A wind mitigation inspection is one of the few inspections that can put money back in your pocket, so it’s worth understanding what it is and how it works. Here’s the honest picture.

See a real wind mitigation report: download a sample wind mitigation report (PDF) — a complete example on a demo property.

What it is

A wind mitigation inspection (people also call it a “wind mit”) documents the features of a home that help it hold up in high winds. In Florida, insurers are required to offer premium credits for certain qualifying features, and this inspection is how you prove your home has them.

It’s recorded on a standard state form — the OIR-B1-1802 — so every carrier is looking at the same categories. My job is to inspect the home, verify which of those features are present, and document them with photos so the insurer can apply whatever credits you qualify for.

The features that matter

The form focuses on a handful of things that make a real difference when the wind picks up:

Roof covering — whether the roof material meets current building code standards, and when it was installed or permitted.

Roof deck attachment — how the plywood or decking is fastened to the trusses. Nail type and spacing matter here; heavier nailing at tighter spacing holds better.

Roof-to-wall connection — how the roof structure is tied to the walls. This is a big one. Toe-nails, clips, single wraps, and double wraps each carry different credit, because a wrapped connection resists uplift far better than a couple of nails.

Roof geometry — the shape of the roof. A hip roof (sloped on all sides) generally performs better in wind than a gable, and it’s credited accordingly.

Secondary water resistance — whether there’s an added barrier under the roof covering to slow water intrusion if the covering is lost.

Opening protection — whether the windows, doors, and other openings are protected by impact-rated products or shutters.

Why it can lower your premium

The credits exist because these features genuinely reduce the risk of a catastrophic claim. A home with a hip roof, a wrapped roof-to-wall connection, and impact-rated openings is far less likely to come apart in a storm than one without — and insurers price that in.

For a lot of homeowners, especially on newer or well-built homes, the credits add up to real savings, sometimes enough to pay for the inspection many times over in the first year. But that’s not a promise, and here’s why.

What I can’t promise you

No inspector can tell you in advance how much you’ll save, or guarantee that you’ll save anything at all. The credit amounts and how they’re applied are set by your insurance carrier and Florida regulation, not by me. I document what the home has, accurately and with photos. The carrier decides what that’s worth on your specific policy.

I also can’t make a home qualify for something it doesn’t have. If the roof-to-wall connection is toe-nailed, that’s what goes on the form — I’m not going to record a wrap that isn’t there. An accurate wind mit protects you; an inflated one can come back to bite you at claim time.

When it’s worth doing

If your home has any of these features and you’ve never had a wind mit done, it’s usually worth it — the potential savings are real and the report is inexpensive relative to what it can return. It’s also commonly paired with a 4-point inspection on older homes, since the insurer often wants both, and we can do them in the same visit.

If you want to know whether your home is a good candidate, call or text and tell me a bit about it — roof age, roof shape, and whether you have shutters or impact windows are the quick tells. I’ll give it to you straight.