Florida Homeowners Guide · Wind Mitigation

Wind mitigation in Florida: the inspection that can lower your homeowners premium

A wind mitigation inspection documents how well your home is built to resist hurricane wind. Florida insurers must offer credits for verified features, which makes this short inspection one of the few ways to reduce your premium without reducing coverage.

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Written and reviewed by licensed Florida insurance advisors at Allied Insurance Group · Updated October 2026

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Executive summary

The short version

A wind mitigation inspection is a visual review of specific construction features, recorded on Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802). Under section 627.0629, Florida Statutes, insurers must offer discounts or credits for features shown to reduce wind loss.

The inspection is optional, is generally accepted for five years, and is paid for by the homeowner. Whether it saves money, and how much, depends on what your home has and how your carrier rates each feature.

  • The form records seven things: building code, roof covering, deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, roof shape, secondary water resistance and opening protection.
  • A report is generally valid for five years if nothing material changes.
  • Get a new inspection after a re-roof or after adding impact windows or shutters.
  • Credits apply to the wind portion of the premium, which is a large share of a Florida policy.
  • Send the report to your agent. Credits are not applied until the carrier has it.

What is a wind mitigation inspection?

Short answer: It is a short inspection that verifies wind-resistance features of your home so your insurer can apply credits for them.

The inspector looks at the roof from outside, goes into the attic to see how the roof deck is nailed and how the trusses are tied to the walls, checks windows, doors and garage doors for impact ratings or shutters, and photographs each item. The result is a four-page state form with photos attached.

It is different from a four-point inspection. A four-point report tells the insurer whether the home’s systems are acceptable. A wind mitigation report tells the insurer what credits you have earned.

The seven features on the wind mitigation form

Short answer: The form covers building code, roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, roof geometry, secondary water resistance and opening protection.

Feature What the inspector verifies What tends to earn credit
1. Building code Year built or permit date, which shows the code the home was built under. Construction under the Florida Building Code (2002 and later).
2. Roof covering Roof type and the permit or installation date. A covering installed under current code with a documented permit.
3. Roof deck attachment Nail size and spacing holding the roof sheathing to the trusses. Longer nails at closer spacing.
4. Roof-to-wall attachment How trusses or rafters connect to the walls: toe nails, clips, single wraps or double wraps. Clips and straps, especially wraps.
5. Roof geometry The shape of the roof. A hip roof, which slopes on all sides.
6. Secondary water resistance A sealed roof deck or self-adhering underlayment beneath the roof covering. A verified secondary water barrier.
7. Opening protection Impact ratings or shutters on windows, doors, garage doors and skylights. Rated protection on every opening, not just some.

Based on Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802. The Office of Insurance Regulation updated the form effective April 1, 2026; reports completed on the prior version remain valid until they expire.

Where credits usually come from

Roof shapeHip roofs shed wind better than gable roofs.
Roof-to-wall connectionClips and straps keep the roof attached to the walls.
Secondary water barrierLimits water intrusion if the roof covering is lost.
Opening protectionImpact glass or rated shutters on all openings.

How much can wind mitigation save?

Short answer: It varies widely. Credits are applied to the hurricane-wind portion of your premium, and each carrier files its own credit table.

We do not quote a savings percentage because it would not be honest to do so: the result depends on your home’s features, the carrier and the share of your premium that is wind. What we can say from daily experience is that a home with a newer roof, strapped trusses and full opening protection is priced very differently from the same home with none of them documented.

The inspection itself usually costs far less than the credits are worth when the home has even a few qualifying features. Many inspectors bundle it with a four-point inspection.

One missing opening can matter

Opening protection credit generally requires every glazed opening to be protected. One unprotected window, door or garage door can change the result for the whole category, so ask the inspector exactly which opening is holding you back.

Who can perform a wind mitigation inspection

Short answer: A qualified Florida-licensed professional: a home inspector with the required hurricane mitigation training, a building code inspector, a general, building or residential contractor, an engineer or an architect.

  • Ask whether they use the current OIR-B1-1802 form
  • Confirm they will photograph every feature, including attic connections
  • Have your roofing permit and any window or shutter paperwork ready
  • Make sure attic access is clear
  • Ask for a PDF you can forward to your agent the same day

How long is a wind mitigation report valid?

Short answer: Generally five years, as long as there are no material changes to the home and the form is accurate.

Get a new one sooner if you replace the roof, add impact windows or shutters, replace the garage door or make other structural improvements. Also check the date on your current report before renewal: an expired report is one of the most common reasons a premium jumps, because the credits drop off.

