Why inspections exist
Carriers price your policy off an application. The inspection verifies it: the roof's actual condition, the brush that grew since the aerial photo, the pool the listing didn't mention, the dog in the yard. Most inspections in California are exterior-only — an inspector photographs the home from the street and yard, sometimes with a drone or aerial imagery. Interior inspections show up on high-value placements and some older homes, checking systems, housekeeping, and finish quality that affects rebuild cost.
Our application wizard asks the same questions carriers verify — roof age and condition, wiring type, panels, pool fencing, housekeeping — precisely so nothing in the file gets contradicted by a photograph later. Honest applications don't fail inspections.
The checklist, exterior
| What they photograph | What they're deciding |
|---|---|
| Roof (surface, edges, flashing) | Condition and remaining life — the top flag statewide. Roof age → |
| Vegetation & clearance | Brush against structures, ladder fuels, defensible space. The checklist → |
| Walkways, steps, railings | Trip-and-fall liability — cracked hardscape and missing rails draw letters |
| Pool & yard features | Fencing, self-latching gates, diving boards, trampolines. Pools → |
| General upkeep | "Housekeeping" — debris, storage, deferred maintenance as a proxy for risk |
| Dogs | An unlisted dog photographed in the yard is a classic mismatch. Dogs → |
Interior inspections add: electrical panel make and amperage, visible plumbing, water heater strapping, smoke detectors, and the finish level that calibrates Coverage A.
Prep like it's an open house for one visitor
Before the window (you'll usually get notice, but prep at binding regardless): clear debris from the roof and gutters, cut back anything touching the structure, fix the obvious railing/step issues, photograph your own home the same day, and gather documentation for recent work — the permitted re-roof, the panel upgrade, the repipe. If the inspector's report later says something your photos contradict, dated photos win arguments. Hardening that also earns credits →
Answer once, correctly
Our wizard asks what the inspector checks — so there are no surprises.
Four minutes to a live indication, then a signed ACORD 80 built from answers that will survive the photos. No fee.
Get a pricing indication →When the letter comes anyway
A post-inspection letter usually asks for specific fixes on a stated timeline — trim the brush, repair the railing, replace the roof section — and coverage continues if you comply and document. Send photos of completed work before the deadline, through your broker, and keep copies. The bad outcome — post-bind cancellation — almost always traces to either an application mismatch (the pool nobody mentioned) or an ignored letter. Both are avoidable: answer honestly up front, and treat carrier mail like it's from the IRS. If a condition can't be fixed on their timeline, call us — deadlines can sometimes be negotiated, and if a carrier won't budge, a different market tier may fit the home as it stands.
Frequently asked
Do I have to be home for it?
Exterior inspections, no — they often happen without you noticing. Interior inspections are scheduled. Either way you're entitled to know the result; ask your broker for the report if anything comes of it.
Can an inspection raise my premium?
It can change the policy to match reality — a corrected roof age, an added pool. That's another reason the application should be right the first time: mid-term surprises price worse than accurate quotes.
My inspection flagged the roof but it's fine. Now what?
Get your own roofer's written assessment with photos, submit it through your broker, and ask for re-review. Carriers reverse on evidence more often than people expect. How carriers see each roof →