General information, not legal, engineering or insurance advice.
Florida law requires property insurers to offer discounts or credits for construction features that reduce windstorm losses (section 627.0629, Florida Statutes). To get those credits, your insurer needs proof of what your home actually has. That proof is usually a wind mitigation inspection recorded on the state's standard form.
What is a wind mitigation inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection is a visual inspection of the features that help a house resist hurricane winds. The inspector records the results on the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (form OIR-B1-1802), which Florida insurers accept. Inspections are performed by qualified professionals such as licensed home inspectors with the required training, building code inspectors, general, building and residential contractors, professional engineers and architects.
The form states that it is valid for up to five years, as long as no material changes have been made to the structure. If you install new shutters, windows, doors or a new roof, a fresh inspection can capture the improvement.
What the form looks at
- Building code: whether the home was built to the Florida Building Code (or an equivalent standard such as the South Florida Building Code in Miami-Dade and Broward).
- Roof covering: whether the roof covering meets current code and has documentation such as a permit or product approval.
- Roof deck attachment: how the roof sheathing is nailed or fastened to the framing.
- Roof-to-wall attachment: whether the roof is held to the walls by toe nails, clips, single wraps or double wraps.
- Roof geometry: hip roofs generally perform better in wind than gable roofs.
- Secondary water resistance: whether there is a sealed underlayment that limits water entry if roof covering is lost.
- Opening protection: whether windows, doors, garage doors and skylights are protected, and to what standard.
How opening protection is rated
Opening protection is the part of the form that shutters, impact windows and impact doors affect. The form groups protection into levels based on the test standard the products meet:
- Hurricane impact (Class A): products tested for large-missile impact and cyclic wind pressure under recognized standards (for example Miami-Dade TAS 201/202/203 or ASTM E1886/E1996 large missile).
- Basic impact (Class B): products tested to a lower impact standard.
- Wood structural panels (Class C): plywood or OSB panels meeting the Florida Building Code's requirements.
- Lower ratings apply when protection doesn't meet these standards, when some openings are left unprotected, or when there is none.
The key detail: every glazed opening must be protected to get credit at a given level, and the top sub-levels also look at non-glazed openings such as entry doors and garage doors. One unprotected window can drop your rating to the lowest level you have. Your overall rating is limited by the weakest opening.
Documentation matters
Inspectors can only credit what they can verify. If they can't confirm that a shutter or window meets a standard, they must rate it lower. Before your inspection, gather:
- Building permits and final inspection records for the shutter, window or door work.
- Florida Product Approval numbers or Miami-Dade Notices of Acceptance for each product.
- Invoices that list the products and openings covered.
- Permanent labels on windows and doors, which inspectors often photograph. Don't remove them.
Will I get a big discount?
It depends. Discounts apply to the windstorm portion of your premium, and the amount varies by insurer, location and the other features of your home. Some homes see meaningful savings and others very little. Before you buy shutters or windows mainly to save on insurance, ask your agent to estimate the change using your current inspection and the improved opening protection.
My Safe Florida Home
The state's My Safe Florida Home program has offered free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants for eligible improvements, including opening protection, when the Legislature funds it. Funding and eligibility rules change, so check the program's official site for current status before planning around a grant.
Quick checklist
- Get a current wind mitigation inspection and review the opening protection section.
- Ask your agent how improvements would change your premium.
- Plan to protect every glazed opening, and consider entry and garage doors.
- Hire a licensed contractor who pulls permits and provides product approvals.
- Get a new inspection after the work passes final inspection, and send it to your insurer.