Home Inspector Insurance in Washington State

Home inspection is a profession where your entire business model depends on identifying problems — and every problem you miss is a potential lawsuit. In Washington, where buyers rely heavily on inspection reports to make the largest purchase of their lives, the liability exposure is severe. A buyer who closes on a $750,000 Seattle home and discovers six months later that the foundation has major cracking, the sewer line is collapsed, or the roof was failing will almost certainly file a claim. Damages sought routinely exceed $50,000 and can reach hundreds of thousands for major structural or environmental defects.

Washington requires home inspectors to be licensed under RCW 18.280, and the standards of practice established by the Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board define what you must inspect and how you must report findings. These standards simultaneously protect and expose you: they provide a clear framework for competent inspections, but they also give plaintiff attorneys a checklist to argue you fell below the standard of care. Items commonly at the center of E&O claims include roof condition, foundation cracks, water intrusion, electrical panel defects, HVAC failures, and plumbing issues including sewer scope findings. Washington's wet climate makes moisture-related claims especially common — wood rot, mold, and water intrusion through improperly flashed windows are regular sources of litigation.

The scope-of-inspection question drives a significant portion of claims. Buyers often believe the inspection covers everything, but the standards of practice define specific limitations — you are not required to move furniture, dig up buried components, or inspect inaccessible areas. Yet when a buyer discovers a defect behind a wall or under an obstructed crawl space, they may still file a claim. Sewer scope inspections have become a particular flashpoint — some inspectors offer them as an add-on, others do not, and the decision about whether to recommend a sewer scope can itself become the basis for a claim if a line later fails.

General liability protects against bodily injury and property damage during the inspection itself — climbing on roofs, accessing crawl spaces, testing electrical systems, and running appliances all carry risk. A fall through a weak attic floor or damage to a fixture during testing generates GL claims. Commercial auto coverage is necessary because you drive to inspections daily carrying ladders and testing equipment. For Washington home inspectors, E&O is not optional — it is the foundation of your ability to operate.