Skip to content

  • Contact Us
  • Apply Now
InspectorPro Logo
  • Home
  • Coverage
    • Home Inspector Insurance Solutions
      • Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance for Home Inspectors
      • General Liability
      • Workers’ Compensation
    • Insurance Benefits
      • Pre-Claims Assistance
      • Pre-Inspection Agreements
      • Risk Management Discounts
  • FAQs
    • Col 1
      • FAQs
      • Application
      • Policy
        • Insurance Glossary
      • Claims
  • States
    • Col 1
      • Select your state to see your licensing requirements.
    • Col 1
      • Alabama Home Inspector Insurance
      • Alaska Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Arizona Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Arkansas Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • California Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Colorado Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Connecticut Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Delaware Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Florida Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Georgia Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Hawaii Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Idaho Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Illinois Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Indiana Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
    • Col 2
      • Iowa Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Kansas Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Kentucky Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Louisiana Home Inspector Insurance
      • Maine Home Inspector Insurance
      • Maryland Home Inspector Insurance
      • Massachusetts Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Michigan Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Minnesota Home Inspector Insurance
      • Mississippi Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Missouri Home Inspector Insurance
      • Montana Home Inspector Insurance
      • Nebraska Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Nevada Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
    • Col 3
      • New Hampshire Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • New Jersey Home Inspector Insurance
      • New Mexico Home Inspector Insurance
      • New York Home Inspector Insurance
      • North Carolina Home Inspector Insurance
      • North Dakota Home Inspector Insurance
      • Ohio Home Inspector Insurance
      • Oklahoma Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Oregon Home Inspector Insurance
      • Pennsylvania Home Inspector Insurance
      • Rhode Island Home Inspector Insurance
      • South Carolina Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
    • Col 4
      • South Dakota Home Inspector Insurance
      • Tennessee Home Inspector Insurance
      • Texas Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Utah Home Inspector Insurance
      • Vermont Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Virginia Home Inspector Insurance
      • Washington D.C. Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • Washington Home Inspector Insurance Requirements
      • West Virginia Home Inspector Insurance
      • Wisconsin Home Inspector Insurance
      • Wyoming Home Inspector Insurance
  • Blog
    • Col 1
      • Business
        Help making business decisions, like which inspection services to offer and what to charge per inspection, and how to manage your risk based on those decisions.
      • Case Studies
        Real incidents and claims from our archives, including what happened, how they resolved, and what you can learn.
      • Community
        Spotlights of innovative home inspectors nationwide, winning submissions from our contests, and announcements from InspectorPro.
      • Contracts & Reports
        How to safeguard inspection businesses against claims with pre-inspection agreements and inspection reports.
      • Insurance 101
        Coverage basics, like the difference between E&O and GL coverage or how tail coverage works, in terms any inspector can understand.
      • Safety
        From animal attacks to electrical hazards, how to keep safe from harm during home inspections.
      • Technology
        Help deciding whether you should add tools or equipment, like IR cameras or sewer scopes, to your arsenal and how to manage your risk if you do.
      • Top Claims
        Based on 10+ years of claims handling data, the most common allegations against home inspectors and how to avoid them.
  • About
    • Col 1
      • The Company
      • The Program
      • What Sets Us Apart
      • Our Team
      • Our Partners
        • American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)
        • California Real Estate Inspectors Association (CREIA)
        • Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI)
        • Georgia Association of Home Inspectors (GAHI)
        • International Society of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)
        • Kentucky Real Estate Inspectors (KREIA)
        • Maryland Association of Home Inspectors (MAHI)
        • Metropolitan Association of Home Inspectors (MAHI)
        • North Carolina Licensed Home Inspectors Association (NCLHIA)
        • Oregon Real Estate Inspectors Association (OREIA)
        • Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors (TAREI)
        • Texas Professional Real Estate Inspectors Association (TPREIA)
        • Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors (WAHI)
        • Worldwide Inspectors Network Group (WING)

FAQs

Application

Policy

Claims

What’s the difference between a claim and a pre-claim?

Here at InspectorPro, our policy defines a claim as a written demand for money. That demand doesn’t need to be a formal lawsuit; it could be as simple as a text or an email. While written or verbal demands for insurance information are not technically claims by the policy definition, state insurance department regulations require carriers to treat them as intent to make a claim. Therefore, demands for insurance information may not be eligible for pre-claims assistance. If there’s already been a demand for money or insurance information, your responsibility now is to report the claim to your insurance company.

On the other hand, a pre-claim is any complaint that doesn’t meet the definition of a claim yet. We recommend that you use our free pre-claims assistance program, which helps you respond to unhappy clients in a way that may prevent them from making any demands. Since beginning to offer the service in 2016, our team has stifled 85 percent of inspection client complaints before they could turn into claims.

You can learn more about the program in our article “Pre-Claims Assistance: The FAQs.”

When should I report a claim?

Here at InspectorPro, our policy defines a claim as a written demand for money. That demand doesn’t need to be a formal lawsuit; it could be as simple as a text or an email.

You must report claims promptly. Most of our policies say to report “as soon as practicable,” which is open to some interpretation. However, the notice can’t come any later than when your policy’s about to renew or, if it isn’t renewing, 60 days after it expires. (If you have an extended reporting period, you must report prior to the end of that period.) Failure to report a claim promptly may mean the carrier’s unable to provide coverage.

Additionally, claims reports need to be in writing. While calling your broker still might be appropriate, the claims team can’t really assist you until they’ve received written notice.

If there are delays in processing claims, they’re often due to improper reporting. Until the claims team has all the appropriate paperwork, it’s harder to investigate and defend against the allegation. As such, delays can waste valuable time and efforts.

To report a claim, complete our online form.

How do I report a claim?

Claims reports need to be in writing. While calling your broker still might be appropriate, the claims team can only assist you when they’ve received written notice.

To report a claim, complete our online form.

Tweet
Share
Share
Email
Print
footer-logo

InspectorPro Insurance
Citadel Insurance Services, LC
2600 West Executive Parkway, Suite 500
Lehi, UT 84043
866-916-9419

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm MST

Privacy Policy   Sitemap   Contact Us   Terms of Use

Newsletter

Join over 30,000 home inspectors who receive risk management tips twice a month from the InspectorPro newsletter.

Calendar

Want to meet a member of our team? Interested in learning more risk management tips firsthand?See below when we’re attending or hosting an event near you.

December 2022

FABI Winter Conference 2022
December 2-4, 2022
Orlando, FL   More

January 2023

IR Info Conference 2023
January 15–18, 2023
Rosen Plaza in Orlando, FL   More

Pillar to Post Conference in Puerto Rico
January 15-17, 2023
Caribe Hilton, San Juan, Puerto Rico   More

ASHI's 2023 InspectionWorld
January 29-February 1, 2023
Las Vegas, NV More

February 2023

AHIO Winter Conference 2023
February 24-26, 2023
Gulf Shores, AL  More

Copyright © 2023 Citadel Insurance Services, LC. DBA CM Strategies Insurance Services, LC in California. CA License #0F79372. All rights reserved.