Concerned about home inspection required for homeowner's insurance

 I'm in Florida. My homeowner's provider - Metlife - is non-renewing my
policy, apparently pulling out of the state after the 2004 hurricanes.

I just signed up with a policy through an independent agency with a
company called Security First. After first being advised it won't
require what they're calling a four-point inspection, now they're
saying it will. That's an issue unto itself but...

There are some issues with the interior of the house - I've got some
of the tile pulled away in a shower stall that had some water seepage,
one wall in master bed with the sheet rock removed where I repaired
some carpenter ant damage. Also some holes in the sheet rock in the
garage - one where I knocked it away to determine where a leak was
coming from. Turned out it was just the hot water tank, also a couple
of other spots where I cut out a section of sheet rock to inspect for
other carpenter ant damage.

Could this be an issue? Should I scramble to patch these things up
before the inspection or is it not a concern? Otherwise the house is
in decent shape. Just had a new roof (shingles and paper) put on after
the hurricanes.

What I'm also concerned with is this turning into some kind of
extortion/scam - where they "find" problems that they claim need
fixing and oh, they just happen to know someone who will do the work,
knowing I have to have a thumbs up to get insurance coverage.

Any thoughts, experience with this kind of thing?  My recent
experiences with insurance agencies being less than forthright about
some things haven't served to raise my opinion of the industry.

 
I would make it look like all three things are in the process of being
fixed. This may sound funny, but put out objects which would convince your
wife that you really were working on this stuff while she was grocery
shopping, when in fact you were watching TV. Tools, rulers, pieces of
sheetrock, you know what I mean. If the inspector has any issues, you have
leverage. Tell the insurance agent you're going somewhere else with your
MONEY.

 

Certainly can't hurt to fix them. Every house has problems and you can find
some fault.  Garage or not, there is not much excuse to have holes in the
wall long term. If the inspector is a pro and realistic, he is not going to
bounce you for making normal maintenance type repairs.  Fixing hoes in the
bedroom keeps the wife happy also.

 

   Didn't seem to work for Gov. Spitzer.

Kurt (The Fates will get for that one....)

 exact same thing happened to a couple different friends a few years
ago in pittsburgh, both of which had a homeowners company who went out
of business, new company sent inspectors.

the one couple needed a new roof, new front porch deck boards rotted,
cracked sidewalks needed replaced, home had K&T (knob and tube
wiring), plus some other minor issues. They didnt have money
to fix all this :( their homeowners insurance was cancelled. They were
unable to find another company K&T was a deal breaker. with no
homeowners the mortage company got them forced place insurance, it
covered JUST the structure and cost 8 times what their previous
insurance did that covered everything. made paying mortage tough.
about 6 months later it sucked, they had a home fire after a cat
knocked over a lamp. the structure loss was over 135 grand, they had
NO coverage for living expenses, homes contents etc. They HAD to pay a
mortage on a un livable home and the insurance company was terrible to
deal with. They lived with us for 7 months and didnt get back in the
home for almost 2 years.

our other friend also had K&T had to get a complete home rewire,
including service entrance cause he had fuses, they wouldnt insure
homes with fuses any more, railing on his front steps, sidewalk
repairs, new roof on a porch and some minor clean up. they even
harassed him cause he had some building materials stored under a
porch, stating it was a fire hazard. he had all the work done, he
didnt have a mortage but wanted insurance, it cost him a big chunk of
his retirement about 15 grand. sadly he died of a heart attack a few
months later

neither home was in a bad neighborhood, but both were older homes. it
wasnt redlining, the company going out of business effected homes all
over the pittsburgh area and was a featured news story.

I wish you well it can be a terrible time.

posters here have repeatedly denied this sort of thing goes on, you
verify what i have been posting for years. please let us know how it
goes.

basically insurance companies only want good risks, who are unlikely
to have a claim.