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Washington bonds

Washington — Structural Pest Inspector Bond

WSDA accepts two surety-based routes for complete wood-destroying-organism inspections: a $25,000 bond, or a $12,500 bond together with $25,000 of the specified E&O insurance. The Southern Agency’s listing helps you prepare for the chosen route. The smaller bond is not a stand-alone substitute for the larger one.

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Recorded state
Washington
Bond type
Professional / Occupational License Bond
Category
Professional & occupational licenses

What this bond does

The current State form secures legal damages resulting from the inspection company’s structural pest inspectors. It runs to the State of Washington and requires payment of judgments or liabilities to people suffering legal damages from the principal’s operations while the bond is effective.

Who needs it
The licensed structural pest inspection company arranging financial coverage for complete inspections, such as a home-purchase WDO report. The inspector also needs the appropriate endorsement. Match the company and principal fields to the actual WSDA licence instead of treating an unrelated personal or pesticide-applicator credential as sufficient.
Who it protects
A claimant with legal damages from the inspector’s actions may sue on the bond under RCW 15.58.465, naming the surety. The suit must begin within two years of the inspection in the specified county court. Aggregate surety liability is limited to the face amount; it is not a fresh full limit for each inspector or claim.

Your bond option

This is the option on record for this bond.

The bond amount describes the limit of the bond obligation, not the price. A listed amount does not establish what the requesting party requires. The premium is what you pay and must be confirmed for the actual option. An E&O limit, where listed, is separate errors and omissions insurance.

Mark the correct coverage option

Form 4177 has an Option 2 checkbox for the $25,000 bond and an Option 3 checkbox for the $12,500 bond plus $25,000 E&O. The combined route needs the separate Option 3 insurance certificate, Form 4189. WSDA describes that insurance as nonoccurrence based.

There are also two nonsurety alternatives: qualifying $25,000 E&O on its own, or a $25,000 assigned account. Do not assume everyone must buy a bond, or that any general liability certificate meets the SPI requirements. The statute/form also limit acceptable deductibles to $5,000 and provide additional conditions where a prior deductible obligation was not satisfied.

A complete report and a pretreatment inspection are different

WSDA distinguishes complete inspections for infestation, damage or conducive conditions in a real-estate transaction from specific inspections identifying/verifying WDO evidence before pest-management work. Complete inspections require the SPI endorsement and work through a licensed SPI company with current accepted coverage. They also require an Inspection Control Number.

Specific-inspection licensing/endorsement and commercial-applicator coverage follow different instructions. Buying this instrument does not confer pesticide application authority, pass the SPI General/Practical exams or obtain an Inspection Control Number. Use the company application to report the actual company, responsible person and employed inspectors as instructed.

Keep the claim window separate from purchase dates

The two-year period runs from each inspection for commencement of a suit on the bond. It does not identify a two-year term offered by this public option, which has no amount or term label. Keep the required sum in force during licensing and match the actual effective date and selected coverage route.

The form requires ten-day advance written reduction/termination notice to the principal and WSDA by certified mail. Do not treat cancellation as erasing responsibilities associated with inspections already performed.

Purchase Now opens Propeller in a new tab. Before completing the application, compare the company/principal, State recipient, correct Option 2 or3, sum and accepted dates/form. Obtain the needed principal/surety signatures and follow WSDA’s current reporting instructions, including the separate insurance certificate for the combined route.

Sources

Have these ready

  1. Complete versus specific inspection activity, actual SPI company licence and inspector endorsement.
  2. Chosen financial-coverage route: Option 2 $25,000 or Option 3 $12,500 plus the specified $25,000 E&O and Form 4189.
  3. Company/principal name, address, surety, bond number, matching amount, effective date, and both signatures on Form 4177.
  4. Current company/employee details and Inspection Control Numbers for complete reports; separate examination and licensing requirements.

Questions about this bond

Can I buy only the $12,500 bond?

That is not the complete combined route. Option 3 also requires the specified $25,000 E&O insurance and separate Option 3 certificate. Option 2 is the $25,000 surety route; WSDA also permits qualifying nonsurety alternatives.

Does this cover a pest-control company’s pretreatment inspection requirements?

Do not assume so. WSDA distinguishes complete WDO inspections from specific inspections before pest management and directs specific-inspection coverage to the commercial-applicator requirements. Match the actual company, activity and endorsement.

Does the two-year claim period mean the purchase option has a two-year term?

No. The statute measures the deadline for commencing suit from the inspection. The actual effective dates and continuing financial coverage must be matched separately, and this public option does not state a term.

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