ᐅ Electrical Installation by a Friend – Is an Inspection Mandatory for Insurance Purposes?
Created on: 2 Aug 2025 10:30
B
BoPaDi24
Hello everyone,
A good friend of mine is a certified electrician and works as an industrial electrician. Since we need a sub-distribution board in the garage, he offered that I could do the cable pulling and he would handle all the connections.
My only concern is whether this might cause problems with the insurance, as I would not have an invoice or documentation for the work done.
Would I then need to have the installation inspected and approved by another electrician afterward?
I can’t quite imagine that another electrician would take responsibility for that.
Best regards
A good friend of mine is a certified electrician and works as an industrial electrician. Since we need a sub-distribution board in the garage, he offered that I could do the cable pulling and he would handle all the connections.
My only concern is whether this might cause problems with the insurance, as I would not have an invoice or documentation for the work done.
Would I then need to have the installation inspected and approved by another electrician afterward?
I can’t quite imagine that another electrician would take responsibility for that.
Best regards
How is it currently?
Was the house purchased or is it a new build?
Which current inspection reports do you have on file with your insurance?
Has your insurer provided any information or requirements regarding an extension of your electrical system?
You are bringing in a friend who is a professional in the field. That is definitely very valuable. Of course, there are also YouTube electricians who, after having learned civil engineering 20 years ago, have over time gained their journeyman certificates as painter, bricklayer, plasterer, or structural engineer just by watching daily construction sites. With a couple more videos, they could gain the last expertise needed to become a certified master electrician.
So again, I’m not aware of any insurance company requiring inspection reports. If your friend installs the garage professionally and a fire occurs due to external causes, your insurance should still cover it.
If the fire is caused by this installation, it will likely be proven by a loss adjuster, but I don’t think that would automatically lead to your insurance denying your claim entirely.
As some have already stated: Was it accidental, negligent, or grossly negligent?
Regards, Timo
Was the house purchased or is it a new build?
Which current inspection reports do you have on file with your insurance?
Has your insurer provided any information or requirements regarding an extension of your electrical system?
You are bringing in a friend who is a professional in the field. That is definitely very valuable. Of course, there are also YouTube electricians who, after having learned civil engineering 20 years ago, have over time gained their journeyman certificates as painter, bricklayer, plasterer, or structural engineer just by watching daily construction sites. With a couple more videos, they could gain the last expertise needed to become a certified master electrician.
So again, I’m not aware of any insurance company requiring inspection reports. If your friend installs the garage professionally and a fire occurs due to external causes, your insurance should still cover it.
If the fire is caused by this installation, it will likely be proven by a loss adjuster, but I don’t think that would automatically lead to your insurance denying your claim entirely.
As some have already stated: Was it accidental, negligent, or grossly negligent?
Regards, Timo
W
wiltshire3 Aug 2025 09:01BoPaDi24 schrieb:
How is it handled where you are? We allow self-installed systems behind the meter and review them afterward. As long as the function is fulfilled, it doesn't matter whether someone uses an IBC container as an intermediate storage or installs a high-end professional solution. We take a pragmatic approach. Our water supply is organized through an association. Everyone who has a house connection is a member, and from among ourselves, we elect a board that volunteers to handle everything – the source, deep wells, elevated tanks, distribution network, meters, regulations, finances, and so on. With 320 connections, we are a small community, which helps maintain a good tone in communication.
As with insurance providers, there are differences between suppliers. Even though drinking water quality is monitored very closely, there is still some room for discretion in practice.
Mrnobody schrieb:
What is the current situation?
Was the house purchased or is it a new build?
Which current inspection reports has your insurance received?
Have they given you any instructions or requirements regarding an extension of your electrical system? The house is a new build – a prefabricated home. So far, the insurance hasn’t requested anything at all. I’m not aware of any inspection reports being created; at least we haven’t received any ourselves. Up until now, everything was handled by an electrical company hired by the general contractor.
I’m not worried that my acquaintance knowingly installed anything incorrectly and I know he is knowledgeable about what he is doing. Intentional wrongdoing is definitely out of the question. I was mainly interested in the legal situation so I understand what I’m getting into. But if he follows the VDE standards – which I assume he does – it doesn’t seem as critical as I thought. Thank you all for your assessment and reassurance.
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