Upgrades that improve your wind mitigation report

Short answer: A re-roof is the best opportunity, because the deck can be re-nailed and a secondary water barrier added while the roof is open.

Upgrade Form section it affects Best time to do it
Re-nail the roof deck Roof deck attachment During a re-roof
Add a secondary water barrier Secondary water resistance During a re-roof
Add clips or straps Roof-to-wall attachment During a re-roof or from the attic, if accessible
Impact windows and doors, or rated shutters Opening protection Any time; cover every opening
Wind-rated or braced garage door Opening protection Any time

Florida has offered wind mitigation inspections and grants through the My Safe Florida Home program, subject to funding and eligibility. Check the program’s current status before planning around it. After any upgrade, see what to do after a new roof and send the new report to your agent.

How to use your wind mitigation report

Short answer: Send it to your agent, confirm the credits appear on your declarations page and ask to have the policy re-shopped.

From inspection to savings

ScheduleBook a qualified inspector and gather permits.
InspectThe visit usually takes under an hour.
SendForward the completed form and photos to your agent.
VerifyCheck that the mitigation credits appear on your declarations page.
Re-shopAsk whether other carriers rate your features more favorably.

Questions Florida homeowners ask us

Frequently asked questions

A visual inspection that documents wind-resistance features of a home on Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form so the insurer can apply credits.

No. It is optional. Without one, though, your insurer will generally rate the home as if it has none of the features.

Form OIR-B1-1802, the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, issued by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

Generally five years, provided there are no material changes to the structure and the form contains no inaccuracies.

Yes. Section 627.0629, Florida Statutes, requires insurers to offer discounts, credits or other rate differentials for features shown to reduce wind loss.

It depends on your home’s features and your carrier’s filed credits. Savings apply to the wind portion of the premium. We can estimate the effect once we see your report.

Prices are set by the inspector and vary by area and home size. Many inspectors discount it when combined with a four-point inspection.

A Florida-licensed home inspector with the required hurricane mitigation training, a building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a professional engineer or an architect.

Usually under an hour for a typical single-family home.

Yes. Roof deck nailing and roof-to-wall connections are verified from the attic, so clear access is important.

A sealed roof deck or a self-adhering underlayment under the roof covering that helps keep water out if shingles or tiles blow off.

They are metal connectors that tie roof trusses to the walls. Clips attach to one side of the truss, a single wrap goes over the top, and double wraps use two straps. Stronger connections generally earn more credit.

A hip roof slopes down on all sides and generally performs better in high wind than a gable roof, so it can earn a credit.

Usually not for opening protection. Credit generally requires all glazed openings to be protected.

Yes. A new roof changes several sections of the form, and the credits are not applied until the insurer receives an updated report.

Yes. The Office of Insurance Regulation updated the form effective April 1, 2026. Inspections completed on the previous version remain valid through their normal expiration.

Yes. Citizens applies mitigation credits too, and a current report also makes a home more attractive to private carriers. See the Citizens guide.

No. A four-point inspection reviews the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC for insurability. A wind mitigation inspection documents features that earn credits. See the four-point guide.

It still helps. Newer homes often qualify for several credits, but the insurer needs the form to apply all of them.

A report documents what is there. If an old report showed features that a new one does not confirm, credits can change. In most cases a first-time report only helps.

To your insurance agent. If Allied is your agency, email it to us and we will submit it to the carrier and confirm the credits were applied.

Yes. Send us your current declarations page for a policy review and we will tell you which credits you have now and what a new report could change.

Keep reading

Related Florida homeowners guides

Florida Homeowners Insurance GuideFlorida Homeowners Insurance GuideHow coverage, pricing and underwriting work in Florida.Roof Age & Insurance in FloridaRoof Age & Insurance in FloridaThe 15-year rule, inspections and roof settlements.Four-Point Inspection GuideFour-Point Inspection GuideRoof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC: what insurers check.Hurricane Deductibles GuideHurricane Deductibles GuideHow the deductible works, plus a storm-season checklist.

Looking for something else? Visit the Allied Answer Desk, browse Florida insurance by city, or go back to the Florida Homeowners Insurance Guide.

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Have a wind mitigation report? Let us make sure you are getting every credit.

Send us your report and declarations page. A licensed Allied advisor will check your credits and compare carriers that rate your home’s features favorably.

Or call (954) 475-8886

This guide is general information for Florida homeowners, not legal advice and not a statement of coverage. Coverage, eligibility, deductibles and pricing depend on the insurer, the policy form and your property. Laws, Citizens rules and carrier guidelines change; confirm current details with a licensed advisor and read your policy. Allied Insurance Group, 6600 Taft Street #100, Hollywood, FL 33024 · (954) 475-8886.

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