Wind Mitigation Credits Explained: How to Save on Florida Home Insurance
Want to make sure you’re not leaving potential homeowners insurance discounts on the table? In Florida, one of the first things worth checking is your Wind Mitigation Inspection.
A Wind Mitigation inspection documents the features of your home that help it withstand high winds and hurricanes. If your home has any of these qualifying features, your insurance company may apply Wind Mitigation credits that reduce the windstorm portion of your homeowners insurance premium.
Here’s what Florida homeowners should know to make sure they’re getting the best possible savings on their home insurance policy.
Are you the kind of person who likes every detail? Read on. Just here for the key points? Skim the bolded sections.
What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
A Wind Mitigation inspection is an evaluation of your home’s wind-resistant construction features that may qualify you for homeowners insurance discounts.
Unlike a four-point inspection, which evaluates the condition of your home’s roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, a Wind Mitigation inspection is specifically looking for features that help your home withstand wind damage.
The inspector documents those features on Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802) and provides supporting documentation, including photographs. Your insurance company then uses that information to determine which wind mitigation credits apply to your policy. (FLDFS)
To clarify: The inspection itself doesn’t create the discount. It simply documents the wind-resistant features your home already has so your insurance company knows about them.
What Does a Wind Mitigation Inspection Look For?
In a Wind Mitigation inspection, an inspector looks at how your home was built—particularly how the roof, walls and openings are designed to handle high winds.
Florida’s current Wind Mitigation form documents features including:
Roof covering and applicable building code: When the roof was installed and which building standards apply
Roof deck attachment: How securely the roof decking is fastened to the structure
Roof-to-wall attachment: How the roof structure connects to the walls, including features such as clips and straps
Roof geometry: The shape of the roof, such as whether it qualifies as a hip roof
Secondary water resistance: Certain protective layers designed to help keep water out if the primary roof covering is damaged
Opening protection: Qualifying protection for windows, exterior doors, garage doors and other openings
The inspector may need access to your attic and will take photographs or use other documentation to verify qualifying features.
Once complete, you’ll receive the Wind Mitigation report to provide to your insurance agent or carrier.
How Do Wind Mitigation Credits Save You Money?
Florida insurance companies are required to offer discounts or credits for qualifying construction features that reduce windstorm losses, but there’s no single “Wind Mitigation discount” that every Florida homeowner receives. Your savings depend on which features your home actually has, along with your insurance company, location, policy and the portion of your premium associated with windstorm risk.
For example, one house might have a qualifying hip roof and strong roof-to-wall connections but no qualifying opening protection. Another might have impact-rated windows, hurricane protection for every opening and several additional mitigation features.
Their credits—and therefore their potential savings—won’t necessarily be the same.
That’s why we’re cautious when homeowners ask, “How much will a Wind Mitigation inspection save me?” There’s no responsible way to promise a specific percentage before seeing the home and running the insurance quote. What we can say is that if your home has qualifying wind-resistant features, documenting them could make a meaningful difference in the premium you’re offered.
Do I Need a Wind Mitigation Inspection to Get Homeowners Insurance?
Not necessarily—but without documentation, you may miss out on credits your home could otherwise qualify for.
Our company, Warner Insurance, can generally begin quoting and even bind a homeowners policy without a Wind Mitigation inspection when the carrier allows it. The problem is that without documentation, your quote may be calculated without mitigation credits that could otherwise apply. That’s why we generally recommend obtaining a Wind Mitigation inspection. It gives the insurance company actual information about the home’s construction instead of leaving those potential credits undocumented.
How Much Does a Wind Mitigation Inspection Cost in Florida?
A standalone Wind Mitigation inspection will often cost somewhere around $100–$200, although pricing varies by inspector, location, home and whether you’re bundling it with other inspections.
A completed Florida Wind Mitigation form is generally valid for up to five years, provided no material changes have been made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found on the form. (FLDFS)
If a $100–$200 inspection identifies credits that save you money year after year, the value can quickly outweigh the upfront cost. But because every home is different, don’t assume the inspection is guaranteed to pay for itself—the amount you save ultimately depends on which qualifying features your home has.
How Do I Get a Wind Mitigation Inspection in Florida?
You’ll need an authorized professional to inspect the home and complete Florida’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. Florida allows certain licensed or certified professionals to perform these inspections, including qualified home inspectors, contractors, engineers, architects and building inspectors. (FLDFS)
If you’re already working with Warner Insurance, you don’t have to figure this out alone! We can help explain what documentation your insurance carrier needs and point you in the right direction for getting the appropriate inspection completed. Once you have the report, we’ll submit it to your insurance carrier and any applicable credits can be included in your policy.
Make Sure You’re Getting the Credits Your Florida Home Qualifies For
Not sure whether your current policy includes all the credits your home qualifies for?
We can review your coverage, help you understand your Wind Mitigation report and compare available homeowners insurance options from multiple Florida carriers to make sure you’re getting the highest protection at the best rate.