How Often Do You Need a 4-Point Inspection in Florida?

There is no fixed statewide schedule. Citizens requires a 4-point on new-business applications for homes more than 20 years old, and most private carriers apply a similar age threshold. Here is how that actually plays out.

A 4-point inspection is not renewed on a fixed calendar; it is required at specific moments, mainly when you apply for a new policy on a home that has crossed the age threshold your insurer uses. Citizens Property Insurance, whose rules are public and widely used as a reference point by private carriers, requires one for "all property owner, dwelling and mobile home applications for properties more than 20 years old," per its inspections page.

When exactly is one triggered?

New-business applications on a home over the carrier's age threshold almost always trigger one. Renewals usually do not, unless underwriting flags a specific concern, such as a prior claim or a change in coverage. Some carriers set the threshold lower than 20 years, so it is worth asking your agent directly what your specific insurer requires rather than assuming the Citizens threshold applies everywhere.

How current does the report need to be?

There is no fixed statewide answer here. Citizens' own inspections page sets the age threshold for requiring a 4-point but does not publish a report-currency window. Insurers generally want a fairly recent report at the time of a new-business application, and the exact cutoff is set by each company rather than a single statewide rule. Ask your agent or carrier directly what their specific currency window is rather than assuming a fixed number applies. If your existing report is getting old, it may be simpler to book a fresh one than to argue over whether it will still be accepted.

Does a wind mitigation report expire on the same schedule?

No, and this trips people up. Your wind mitigation form stays valid for up to five years, far longer than the shorter, carrier-set currency window most insurers apply to a 4-point report. See the full comparison at wind mitigation vs. 4-point inspection. If you need both done at once, see what a 4-point inspection and wind mitigation inspection cost together.