home inspector

Join Joe Ferry at ASHI/MAHI Seminar in Levittown, NY

ASHI/MAHI Seminar Long IslandIf you are a frequent visitor of JoeFerry.com, you may already know about the upcoming ASHI/MAHI seminar on Long Island this February.

The video above details the benefits of attending this meeting full of valuable home inspector training. You can click within the video for registration information as well. I will be presenting the Law and Disorder Seminar on the workshop’s first day, and other valuable instruction will be provided on storm damage, crawl spaces and more.

Join me and a large contingent of your colleagues in Levittown, PA on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28.
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E&O Insurance Does NOT Paint a Target On Your Back

E&O Insurance No Target on BackMany home inspectors believe that if they tell a client and his/her lawyers that they don’t carry professional liability insurance, the claim will just disappear.

However, there are no shortage of clients making meritless claims. I see them every day. Would no insurance from which to collect on a judgment make the claim just go away? If claimants aren’t deterred by no rational basis for their case, how likely is it that they will stop in their tracks when they realize you don’t have insurance?
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Only 1% of All Home Inspection Claims Have Merit

Only 1% of Home Inspection Claims Have MeritA home inspector who serves on his state’s licensing board told me that 6% of the licensed inspectors in that state had claims brought against them and that 90% (yes, 90%) of those claims had merit.

Those numbers were completely at odds with my experience where less than 1% of home inspection claims have merit, so it made me wonder if the insurers on those claims were doing any investigation whatsoever or perhaps they just don’t know what constitutes a meritorious claim.

Let me tell them (and you) in this week’s ClaimsAcademy video blog. This is a valuable piece of home inspector training.
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Returning Your Faith in the Legal System

Returning Home Inspector's Faith in Legal SystemMany home inspectors have little faith in the legal system, and as an attorney in this professional space, I can see why. They believe (nearly 100% of the time rightfully so) that they are being wrongfully sued, poorly defended and thrown under the bus to the tune of an expensive deductible and a professional black mark.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Attorneys actually appreciate being told that their recently-sent demand letter is hogwash (that’s a legal term) and that the claim has no legal standing for a litany of reasons. Instead of getting a check back in the mail, when a claimant’s attorney hears from me, he or she knows that pursuing the claim wouldn’t be beneficial to their client, and in turn their OWN professional reputation.

How can I return your faith in the legal system? Watch this week’s video blog for more details on an approach that makes the legal system work like it should.
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Insurance Companies Want Home Inspection Claims to Live

Insurance Companies Want Home Inspection Claim to LiveHome inspectors are EASY targets. It’s a sad fact that many home inspectors are victims of meritless claims while receiving little assistance of those they thought could be counted on: their insurance company.

Many home inspectors are SHOCKED that their insurance company would settle a meritless claim or offer up their deductible to the complaining client. These inspectors also work with attorneys who rack up legal fees before settling the claim for nuisance value.

Why is this the case? I talk about working with professionals who align with your values and beliefs in this week’s video blog.
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New Negotiation Rules for Home Inspectors!

New Negotiation Rules for Home InspectorsCan anyone alter a contract even if they aren’t the company that drew it up? Absolutely.

What if a client and/or his attorney wants to remove the arbitration clause or statute of limitation clause from your home inspector pre-inspection agreement? Is this worthwhile to you and can you use the omission of these clauses to your advantage?

Joe Ferry answers these pressing questions in this week’s ClaimsAcademy video blog below. (more…)

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Brand X Home Inspector Insurance Companies Hazardous to Your Wealth

Tip 7 - Brand X Insurance Companies If you’ve seen any effective product-based television advertising, you know all about Brand X, the competing product that left ring around the collar, caused soapy buildup and dry lifeless hair.

In the real-world home inspection industry, Brand X Insurance companies are the ones that can cost you a small fortune. Why? As I discussed in another ClaimsAcademy report, most home inspection insurance companies have the highest instincts of self-preservation and are at all times trying to settle a claim on their most favorable terms, not yours.
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3 Ways a Home Inspector Can Eliminate Anxiety and Sleepless Nights

Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Sleepless NightsAs a professional home inspector who cares about your craft, the anxiety center in your brain likely never turns off. It causes you to sit up or pace the halls at 2 a.m. unable to sleep and left wondering if you missed a leaky pipe or something else critical during a home inspection the preceding day.

A client, who is all too interested in whether you are insured, is likely to trigger this anxiety center. And this client isn’t an anomaly, but rather the type A client you see and hear from time and time again.

How can you reduce this anxiety and work without worry? Follow a few simple cardinal rules I outline in this week’s ClaimsAcademy video blog.

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E&O Insurance Is Even For The Mistake-Proof Home Inspector

E&O Insurance for the Mistake-ProofHome inspectors often ask me, “Should I have professional liability insurance?”

Conceptually speaking, anyone who offers professional services for a fee has potential liability exposure of unknown magnitude. The genius of insurance, however, is that it converts an uncertain, potentially devastating loss into a known, small cost for which you can budget.

With that said, many inspectors still inquire about E&O insurance’s relevancy and necessity in the profession. I detail the pros of having E&O insurance as part of your liability protection in this week’s video blog.
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