Selling a Florida house that cannot pass a 4-point inspection or get insured

Can you sell a house that failed a 4-point inspection in Florida?

Yes. Florida law does not require homeowners insurance, so a failed 4-point or a turned-down policy does not stop a sale. It does shrink the pool of buyers, because most buyers with a mortgage need a policy before the loan can close.

A 4-point inspection is a short report on four systems: the roof, the electrical system, the plumbing and the heating and cooling (HVAC). The Florida Department of Financial Services says insurers commonly require one to issue or renew a policy. It is not a full home inspection. It tells the insurer whether it will cover the house as it is.

If the report shows an old roof, a risky panel, polybutylene pipe or leaks, the insurer may say no, ask for repairs first, or charge more. None of that makes the sale illegal. It changes who can buy, because lenders usually require homeowners insurance. You still have to tell any buyer about known problems they can't easily see, such as a roof leak (Florida Senate staff analysis).

What does a 4-point inspection check, and what makes a house fail?

A Florida-licensed inspector records the age, type and condition of each system, with photos. Each insurer decides what it will accept. The table shows what Citizens, the state-created insurer, asks and requires.

Citizens wants the report done within the last year by a Florida-licensed inspector, such as a home inspector or a licensed contractor (Citizens FAQ). Private insurers set their own age cutoffs and rules.

Galvanized and cast iron pipe are on the form, but we found no Citizens rule that bars them outright. Older panels such as Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) or Zinsco get noticed because the form asks for the brand. We found no Florida law or Citizens rule that names a panel brand as of October 2026. The Consumer Product Safety Commission closed its review of Stab-Lok breakers in 1983 without finding proof of a serious risk. Private insurers can still set their own rules, so ask an agent before you re-pipe or swap a panel.

What is Florida's 15-year roof rule?

Since July 1, 2022, an insurer can't refuse to write or renew a homeowners policy only because the roof is under 15 years old. For an older roof, it must let you get an inspection first. If an authorized inspector finds 5 or more years of life left, it can't refuse on age alone.

• Where it came from. A May 2022 property insurance law (CS/SB 2-D, signed May 26, 2022) added the roof rules to Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5). They apply to policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.
• Who inspects. Someone the insurer approves, such as a licensed home inspector, roofing or general contractor, engineer or architect. You pay for it.
• How age is counted. From the last time 100% of the roof was built or replaced to code. A patch or partial job does not reset it.
• What it does not do. It covers age only. An insurer can still say no for other reasons, such as a leaking roof. It also does not apply to mobile home policies.
• Partial repairs. A second 2022 law (SB 4-D) helps roofs built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later. When 25% or more of such a roof is repaired, only the repaired part has to meet current code (Fla. Stat. 553.844(5)).

The 15-year rule is a floor, not a promise of coverage. Each insurer sets its own roof rules within the law. Before you replace a roof that an inspector says still has years left, ask your agent whether an inspection report would be enough.

Will a wind mitigation inspection or My Safe Florida Home help?

A wind mitigation report can lower the wind part of a premium, but it does not fix a failed 4-point. My Safe Florida Home grants are limited, and as of October 2026 the program says it has paused new inspection applications.

Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for features that reduce wind damage, such as strong roof-to-wall connections and storm protection on windows and doors (Fla. Stat. 627.0629). An inspector records them on the state's form OIR-B1-1802 (Florida OIR). If you have a recent report, give it to buyers. It helps them price their insurance.

My Safe Florida Home helps pay for upgrades like stronger roof-to-wall connections, a new roof covering and stronger windows and doors. Under Fla. Stat. 215.5586, the house must be your homestead, built before 2008 and insured for $700,000 or less. In 2026 the owner must also be low- or moderate-income. The state pays $2 for each $1 you put in, up to $10,000. A final inspection is required after the work, so the program suits owners who are staying.

Why does it matter whether the buyer has a loan?

