What is a wind-mitigation inspection?

Key takeaway

A wind-mit inspection documents features that make your home more wind-resistant, on Florida’s standard form OIR-B1-1802. Insurers give premium credits for those features. We can’t promise a specific dollar amount; the credit depends on your insurer and your home. But the inspection is usually well worth its modest cost.

A wind-mitigation inspection is a standardized assessment performed by a qualified inspector and recorded on Florida’s uniform form, OIR-B1-1802 (current revision 04/26, effective April 1, 2026). Insurers use it to apply premium discounts for construction features that reduce hurricane wind damage. Importantly, these are credits you’ve often already earned if your home has the right features. The inspection just documents them.

What seven features does a wind-mitigation inspection score?

The form evaluates how your home is built to resist wind, including:

  1. Roof covering — whether it meets the HVHZ / Florida Building Code product requirements.
  2. Roof deck attachment — how the deck is fastened (nail type and spacing).
  3. Roof-to-wall connection — toe-nails vs. clips vs. single/double wraps.
  4. Roof geometry — hip roofs generally resist wind better than gable.
  5. Secondary water resistance — the sealed barrier under the covering.
  6. Opening protection — impact-rated windows, doors, and any shutters.
  7. and the overall construction era / code basis of the roof.

Why is opening protection scored all-or-nothing?

Here’s the part homeowners most often miss. To earn the opening-protection credit, every opening in the home (all windows, all exterior doors, the garage door, skylights) has to be protected to the rated standard. One unprotected opening can disqualify the credit for the whole house.

This is exactly why we treat impact protection as a whole-house question. Replacing most of your windows but leaving an old sliding door or an unrated garage door can mean you don’t get the opening-protection credit at all. More importantly, it leaves a weak point in a storm.

RelatedImpact windows vs. shutters · Impact windows · Impact doors

How much can a wind-mitigation report actually save you?

You’ll see ads promising specific percentage savings from a wind-mit inspection. We won’t, because we can’t honestly know your number in advance. The actual credit depends on your insurer’s rate structure, your policy, and which features your home documents. What we can say: for many South-Florida homes the credits meaningfully exceed the inspection cost, and a home with a code roof and full impact protection tends to score well. Get the inspection, then let your insurer apply the real numbers.

Frequently asked questions

How much will a wind-mitigation inspection save me?
We can’t give an honest universal number — it depends on your insurer and which features your home documents. Anyone quoting a guaranteed percentage is guessing. What’s reliable: the credits often exceed the inspection’s modest cost, especially for homes with a code roof and full impact protection.
Who performs the inspection?
A qualified inspector — typically a licensed home inspector, contractor, engineer, or architect authorized to complete form OIR-B1-1802. We can point you to independent inspectors; we keep that referral independent rather than self-scoring work we did.
Do impact windows help my wind-mit score?
Yes — impact-rated openings are one of the seven scored features. But remember it’s all-or-nothing: every opening has to be protected to qualify for the opening-protection credit. A single unprotected door or garage can cost you the credit.
How often do I need a new inspection?
Wind-mit reports are generally valid for several years (commonly up to five) before insurers want a fresh one. If you upgrade your roof or add impact protection, getting a new inspection afterward documents the improvement.
Is the form changing?
Yes — the state updated form OIR-B1-1802 to revision 04/26, effective April 1, 2026. The fundamentals (the scored features) are consistent; make sure your inspector uses the current form.

A wind-mit inspection documents the home you already have. If you’re upgrading your roof or windows, doing the inspection afterward captures the improvement on paper, where your insurer can see it.