Stephanie Jaynes
Marketing Director Stephanie Jaynes simplifies complex insurance and legal concepts to help home inspectors protect their livelihood and avoid unnecessary risk. Her articles have appeared in publications like the ASHI Reporter, CREIA Inspector Magazine, and the InspectorPro Blog. She’s been a guest on NACHI TV, Spectora Spotlight, The ASHI Online Learning Center, The Successful Home Inspector Podcast, Today’s Home Inspector, and the Home Inspection Authority Podcast. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts from Mills College with a major in creative writing and a minor in journalism. She has also earned her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys trying new recipes and taking walks with her husband and son.
Two home inspectors receive claims for unidentified water intrusion. Both are at fault. And yet, one home inspector pays $1,500 to resolve the issue while another pays $5,000. The difference between the two: their deductibles. As the example above shows us, it isn’t just the cost at renewal (your premium) that matters. You should also…
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You probably think you’re good at your job. And, by most standards, you’re probably right. You’re detail oriented and perform thorough inspections. Your reports are useful and demonstrate your technical expertise while communicating information in a way your clients can understand. You know your limitations and are truthful when you don’t know something. You recognize…
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General Liability vs Errors and Omissions Insurance: What They Are and Why Home Inspectors Need Both
It was a warm summer day and a family was gathered together for a party in the backyard of a newly purchased home. As the 15 of them posed for a group photo on the deck, the deck collapsed. Most of the people were injured–some severely. One woman was hospitalized for five days with multiple…
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Errors and Omissions Claims Examples: How professional liability insurance works for home inspectors
In the words of InspectorPro broker Aaron Menlove: “It happens all the time.” We get a phone call from someone who doesn’t carry insurance. While they were confident they didn’t need insurance before, they since had to face a claim on their own, and it didn’t go so well. Perhaps they weren’t sure how to…
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If pre-inspection agreements are your first line of defense, inspection photos are a close second. Capturing what was (and wasn’t) there on inspection day, photos are one of the primary stumbling blocks to meritless accusations. As home inspector insurance providers, we at InspectorPro believe you cannot take too many pictures. After all, the more photos…
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Over the past few decades, how home inspectors produce inspection reports has changed dramatically. In the late 70s, home inspectors were producing handwritten, 12-page custom checklists and narrative reports on carbonless copy paper with a Polaroid picture attached. In the 90s, inspectors were still using pre-printed checklists, but many had started producing their own templates…
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In the age of virtual home tours, it’s commonplace for home buyers to survey potential purchases through clicks and drags of their computer mouses. But even before the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying competitive housing market seen in the past few years, some home inspectors were utilizing 360 cameras to better serve customers and manage…
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When looking for new technologies to invest in to provide additional services to your clients, deciding between the many options can be tough. You may consider what’s popular in the industry. Amongst those insured by InspectorPro, radon inspections are the most popular ancillary service—so popular, in fact, that offering radon testing has become an expectation…
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While boots-on-the-roof inspections provide the best examination of roofing materials and integrity, they aren’t always possible. Not all roofs are safe to walk on. Some are too wet, icy, mossy, steep, or high. In other cases, the risk comes from external conditions, such as high winds, storms, or heat. Certain roofing materials, like metal or…
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Water is the archnemesis of homes and home inspectors. Able to spread pervasively and rapidly, water can cause a lot of damage quickly to virtually every inch of a property. So, whether your client has a leaky pipe or a flooded crawlspace, it’s in both of your best interests to identify water damage during your…
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Last year, with the help of Master Electrician Bruce Janczak, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel inspected 15 single- and two-family rental properties. All but one of the properties had fire hazards and code violations, including improperly installed or unsafe electrical service panels, no grounding or bonding of the electrical service, and improperly grounded or wired receptacles.…
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When it comes to home inspection equipment, few items are as essential as ladders. Needed for most roof inspections, ladders are an important tool. But when ladders come in so many materials, lengths, duties, and varieties, it can be tough to determine which is best for your business. What’s more, choosing a ladder is about…
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