What to Do After Home Inspecting

How insurance risk inspections can be a next step in your career

December 1, 2023

As Norm Richert got older, he knew it would become more challenging to climb on roofs and get into crawl spaces. Now 70 years old, the retired ACI is working comfortably from his home office, still absorbed by what he loves. He said insurance risk inspections are one way inspectors may prolong their inspection careers.

“I am still reviewing photos and providing risk inspection services from my office,” he said. “The older inspector has a lot of inspection knowledge and could be a great asset to insurance companies while still providing an income as they get older.”

Richert’s career began with claims insurance adjusting before he became an ASHI Certified Inspector. “Home inspection training prepared me well for doing insurance risk inspections,” he said.
 He looks back and laughs now, saying the ASHI exam was the hardest test he took in his life.

My Image

For years Richert worked as an ACI while also doing insurance adjusting. Today he focuses on insurance risk inspections as part of Central Consulting, which he founded. “I had some clients who were experiencing numerous losses on things that shouldn’t have been covered, such as roofs that were worn out. I was talking with them about how they could eliminate some of these properties and save some money. We developed the risk inspection program,” he said.

He hires local people to take photos on renewal risk inspections. On new business inspections that person photographs, measures, and diagrams the insured risk.

The work keeps him as busy as he wants to be, Richert said. He’s working from his home office in Missouri, about 30 miles west of Columbia, on a Thursday morning, and before noon he’s already completed a couple of inspections. He’s looking at photos of a roof that’s more than 20 years old, giving his expertise with regard to insuring the property. “It was improperly nailed to start with, and shingles are starting to come off of it, so I’d recommend the insurance company exclude the roof coverage. They will probably save between $15 and $20,000 on that recommendation.”

The Work

Insurance risk inspections are usually exterior only inspections. Richert’s work typically focuses on four categories—roofs, including chimneys, flues, ventilation, and flashings; exteriors, including the condition of sidings, doors, windows, and foundations; liability concerns, including condition of decks, porches, railings, handrails, aggressive animals on premises, swimming pools not properly fenced, and the like; and general comments, including the overall condition of the risk, isolated risk if not visible by at least three other properties, and insurance amount.

“We look at all possibilities of something happening that would cause a loss for the insured and the insurance company. Working insurance claims I have seen a lot of things that have been prevented by doing risk inspections.”

People keep asking me how long I’m going to do this. As long as I’m having fun, I’m going to do it.

Richert does two types of risk inspections—one is for renewals, which are done five to six months in advance. The others are new business inspections, which require diagrams and evaluations of the property. “We usually have 60 days to get those inspections done and back to the company so they can make a decision on whether to keep the business or cancel the policy.”

The Tools

One of the tools used is a 30-foot fiberglass extension pole with a 360-Ricoh camera (he estimates it costs about $700) attached to take roof photos so the person taking photos doesn’t have to climb on the roof. A digital camera is used for exterior photos.

For the most part he’s able to review photos taken by people out in the field. “I review the photos and create a report on renewal business inspections,” he said. “On new business inspections, I create a report and draw a diagram showing the size of the building and any pertinent structures to it—garages, porches, decks. Then I create a property valuation for the client to help them determine the correct amount of insurance coverage.” He uses Microsoft Word to do his reports.

Making the Move

Richert said any home inspectors considering a move to risk inspections should do some research about the field and demand in their area. Some insurance agents hire people to photograph and measure buildings. And some nationwide risk inspection companies do hire risk inspectors, he said.

He thinks almost any home inspector could transition into doing this work. “They’ve got the basic knowledge of the structure and building components,” he said, adding that there’s just a bit of a learning curve around insurance terminologies.

For Richert, it’s the greatest part-time job he said he’s ever had.

“It gives me something to do. Some days I work a full day. Other days I may not do anything, but inspections have been good to me for all these years. I’ve learned a lot from a lot of good people, and if I can help somebody else, I’d be happy to do so,” he said.

Opinions or statements of authors are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of ASHI, its agents, or editors. Always check with your local governmental agency and independently verify for accuracy, completeness, and reliability.


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