How much does a wind-mitigation inspection cost?

Typically $75 to $150 in Florida. Many inspectors will bundle it with a four-point for a small additional fee. The first-year discount usually exceeds the inspection cost.

How long is the wind-mitigation form valid?

Five years from the date of the inspection in Florida, per Office of Insurance Regulation rule, unless you make a change to the home (a new roof, new openings) that warrants a fresh inspection sooner.

Do I have to use the wind-mitigation form to get the discount?

In Florida, yes, carriers will only credit the discount when you submit a completed and signed OIR-B1-1802. The form is standardised state-wide.

Is wind-mitigation required to bind a policy?

No, the inspection itself is voluntary. It is required to claim the premium discounts; without it the carrier defaults to the no-credit baseline rate.

Wind-mitigation inspection: form OIR-B1-1802 and the discounts

What it documents

The standard Florida form (OIR-B1-1802, published by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation) asks an inspector to verify and photograph seven categories of construction features that materially reduce the damage a hurricane will do to a home:

Roof covering. Material type, year installed, FBC equivalence.
Roof deck attachment. Nailing pattern; whether the deck is fastened to current building-code spec.
Roof-to-wall attachment. Toe nails, clips, single wraps, double wraps, each rung up the ladder is a discount step.
Roof geometry. Hip, gable, flat, hip roofs deflect wind better and earn the largest credit.
Secondary water resistance (SWR). Whether a sealed underlayment is in place behind the roof covering.
Opening protection. Impact-rated windows, doors, and shutters; whether every opening is protected to the highest applicable standard.
Wall construction. Frame, masonry, reinforced, used for the rate base, not a discount line.

Why it's worth doing

Florida insurers, admitted carriers and Citizens (the FAIR Plan) alike, are required by Fla. Stat. §627.0629 to offer premium discounts for verified wind-mitigation features. The discounts are substantial: a single-storey hip-roof home with impact glass and modern roof-deck attachment can see the wind portion of the premium drop by 30% to 50% versus the no-credit baseline. On a $4,000 wind-heavy Florida policy, that's commonly $1,000 to $1,800 a year, and the inspection itself usually costs $75 to $150. The discount runs for the five-year validity of the form, so the cost-benefit is unambiguous on most homes built before 2002.

Who performs it

The same Florida licensure rules apply as for the four-point, under Fla. Stat. §468.83, a wind-mitigation form must be signed by a Florida-licensed home inspector, a licensed general or building contractor, or a licensed roofing contractor. Most inspectors will bundle a four-point and a wind-mitigation as a single visit for a small additional fee (typical combined cost: $150 to $250). Verify the licence in the DBPR licensee directory before booking.

What to do

If your policy is more than five years old (or you've never had a wind-mitigation form done), order one, the discount almost always exceeds the cost in year one.
If you've upgraded your roof, windows, or opening protection in the last five years, order a fresh inspection, the form on file is out of date.
Submit the completed signed form to your carrier and ask for a re-rate. The carrier is required to apply the credit; if they refuse, file a complaint with the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Consumer Services.
Keep a copy. The same form is reusable when you change carriers.

Outside Florida

Alabama and South Carolina don't run the OIR-B1-1802 as a state-mandated discount form, but inspectors in coastal counties of both states use a substantially similar checklist and many carriers will credit specific features when documented. North Carolina has its own Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) FORTIFIED Home certification, a related but more rigorous build-and-verify standard that earns its own carrier discounts.

Discount levels and carrier credit tables vary; specific savings depend on your home, your carrier, and the verified features. Confirm the current credit table with your agent or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Page last reviewed 2026-05-14.