JPS, Your working with an "experienced" Professional Inspector is key, but you and he must be careful due to insurance liability issues. Many experienced HIs in Texas won't let new folks hang with them unless they also have their own E&O insurance in place. Liability issues today are just too great. It is terribly unfortunate, but our profession has become a very crazy world. Case in point a long-time, well experienced inspector in Houston getting sued by the "seller" of a home where the buyer backed out within his normal option period. That suit is now closing, but has drug on since last summer and was putting all Texas HIs on thin ice of concern if found in favor of the plaintiff as that would open up a whole new can of worms for all of us. As for E&O ... it is required in Texas and you must have a policy in place before TREC will issue your license once you pass the exam. It would also be wise to have GL coverage. As for carriers you will have to do some legwork. Not all carriers provide coverage in Texas and some carriers will not write policies for "new inspectors" as the liability is just too high. For example the carrier that has my policy won't consider "brand new" Texas HIs. Also your premiums often is higher for the first few years until you get some stable legs under you and don't get a complaint. You might check with the various inspector organizations in Texas and they may have some insurance leads to review. I know that TAREI had some links this past year and I'm not sure about TPREIA, but they may also. National organizations are just that ... National ... I-Nachi and ASHI are the two majors and there are many local Texas HIs who are members of all or some of the national and local organizations. In Texas there are approximate 52% of all inspectors who are members of none of the organizations. It is a matter of personal preference. Be sure your mentor has been inspecting for a while and is not 'new' himself/herself within the past year or two. You might reach out to Scott Emerson in San Antonio. He's a good contact.