Wind Mitigation Inspections: How to Cut Your Insurance Premium

If your homeowners insurance bill jumped this year (and in Florida, of course it did), there is one document that can claw a meaningful chunk of it back: a current wind mitigation inspection. State law requires every admitted carrier in Florida to apply discounts when a home demonstrates specific wind-resistance features. Most homeowners we work with save several hundred dollars a year. Some save over a thousand.

Here's what the inspection actually covers, why it matters, and how to prepare for one.

What the inspector documents

The inspection produces a single state form called the OIR-B1-1802 Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. It documents seven features of your home's construction:

1. Building code year. Homes built (or substantially re-roofed) under newer code earn larger discounts.
2. Roof covering. Whether your shingles, tile, or metal panels meet a Florida-product-approved standard, and whether the install meets current Florida Building Code.
3. Roof deck attachment. The size, spacing, and length of the nails or screws holding your roof deck (plywood or OSB) to the rafters.
4. Roof-to-wall connection. Toe-nailed, clipped, single wrap, or double wrap. Wraps earn the biggest discounts because they tie the entire roof to the wall structure.
5. Roof geometry. Hip roofs (sloped on all sides) resist wind better than gable roofs (vertical end walls). The form documents which you have.
6. Secondary water resistance (SWR). A sealed underlayment that keeps water out even if shingles blow off. Recent re-roofs often have this; older ones rarely do.
7. Opening protection. Shutters, impact-rated windows and doors, and reinforced garage doors. Full coverage earns the largest discount.

Typical savings

There is no single number, because discounts depend on your carrier, your dwelling coverage, and which features pass. As a rough guide, Tampa Bay homeowners typically see:

• $200 to $500 per year for a properly attached, code-compliant shingle roof with SWR.
• $400 to $900 per year for a hip roof with clipped or wrapped connections.
• $800 to $1,500+ per year when opening protection is also documented.

The inspection itself costs $75 to $150. For most homeowners, the discount pays it back inside one billing cycle and continues every year for the life of the inspection (typically 5 years before a new one is required).

How to prepare

The more documentation the inspector has on hand, the more features can pass without ambiguity:

• Permit history. If you've replaced the roof, windows, or garage door in the last 10 years, dig up the permit and final inspection records.
• Product approval documents. Shingle manufacturer's data sheet, window NOA (Notice of Acceptance) numbers, shutter approval certificates.
• Photos of installation. If you re-roofed and have photos of the nailing pattern, the secondary water barrier, or the roof-to-wall straps before drywall went up, save them. Hard-to-access features are easier to credit when there's clear photo evidence.
• A clean attic access. The inspector will need to verify roof deck and roof-to-wall connections from inside the attic.

Who pulls the inspection

Wind mitigation inspections are performed by licensed inspectors, general contractors, building officials, or engineers. They are separate from a roof estimate. We don't sell inspections, but we work with several Tampa Bay inspectors we trust and we're happy to refer you.

If you're considering a re-roof, schedule the wind mitigation inspection after the new roof is in and the permit is closed. The inspector can credit every modern feature your new roof brings.

Get a free roof inspection