The Value to Homeowners of an Insurance Inspection

The Value to Homeowners of an Insurance Inspection
While our main focus in doing home insurance inspections is meant for the benefit of insurance underwriters with whom we’ve partnered, homeowners can also reap valuable benefit from a properly conducted inspection. It’s not uncommon for a homeowner to feel somewhat uneasy about having an insurance inspector coming in to evaluate the condition of their home. This is especially true when they realize that what’s uncovered can impact their insurance premium costs.
If an inspection is conducted properly, however, with a stated purpose of helping the insured understand any potential hazards and/or liabilities existing in the home, the expectation may change. Insurance customers can be made aware that a thorough home inspection is as much to their benefit as it is to the insurer. For the insurer, the inspection’s purpose is to produce data that will aid in a fair and accurate underwriting process. For the insured, this information can be used to help lessen homeowner’s risks, potential hazards and liabilities.

Make the Homeowner Your Risk Manager
When the homeowners whose policies you write become aware of the risks and liabilities they face, two things happen. They learn what actions they can take to manage and control potential losses, thereby working to protect their own valuable assets. These actions should also be instrumental in protecting you, their insurer, and your bottom line.

If, for example, the evaluation of the home finds that smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors are inoperable or lacking, this hazard can be pointed out and remedied. This will help your client protect his home and family while it also helps protect your insurance company from the risk of a large client claim.

If the home being inspected has obvious liability hazards such as a trampoline, a swimming pool or a treehouse, these risks can be discussed with the insured, along with proper safeguards to minimize potential liabilities they represent.

The Benefits of Homeowners Actively Managing Risk
Becoming aware of the various risks that a homeowner faces, which should be pointed out during a thorough home insurance inspection, should help reduce the number of potential claims they make. This is a win-win, good for them and good for your insurance company’s profitability also.

Finding fire or building code violations before an actual loss occurs not only saves property and personal possessions your client values, but may also avert a potential loss or liability claim. Here are some benefits of active homeowner risk management:

  • Protecting home and property
  • Protection for people from potential harm
  • Safeguarding of personal possessions
  • Reduction of potential liabilities
  • Active preparation for possible untoward events
  • Protection of the environment
  • A clear understanding of ongoing insurance needs

Help Your Clients Feel Safer and More Secure
When you have a home insurance inspection done, it’s accomplished for the purposes of helping your underwriters get a clear idea of the property and the homeowner family they’ll be evaluating. The secondary benefit of providing valuable guidance and information to the insured, however, cannot be overstated. Having a strategic partner like Insurance Risk Services to represent your caring attitude to your clients will go a long way toward generating customer loyalty to your company, which can only help your business efforts.

With more than 35 years of providing insurance inspection excellence for carriers nationwide, we stand ready to offer our proven risk reducing inspection services to you as well. We will help you make more informed underwriting decisions. Contact our team today to find out just what we can do for you.