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.
When Michelle Shishilla of Honor Services in Florida received a complaint regarding mold behind wallpaper, she knew her inspection company wasn’t at fault. They had offered mold testing, and the client had refused it. Plus, a visual, non-invasive inspection can’t find mold behind wallpaper. “In our mind, we were covered six ways from Sunday. We…
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What damage can a drone cause when it collides with a person? According to an article by Popular Mechanics, the answer is that it depends. In an 18-month long study by the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), researchers flew drones into and dropped drones onto crash dummies and cadavers to…
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While inspecting the attic of a condominium, a home inspector noticed that the vent pipe from the stove was not connected. Stepping closer to photograph the defect, the inspector accidentally stepped on a plastic fire sprinkler line. The line broke, unleashing 150 pounds of water flow. The inspector immediately called the fire department to shut…
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Over a year after their inspection, one of our insured home inspectors received a letter from an attorney. The attorney alleged that the inspector was negligent in performing his clients’ home inspection and failed to identify multiple defects. The letter demanded that the inspector pay the cost of repairs to multiple areas of the property.…
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Recently, a real estate agent, representing a former mutual client, contacted Jon Bolton of The Inspectagator in Florida, claiming his team had “ruined” the client’s gutters. The agent sent a photograph of a dent in the gutters with a demand that the inspection company pay to install new ones. The inspector who surveyed the property…
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The following is a real home inspection insurance claim from our insurance claim archives. To protect the insured’s identity, all identifiable characteristics—including names, associations, and locations—have been omitted or removed. Eighteen months after their inspection, a home inspection client found a plumbing leak on their property. Almost a year later, another leak in a different…
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The following relates an inspection claim resolved with a dispute resolution provision. All identifiable characteristics removed for anonymity. “The inspection completed was not only deficient, but negligent. Specifically, the following items were present at the time of inspection and not reported: Major omission of gutters that do not collect water and force water down the…
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“I was a little bit skeptical of using [a pre-claims assistance program] at first because—with all insurance, not just home inspection [insurance]—I felt like it might come back to bite me,” Scott Frey of PRC-Home Inspections in Ohio told us in a recent interview. Frey isn’t alone. Many home inspectors have concerns about reporting incidents…
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The following is a real home inspection insurance claim from our insurance claim archives. To protect the insured’s identity, all identifiable characteristics—including names, associations, and locations—have been omitted or removed. “In March, I had a home inspection done by Ron Howard, who is insured by you. I moved into my home in May. In July,…
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Thanks to all who celebrated National Home Inspection Month with us by entering or voting for our third annual funny home inspection story contest. Inspectors have some hilarious moments in the field, and we’re glad to have the opportunity to share them. Our 2020 contest winners received $250, $100, and $50 in Amazon gift cards…
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Almost a year after performing the inspection in question, a home inspector received an attorney demand letter for $4,600. Through their lawyer, the inspector’s client argued that their home had “defective roofing which should have been detected in the home inspection.” The claimant wanted to be reimbursed for replacing their roof and repairing damage to…
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For the past two decades, home inspectors have been inspecting using thermal imaging. By examining the heat given off by various property systems and components, many inspectors have discovered roof leaks, electrical issues, structural defects, and insulation anomalies. However, thermal imaging isn’t commonplace. Due to the technology’s expense and imperfections, many inspectors have opted out…
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