Summary:
- A wind mitigation inspection is a specialized evaluation by a certified professional that documents how well a home is built to resist damage from high winds.
- The main purpose of the inspection is to qualify for significant home insurance discounts; the report is sent to your insurer to see if your home's features earn premium reductions.
- The inspection report can lead to immediate savings or serve as a roadmap for future upgrades, like the addition of hurricane clips, to improve safety and lower insurance costs later.
When it comes to hurricane preparedness, one inspection can make the difference between high premiums and meaningful savings. A wind mitigation inspection evaluates specific construction features that help a home withstand high winds and storm damage. Unlike general home inspections, this report is designed with insurance in mind—it documents your home’s resilience and can directly lower your insurance premium.
What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
At its core, a wind mitigation inspection is a technical evaluation of how well a home is built to resist wind forces. Inspectors look for features that reduce storm damage, such as roof geometry, how the roof is attached to walls, and whether openings like windows and doors have impact-resistant protection.
States like Florida have standardized forms (such as the OIR-B1-1802) that score these features, making it easier for insurers to apply discounts when a property meets specific criteria.
Key elements include:
- Roof-to-wall attachment: Nails, clips, or straps that keep the roof from detaching
- Roof geometry: Hip roofs perform better than gable roofs in high winds as the sloped design diverts winds
- Opening protection: Impact-rated windows, shutters, or reinforced garage doors
- Secondary water resistant barriers: Underlayment that prevents water intrusion if shingles fail
Each of these categories plays a direct role in how likely a home is to sustain wind damage during a storm.
Who Can Perform a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
Only certified professionals are allowed to complete these inspections. Depending on the state, this may include licensed contractors, home inspectors, engineers, or architects. Florida and other coastal states maintain lists of approved inspectors to ensure consistency.
Hiring a qualified professional is critical, since insurers will only accept documentation from recognized sources.
When Should You Get an Inspection?
Wind mitigation inspections are not one-time events. In Florida, reports are valid for five years, but homeowners should also consider scheduling one after major roof repairs, renovations, or upgrades. Even small changes, such as replacing windows with impact-rated glass, can affect your eligibility for discounts.
What to Expect in the Report
The inspection results are compiled into a formal report that is submitted to your insurance company. Homeowners can expect clear documentation of each evaluated feature, often with supporting photographs.
Insurers may then:
- Apply discounts directly to your policy
- Flag missing or weak features that increase premiums
- Suggest improvements to qualify for larger credits
It’s worth noting that a less favorable inspection does not necessarily increase your rates—it simply means you may not qualify for additional discounts.
How Much Does It Cost?
According to a comprehensive industry summary, a typical wind mitigation inspection ranges from $75 to $150, depending on the size of the home and location. In many cases, the inspection pays for itself in the first year of premium savings.
State programs also provide assistance. Florida’s My Safe Florida Home Program offers grants for approved upgrades, which can further offset the cost.
Insurance Discounts and Benefits
The biggest incentive for wind mitigation inspections is insurance savings. Insurers reward resilient homes with lower premiums because these properties present less risk of catastrophic loss. Discounts vary by state and insurer, but documented savings of 10% to 40% are common when homes meet standards for roof shape, opening protection, and attachment strength. These savings demonstrate why homeowners who invest in mitigation often recover costs quickly through lower premiums.
Beyond discounts, inspections improve loss ratios for insurers by reducing claims severity. This shared benefit makes wind mitigation a key component of modern underwriting practices.
What Happens If You Don’t Qualify?
If your inspection shows that your home lacks certain protective features, insurers will not penalize you, but you may miss out on discounts. In this case, the report serves as a roadmap for upgrades. For example:
- Adding hurricane clips to strengthen roof-to-wall connections
- Installing impact-rated windows or shutters
- Replacing a gable roof with a hip roof during renovations
These improvements can not only qualify you for future discounts but also make your home safer during the next storm.
The Fortified Home Program
Beyond state inspections, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) oversees the FORTIFIED Home Program, a national resilience standard. Homes that achieve FORTIFIED certification meet rigorous construction and retrofit guidelines for wind, hail, and hurricane resistance.
Some insurers recognize FORTIFIED certification for additional discounts. More information is available at fortifiedhome.org.
The Role of Inspections in Insurance Technology
Inspections also play a role in how insurers process and automate policies. Inspection data can feed directly into underwriting systems, helping insurers instantly apply discounts or determine eligibility.
For example, platforms like Guidewire PolicyCenter can streamline how reports are submitted, ensuring that verified inspection data translates quickly into premium adjustments. For homeowners, this means faster savings with less paperwork.
Preparing for Your Inspection
To make the most of an inspection, homeowners should:
- Gather existing documents, such as building and roof permits or window installation receiptsClear attic and garage spaces for easy access
- Ask the inspector to explain findings in plain language and request a copy of inspector comments and review for
Being prepared can reduce inspection time and improve accuracy in reporting.
Protecting Homes and Lowering Costs
A wind mitigation inspection is more than a report—it’s a pathway to both financial savings and peace of mind. By documenting how well your home is built to withstand wind, you can lower premiums, qualify for state programs, and strengthen your property against storms.
Whether you qualify for discounts now or need to make improvements, the inspection is a smart investment in resilience.
Take the HazardHub quiz to see how your property scores on wind risk and discover which upgrades could make the biggest difference for your home and your insurance costs.
Property Risk
HazardHub
Types of P&C Insurance
.png%3Fh%3D328%26iar%3D0%26w%3D534&w=1080&q=75)
This document and any information ("Content") herein is provided by Guidewire Software, Inc. (“Guidewire”) for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon without further investigation. The Content is not intended to provide legal, insurance or other professional advice. All representations and warranties, express, implied, or statutory, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement of third party rights, from course of dealing, usage or trade practice, are disclaimed and the Content is provided “as-is.” Without limiting the foregoing, there are no representations or warranties of any kind that: the Content, or the use thereof, will meet your or any other party's requirements; will achieve any intended result; is up-to-date; or is accurate or complete. You are solely responsible for any actions you undertake in response to the Content presented herein. Guidewire is not liable to you or any other party for any loss or damages arising from the Content herein, or the use thereof.