{"id":3340,"date":"2015-07-19T16:55:16","date_gmt":"2015-07-19T22:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/?p=3340"},"modified":"2024-09-18T06:31:23","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T12:31:23","slug":"what-to-expect-from-a-maine-property-insurance-inspection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-from-a-maine-property-insurance-inspection\/","title":{"rendered":"Insurance Inspections in Maine : What to Expect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Insurance inspection is common in Maine. Home and investment property insurers&nbsp;routinely inspect properties that they protect. Because of more <a title=\"Blizzard of Claims for Winter Related Property Damage | Portland Press Herald\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2015\/03\/29\/blizzard-of-claims-for-winter-related-property-damage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">severe property insurance losses<\/a> in recent years, insurers have stepped up the rate of inspections.&nbsp;Inspections&nbsp;allow&nbsp;them&nbsp;to make sure that they insure properties that fit their guidelines and that those properties are adequately protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is an Insurance Inspection Mandatory? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Inspections are expensive for insurance companies, so they don&#8217;t perform&nbsp;them unless they feel it&#8217;s necessary. Often, one of these conditions can cause an underwriter to order an inspection on your property:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You bought a new property<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You switched insurance to a new company.<\/strong> The new company wants to make sure that your home or business meets their underwriting requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You had a recent property claim.<\/strong> The insurance company may want to make sure that you have repaired the damage following your claim. This is especially common after a water damage loss, to avoid mold developing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You own&nbsp;property&nbsp;that the insurance company hasn&#8217;t inspected in several years.<\/strong> Over time, DIY&nbsp;renovations; property improvements and additions; or lack of maintenance can create situations that can increase the probability or size of an insurance claim. The insurance company wants to make sure that your policy stays up to date in case they have to pay a claim.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/inspector.png\" title=\"insurance inspection\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3342\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/inspector-300x300.png\" alt=\"inspector\"><\/a>Can I Opt Out of an Insurance Inspection?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, no. Each insurance policy\u00a0has an &#8220;inspection clause&#8221;, which gives the insurance company the right to inspect your property with reasonable advance notice. If you refuse, it&#8217;s\u00a0a violation of the contract. The insurance company may cancel your policy as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does the Insurance Inspector Need to Get Inside my Home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two types of insurance home and business inspections: exterior only; and interior\/exterior. The company underwriter decides which report to order based upon the age and value of your property, your claim history, and other factors. Some inspectors are employees of the insurance company, but many are independent contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Does an Inspector Look For?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Insurance-Inspector-Should.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3355\" style=\"margin: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Insurance-Inspector-Should.png\" alt=\"Insurance Inspector Should\" width=\"300\" height=\"429\"><\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>During a routine inspection, the inspector looks for features of your home or investment property that can affect the probability or the severity of an insurance claim. Items they typically inspect include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Condition of \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>roof, <\/strong>including age of shingles, overhanging trees and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/can-an-insurance-company-make-me-remove-roof-moss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">accumulation of debris or vegetation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>plumbing<\/strong> fixtures, drains and supply lines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>electrical, <\/strong>including wiring, outlets and breaker boxes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>heating<\/strong> and similar systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>General property condition<\/strong>, paying particular notice to peeling&nbsp;paint; signs of rot; debris in the yard; and overhanging trees or vegetation close to the property. Because of an increase in deck collapse claims, insurers&nbsp;pay special&nbsp;attention to <a title=\"Inspect Your Deck: 5 inspection and Safety Tips \" href=\"http:\/\/www.propertycasualty360.com\/2015\/05\/13\/inspect-your-deck-5-inspection-and-safety-tips-for?page_all=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how your deck or porch is attached to the&nbsp;home<\/a>, and its overall&nbsp;condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Special hazards<\/strong> such as dogs; trampolines; &nbsp;swimming pools; or business operations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Condition of any <strong>outbuildings<\/strong> or other structures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dimensions<\/strong> of structures, so they can estimate the cost to rebuild them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Happens During an Insurance Inspection?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The inspector sends their report to the insurance company underwriter. If no deficiencies are noted, you will probably not hear from anyone.&nbsp;If the underwriter&nbsp;has concerns, they make&nbsp;&#8220;recommendations&#8221; to address them. For more information about insurance recommendations and how to deal with them, read &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/can-my-insurance-company-force-me-to-make-changes-to-my-property\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"Can My Insurance Company Force Me to Make Changes to My Property? | Noyes Hall &amp; Allen Insurance |South Portland Maine\">Can My Insurance Company Force Me to Make Changes to My Property<\/a>?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a question about&nbsp;Greater <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/maine-home-insurance.html\" title=\"Maine Property Insurance | Noyes Hall &amp; Allen | South Portland\">Portland Maine home or investment property insurance<\/a>, &nbsp;contact a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/meet-our-team.html\" title=\"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/maine-home-insurance.html\">Noyes Hall &amp; Allen agent in South Portland<\/a> at 207-799-5541. We offer you a choice of&nbsp;Maine&#8217;s property insurance companies. We&#8217;re independent and committed to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Insurance inspection is common in Maine. Home and investment property insurers&nbsp;routinely inspect properties that they protect. Because of more severe property insurance losses in recent years, insurers have stepped up the rate of inspections.&nbsp;Inspections&nbsp;allow&nbsp;them&nbsp;to make sure that they insure properties that fit their guidelines and that those properties are adequately protected. Is an Insurance Inspection [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,11,13],"tags":[32,44,64,52,7,62,63],"class_list":["post-3340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-liability-insurance","category-business-property-insurance-business-insurance","category-homeowners-insurance","tag-doing-business-in-maine","tag-home-buying","tag-insurance-agent","tag-insurance-market","tag-living-in-maine","tag-maine","tag-portland"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3340"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6809,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3340\/revisions\/6809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noyeshallallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}