A lender usually wants a homeowners policy before it funds the loan, so a financed buyer needs the house insurable by closing. A cash buyer has no lender to satisfy and can deal with repairs and insurance after closing.

• Buyer with a loan. If no insurer will cover the house as it is, the buyer must find coverage, ask you to fix it first, or cancel. The standard Florida Realtors and Florida Bar "AS IS" contract lets the buyer cancel for any reason during the inspection period. After that, repairs the lender requires are the buyer's job (paragraph 12(a)).
• Citizens as a backup. Citizens generally can't take a house if a private insurer offers similar coverage for no more than 20% above Citizens' price (Fla. Stat. 627.351(6)(c)5.). Citizens is also phasing in a flood insurance requirement. In 2026 it covers homes in high-risk flood zones and homes that cost $400,000 or more to rebuild. From January 1, 2027, it covers nearly all of its homeowner policies.
• Cash buyer. Florida law does not require homeowners insurance. A cash buyer can close on the house as it is and replace the roof, panel or pipes afterward. That is why houses that can't get insured often sell to cash buyers.

Why a credit often doesn't solve it. A lower price or a repair credit can work for a cash buyer. A buyer with a loan usually still needs a policy before closing, and the insurer judges the house as it stands that day.

Fix it, prove it, credit it or sell as-is: which option fits?

If one repair makes the house insurable, fixing it and listing often leaves you the most money. If it needs a roof, new pipes and a panel, or you don't have the cash or time, selling as-is may make more sense.

To compare what a cash sale would leave you with what listing might, use our cash offer vs. listing calculator. To see how a cash buyer gets to a number, read how we calculate our offer.

Where do you check roof permits in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco?

The 4-point form asks for the date of the last roofing permit, so your permit record is the place to start. Permits come from the city if the house is inside one, and from the county if it is not.

Sinkhole coverage. All three counties are on Citizens' list where a sinkhole inspection is needed before optional sinkhole coverage is added. The owner pays half the fee, and it is not refunded (Citizens).

How does Tao Home Buyers handle a house that can't get insured?

We buy houses as-is for cash in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco. A failed 4-point, an old roof or polybutylene pipe does not keep us from making an offer.

We are the end buyer: Tao Builders LLC buys in its own name and closes at a licensed title company. We do not assign or wholesale contracts. Earnest money goes to the title company the same day you sign (or the next business morning if you sign after hours). Our proof of funds is a letter from our lender.

We can close in as few as 10 days when the title is clear, and you pick the closing date. Our cash offer will usually be below what the house would sell for repaired, and the roof or pipes are part of the reason. If one repair would make it insurable, fixing it and listing may leave you more. Matan, the owner, has bought houses around Tampa Bay for 4 years and has personally bought more than 50. He is a licensed Florida real estate sales associate with Jay Alan Real Estate. He buys for his own company as a principal, not as anyone's agent.

Sources

Official sources we checked for this page. Rules change, so confirm anything important with the source or a Florida attorney.

1. Fla. Stat. 627.7011, roof age rules for homeowners policies (Florida Legislature)
2. Fla. Stat. 553.844, roof repairs under the Florida Building Code (Florida Legislature)
3. Fla. Stat. 627.351(6), Citizens eligibility and flood insurance rule (Florida Legislature)
4. Fla. Stat. 215.5586, My Safe Florida Home Program (Florida Senate)
5. CS/SB 2-D (2022), property insurance (Florida Senate)
6. Inspections: 4-point, roof and wind mitigation (Citizens Property Insurance)
7. When is a four-point inspection needed? (Citizens Property Insurance)
8. Will Citizens insure dwellings with polybutylene pipes? (Citizens Property Insurance)
9. 4-Point Inspection Form, Insp4pt 03 25 (Citizens Property Insurance)
10. Homeowners insurance and wind mitigation (Florida Office of Insurance Regulation)
11. Homeowners insurance (Florida Department of Financial Services)
12. My Safe Florida Home FAQ (Florida Department of Financial Services program)