Sometimes we need a closer look at your home to make sure we’ve got everything covered. Luckily, inspections are pretty simple. Let’s take a look at the who, what, and how to make sure you have the information you need.

Who needs an inspection?

You may be required to have an inspection for several reasons. For example, we may ask for an inspection if you:

• Live in a high-risk area.
• Own an older home.
• Need high coverage limits.

Not every Kin member has to have an inspection, but when we require one, we’ll send you an email with detailed instructions for how to do it. (We also send an email to let you know that you don’t need an inspection – so check your inbox and read carefully!)

What type of inspection might I need?

The inspections we might require are:

• Home self-inspection. Also called an eSurvey, a self-inspection is a convenient way to document the condition of your house without a visit from an inspector.
• Wildfire inspection. Homeowners in areas prone to wildfire may need to have a trained inspector document the current state of the property and recommend ways to harden the home against wildfires.

Depending on your situation, you may be asked for one or both types of inspections.

Note: We do not require home inspections in order to initially bind your policy. The inspections we request only occur after binding during the underwriting discovery period.

How do inspections work?

What happens during an inspection depends on the type of inspection you need.

Home self-inspection

First, you’ll receive an email from us letting you know that your home requires a self-inspection. Next, you’ll get an email and a text from our partner National Insurance Inspection Services (NIIS) with a link you’ll use to complete the self-inspection. These will arrive:

• Within a few hours of buying your policy if you’re insuring a home you already own.
• On your policy’s effective date if you’re insuring a new home.

Clicking the link takes you to the eSurvey, which will guide you through the process with multiple choice questions. You can expect the inspection process to take about 20 minutes. The questions may prompt you to take pictures of your home using a smartphone or tablet. The areas we typically need to see are:

• All four sides of your home’s exterior.
• HVAC furnace.
• Plumbing, including under sinks and shut-off valves.
• Electrical panel and water heater with the manufacturers’ labels.
• Pool (if you have one) with a fence and gate.
• Any sheds or outbuildings.

The images will be automatically uploaded to Kin. Your self-inspections must be completed within 7 days of the policy’s effective date for new home purchases and within 7 days of signing up for a policy if you currently live in your home. 

Tips for completing your self-inspection

• Take exterior photos in daylight.
• Take a clear photo of the manufacturer's label on the electrical panel and water heater.
• Don’t climb anything to get a photo of the roof! Stay on the ground and take a few steps back to make sure the roof is visible in your shot.
• Take blank pictures of parts of the property you can’t access or the photo that’s requested isn’t applicable.
• If you aren’t currently at the property, forward the inspection link to a trusted friend, family member, or tenant to complete.

Wildfire inspection

We also partner with NIIS to perform wildfire inspections. In this case, an inspector will need to come to your home to evaluate your property’s resilience to wildfire damage. The inspector will contact you if they need access to the interior of your home.

Please note: Denying the inspector access to your property may result in a policy cancellation.

• During a wildfire inspection, a trained inspector will likely assess your:
• Roof.
• Vents. 
• Siding.
• Gutters.
• Trees and vegetation. 
• Wood fences and decks.
• Stored firewood.

To do this, the inspector will take photos to document the current condition of your property. They will also provide an overview of your home’s structural risk and defensible space and make recommendations for mitigating your home’s wildfire risk.

The inspector will submit the report to the NIIS team, which then sends it to our underwriting team for review. If we require repairs, we’ll notify you via email.