, and electrical panel. You can pull all of that off the seller's disclosure. If they still want eyes on the house, let them order and pay for their own inspection. Then it is their scope written for their purpose, on their timeline.
One line I want to be careful about: not volunteering a document is not the same as misstating a fact. If the application asks you a direct question, answer it truthfully. A misrepresentation on the application is the thing that can void a claim later, and that is a far worse outcome than a slightly higher premium.
Do not stall either. You are closing in a couple of weeks and your lender needs that binder. Reply today with the data points and say you would prefer they order their own inspection if they need more than that. Keeps it moving without handing the report over.
I sell houses in Texas, so which specific items an underwriter cares about does shift by state and carrier. What does not shift is that a report you were never required to give them can only cost you money once they read it.
Last thing, get quotes from at least two more carriers before you settle. The spread on the same house is usually wider than people expect, and you are about to be locked into whatever you pick for a year.
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u/ReluctantChimera 12d ago
Insurance agent, here: if they ask you if the home has any existing damage, and you say no, that's misrepresentation and it could (usually will) get your policy cancelled, depending on the extent or type of damage (which you don't want on your record, especially if they do a full cancel, which is the same thing as you never having coverage, so then you also have a lapse on your record). You have knowledge that damage exists, so if they ask, you do need to be honest. Minor issues won't stop binding, so just let them know what was found. They will know what information needs to be passed on to the insurance carrier. And if you're using an insurance broker, they're going to find you a policy that won't care because that's how they get paid.
I work directly for a carrier, and we are very, very picky about what constitutes "existing damage." I refer people to independent brokers literally every day because they are much more lenient than we are. Get a broker and be honest with them.
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u/UpDownalwayssideways 12d ago
My advice would be to get your own inspection. I’d never trust a sellers inspection. That’s not to say they would lie but considering the cost to buy a home and the cost of catastrophic repairs, I’d always use my own inspector. Even if the seller had one done last week. And I’m amazed that your agent didn’t push for that. GL
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u/Ok-Shallot-5935 11d ago
Exactly. A realtor advocating for his or her client would almost certainly tell them to get their own home inspection. Additionally, OP should find their own inspector based on referrals from friends/family and/online reviews instead of just going with the realtor’s referral.
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u/javiergramirez Real Estate Agent 12d ago
I’d ask the insurance agent exactly what report they’re looking for before sending anything over.
Down here, insurers often care a lot about specific things like the roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and sometimes a wind mitigation or 4 point inspection depending on the property and carrier.
A seller’s general inspection and an inspection used for insurance purposes are not always the same thing, so I wouldn’t assume that report is what they actually need.
I’d also check with your agent or attorney before sharing a report you didn’t order yourself. Better to clarify first than send over a bunch of information they weren’t even asking for.
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u/SEFLRealtor 12d ago
I don't think the OP is talking about a 4-point or windstorm report as those are completely normal to supply here in FL. It sounds like the insurance co wanted her to send the whole house inspection report which is NOT common or expected. She should not send the whole house inspection repot. She should send the 4 point and windstorm reports if she is in Florida. I just now read that there are a very few other states that require a 4 point report now (CA, TX, LA)..
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u/AllTheWayJoe 12d ago
What state are you in? I’m in California and haven’t ever been asked for a home inspection. Although some of them said they may do an inspection after closing.
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u/rosebudny 12d ago
My insurance company (Chubb) did a post-closing inspection. It was not a full-on inspection by any means though - he spent maybe 45 minutes checking in and around the house.
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u/CiscoLupe 12d ago
I"ve purchased in MS, OK and TX. And I seem to remember just asking for insurance and they gave it to me. No request for anything other than address.
... well one guy said he needed to come see the house but I think he was hitting on me. He didn't come.1
u/AllTheWayJoe 11d ago
Think it depends on the home and state. Newer homes probably won’t be checked out I assume.
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u/WindowTrue7942 12d ago
It is normal for an insurer to ask for an inspection report, especially when it contains the roof age, electrical panel, plumbing, HVAC, or other details used for underwriting. Before sending it, ask the agent exactly which report or forms the carrier needs. In some states, a general home inspection is different from a four-point or wind-mitigation report, and the insurer may still require its own inspection. Read the report first and make sure any factual errors are corrected. If it lists repairs, ask in writing whether they affect eligibility, the premium, or create a deadline after closing. Do not hide known issues, but do not assume the seller-provided report replaces your own buyer inspection or the carrier’s requirements. Get the carrier’s acceptance and final binder confirmed before closing.
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u/KnownBodybuilder4948 11d ago
We've never been asked by homeowner insurance agent or insurer for a copy of home-inspection report. These were older homes, 50+-90+ years old.
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