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Earlier this year, one of our insured home inspectors sent his radon monitor in for calibration. When the servicing was complete, the manufacturer shipped the monitor back to the home inspector. But, when the inspector returned home, the radon monitor was nowhere to be found. The inspector put in a claim with the radon monitor…
Read MoreFour months after his inspection of an older home, a home inspector received a letter in the mail from his former clients, who, due to concerns about the age of their newly purchased and first home, had a licensed electrician assess the property’s wiring after the initial home inspection. According to the electrician, there were…
Read MoreThe following is a real home inspector case study from our insurance claim archives. In order to protect the insured’s identity, all identifiable characteristics—including names, associations, and locations—have been omitted or removed. “You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who…
Read MoreSeveral months ago, we were reviewing a home inspector’s workers’ compensation policy. Unbeknownst to that home inspector, their insurance carrier wasn’t familiar with the property inspection industry. Despite their lack of experience in the inspection space, the carrier didn’t want to turn the home inspector away. Instead, the insurance company categorized (or grouped) the home…
Read MoreDuring a routine home inspection, one of our inspectors performed a visual inspection of the property’s furnace. In his report, he noted signs of condensation and a lack of proper maintenance. However, the furnace was functioning properly. A few days after the inspection, the inspector’s client—an attorney—claimed that the furnace had stopped working. As a…
Read MoreLet’s face it: Insurance companies have a bad reputation. Most people don’t trust insurance carriers (let alone like them). And, while many people learn this distrust from others, some learn it from bad experiences with the insurance companies themselves. With a culture of skepticism surrounding insurers, it isn’t surprising why home inspectors don’t want to…
Read MoreFrom our decade of claims data, we know that the majority of home inspectors receive at least one claim in their career. And, when they do, it never feels great—particularly when that claim is meritless as about 80 percent of home inspection claims are. In his recent article, home inspector Randy Sipe described the feeling…
Read MoreWhile renovating the deck of their recently purchased home, some home inspection clients discovered wood rot plaguing their back deck. As contractors removed the old granite countertops (presumably for an outdoor kitchen) to replace them, the deck broke, revealing the deteriorated main beams and support stringers. Rather than continue with their deck expansion, the new…
Read MoreThe following is a real home inspector general liability pre-claim from our archives. The inspector has given us permission to reveal his identity and to use direct quotes from our post-pre-claim interview. Pre-claims assistance is exactly what it sounds like: It’s free help responding to unhappy clients in a way that may prevent said clients from…
Read MoreThis past October, home inspector Randy Sipe approached us, his insurance provider, to ask if he could write an article for our readers. After nearly 20 years of inspecting claims-free, Sipe had received a meritless allegation. Sipe wanted to share his firsthand experience with a frivolous lawsuit to encourage his peers—particularly those who believe they’re…
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