Wind mitigation inspection savings
Work out how much a Florida wind mitigation inspection could take off the hurricane part of your premium, what the inspector checks and who may sign the form.
4 minutes of reading | Statutes and tables to be re-checked by 2026-11-20
A wind mitigation inspection records the features of a Florida house that reduce hurricane damage. Insurers must give discounts for them, but only if they have the inspection form on file. Many owners of houses with good roofs and connections pay full price for years because nobody sent the form in.
Inside the wind-credit calculator
- Enter the total premium and the hurricane part from your declarations page.
- Enter the wind mitigation discount you already get, if the page shows one.
- Tick the box if the house was built under the 2001 Florida Building Code or later: those homes qualify for at least 68% off the hurricane part.
- Or type the discount your insurer lists for the features you have, from the notice of premium discounts that comes with every Florida policy.
The calculator first works back to the hurricane premium before any discount (what you pay ÷ (1 − current discount)), then applies the new discount: saving = base × (new % − current %).
What the inspector looks at
The Florida Department of Financial Services lists the features that qualify (DFS guide, July 2026):
| Feature | What earns credit |
|---|---|
| Roof covering | Meets the current Florida Building Code, or a reinforced concrete roof deck |
| Roof deck attachment | Nail sizes and spacing that meet the current code |
| Roof-to-wall connection | Clips, single wraps or double wraps rather than toe-nails |
| Roof shape | Hip roof, the most wind-resistant shape |
| Secondary water resistance | A barrier under the roof covering that keeps water out if shingles blow off |
| Shutters and opening protection | Intermediate type, or hurricane protection type meeting post-2001 South Florida standards |
The DFS guide also mentions hurricane-resistant garage doors and bracing kits.
How discounts combine
Discounts are not simply added together. Insurers combine the credits for each feature and stop at a maximum stated in their notice, so the second and third features add less than the first; one insurer's notice, linked from our sources, shows the pattern. That's why the calculator asks for the overall percentage your insurer gives for your set of features rather than adding up individual items. The state's notice form (OIR-B1-1655) has blank columns for each insurer to fill in; there's no single statewide percentage except the 68% minimum for 2001-code homes.
Worked examples
| House | Hurricane part now | Discount now | Discount after inspection | Saving a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 build, no form on file | $2,300 | 0% | 68% (minimum) | $1,564 |
| 1998 build, some credit already | $1,800 | 20% | 55% from the notice | $788 |
| 1987 build, hip roof and clips found | $3,000 | 0% | 40% from the notice | $1,200 |
The second row shows the back-calculation: $1,800 ÷ 0.80 = $2,250 before any discount; at 55% off that's $1,012.50; $1,800 − $1,012.50 = $787.50, about $788.
Who can do the inspection
Under the DFS guide, the form can be completed by a licensed home inspector who has completed the required hurricane mitigation training and passed a proficiency exam, a general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer or architect, or a certified building code inspector. The inspector has to photograph each feature.
A new version of the uniform inspection form was approved in 2026 and must be used for inspections on or after April 1, 2026; earlier inspections can stay on the old form. A completed form is valid for five years, as long as the structure doesn't change materially and nothing in it proves wrong.
Is it worth paying for?
Set the inspector's price against the saving. With a $1,564 saving, an inspection costing $150, for example, pays for itself in under two months. Even a house with no features beyond the code minimum can benefit if the insurer had no form and was charging as if the roof were the weakest kind. The one case where it may not help: you already get the maximum discount your insurer offers.
When the state program is funded, My Safe Florida Home pays for the inspection itself; the program page explains the rules.
Before you book
- Find the hurricane premium and any current discount on the declarations page.
- Ask your agent for the insurer's notice of premium discounts; it lists the credit for each feature.
- Keep attic access clear: the inspector needs to see the roof deck nails and the roof-to-wall connections.
- Send the signed form to your insurer and check the next bill. If the discount doesn't appear, ask why in writing.
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