My favorite call is the one that begins with, "Do you have E&O insurance and can you provide me with a copy?"

My initial response is unerringly, "Why, do you plan to sue me?"

I then take the time to explain to them that my E&O insurance is not intended to protect them, but rather to supply me with legal defense, "free of charge", in the event that they should sue me. They, of course will need to pay for their own attorney. Most people have no idea. They're just reading stuff from a list some bright bulb supplied for them.

I then spend a little time discussing all of the important attributes one might want to find in an inspector. You know, like experience, credentials, those sort of meaningless things.

Should they persist in their pursuit of a copy of the policy, I simply tell them that these are sensitive in-house company documents, much like their own bank statements. We simply do not distribute such information to anyone but our accountant and attorney.

You may also want to ask them if they have a copy of their real estate agent's E&O policy. They may even want a P&L statement from their broker, just to be on the safe side . . .

In Texas, since the law now (supposedly) states that E&O is required, simply tell them that you could not possibly have a license without it. So then your license is your proof of insurance. After all, it's the law.

Aaron