Merica·Estate Hunter
Own · Insurance

What a wind mitigation inspection is

It changes nothing about your house. It records what the house already is, on a state form, so an insurer can apply credits it is already obliged to offer. The form is OIR-B1-1802 (the “1802 form”)† and it is valid for five years†.

The seven categories on the formRoof deck attachment — nail size and spacing — frequently the largest single credit; Roof-to-wall attachment — toe nails, clips, single wraps, double wraps; Roof geometry — hip scores better than gable, and cannot be changed cheaply; Secondary water resistance — a sealed deck beneath the covering; Opening protection — shutters or impact glazing, rated as a set; Roof covering — whether it meets current code — pass or fail, not a ranking; Building code compliance — when it was built or substantially reroofedRoof deck attachmentnail size and spacing — frequently the largest single creditRoof-to-wall attachmenttoe nails, clips, single wraps, double wrapsRoof geometryhip scores better than gable, and cannot be changed cheaplySecondary water resistancea sealed deck beneath the coveringOpening protectionshutters or impact glazing, rated as a setRoof coveringwhether it meets current code — pass or fail, not a rankingBuilding code compliancewhen it was built or substantially reroofed
Four of the seven are fastening and shape. Only one concerns the material on top.
The part people get backwards

Building work does not reduce your premium. The documented, filed evidence of that work reduces your premium. A house with excellent roof strapping and no 1802 form on file pays the same as a house with none — which is why the cheapest lever in Florida insurance is an inspection rather than a construction project.

What it is worth

The wind portion of a Florida premium is substantial — 30–50% of the total premium† — and the credits available against it run to 30–45% of the wind portion†. Netted out against what most houses actually score, the realistic saving is 20–30% of the total premium†, every year, for a one-off inspection costing $75–$150†.

It may cost nothing at all

free wind mitigation inspection for qualifying homeowners† under the My Safe Florida Home programme. Funding for it opens and closes by legislative cycle, so check whether it is currently open before paying privately — the answer genuinely changes from year to year.

What the inspector actually does

  1. Goes into the attic, where most of the credits are decided. If nobody went into the attic, the inspection cannot have scored the deck attachment or the roof-to-wall connection.
  2. Photographs everything — nail spacing, straps, the sheathing, the roof line, each opening. The photographs are part of the form, not a courtesy.
  3. Checks the permit record for when the roof was last done, which decides the code compliance question.
  4. Rates opening protection as a set. One unprotected window can pull the whole category down, which is why partial shutter installations frequently earn nothing.

Where it fits with everything else

It is the opposite of a four-point inspection. A four-point looks for reasons a policy cannot be written; a wind mitigation looks for reasons the premium should be lower. Booking them together is the obvious move — bundled they cost $125–$225 bundled with a 4-point†, and one visit answers both questions.

Where you are also matters. In the Wind-Borne Debris Region and the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone† the requirements are stricter, and in Miami-Dade and Broward† products installed in the HVHZ must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance† — so product documentation is part of whether a credit can be claimed at all.

After the inspection

  1. Send the form to your insurer yourself and ask in writing for the credits to be applied.
  2. Check the next declarations page to confirm they were. This step is skipped constantly and it is the only proof that anything happened.
  3. Keep the form and the photographs, and re-file when it expires.
  4. Give it to your buyer when you sell. A house with a filed form is cheaper to insure, which makes it easier to finance and easier to sell.

Related

What it costsAnd what the credits are actually worth.Lowering the premiumWhere this sits in the order of return.The 4-point inspectionThe one that looks for obstacles instead.Roof materialsWhy the covering earns less than the fixings.
Unfinished construction site with a focus on wooden roof trusses under a clear sky.
Unfinished construction site with a focus on wooden roof trusses under a clear sky.Saeed Khokhar / Pexels

Common questions

What is a wind mitigation inspection?

A recorded assessment of the features that make a house resist wind — deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, roof shape, secondary water resistance and opening protection — on state form OIR-B1-1802, valid for five years.

Does a wind mitigation inspection change my house?

No. It documents what the house already is. The credits are applied to the filed form, not to the building — which is why a strong house with no form on file pays the same as a weak one.

How much does a wind mitigation inspection save?

The wind portion is 30–50% of a Florida premium and credits run to 30–45% of that portion, so a realistic saving is around 20–30% of the total premium each year, against a one-off cost of $75–$150.

Can I get a free wind mitigation inspection in Florida?

Sometimes. My Safe Florida Home has offered free inspections, but funding opens and closes by legislative cycle — check whether it is currently open before paying privately.

What does the inspector look at?

Roof deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections in the attic, roof geometry, secondary water resistance, opening protection rated as a set, roof covering, and the permit record for when the roof was last done.

The uniform mitigation verification inspection form is OIR-B1-1802, issued by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation; credits are applied by each insurer under its own filed rates. Opening protection requirements come from the Florida Building Code. My Safe Florida Home funding is set by the Legislature.