home inspection reports – Why do I need one?

Pre-purchase home inspection reports are very important to determine if there is existing damage to the property you are interested in buying.  It gives the seller of the property an opportunity to repair what is broken and certainly gives you the opportunity of not purchasing the property.  It is also a good tool when you have an insurance claim.  Why?  Because it shows the condition of the property before the property was owned by you.
 
As we approach the statutory deadline to file a Hurricane Irma insurance claim, we are getting an increase in calls from homeowners telling us that someone has knocked on their door telling them they can get them a new roof and handle their entire claim.  My first questions is “who knocked on your door?”  After talking to some of these homeowners, I realized that these door knockers are NOT licensed insurance professionals and they are soliciting for roofing companies and contractors.
 
We always ask a lot of questions because information gathering is key and very important with any insurance claim. One homeowner told me that she was not the original property owner and purchased the property about 7 years ago.  I requested a copy of the pre-purchase inspection report and we set out to inspect her roof.  Unfortunate for her, the damage to her roof was pre-existing and the same exact damage was in the inspection report when she purchased the home.  She was shocked and had no idea when I told her.  I cannot stress how important it is to read these reports.  As a property owner, it is your responsibility to know the condition of the home you are buying.
 
What this unsuspecting homeowner didn’t know is that this unlicensed activity by door knockers and the people they work for is not only a 3rd degree felony, but also insurance fraud if she were to have signed a contract for them to represent her with an insurance claim.  This leads to a rise in our insurance premiums when these individuals make false reports on your property. Please report any unlicensed activity here. 
 
Reliant Insurance Adjusters provides Pre-Loss Property Inspections and drone services. If you do not have a pre-purchase home inspection report, or you have owned your home for more than 10 years, you need to have one.  This report will certainly come in handy if you ever have an insurance claim, so you can show that the damage you are claiming is not pre-existing.  We have different packages to accommodate homeowners, condominium owners and building owners.  For more information, contact us here or call 561-288-6434.