If you own a home in Florida, there’s a single one-page form that can quietly knock hundreds — sometimes over a thousand — dollars off your homeowners insurance every year. It’s called a wind mitigation inspection report, and most homeowners in Volusia County either don’t know it exists or don’t realize their roof is the biggest factor on it.
At Affordable Roofing & Construction, we’ve been re-roofing homes across Daytona Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, DeLand and Deltona for over 20 years — and we include a wind mitigation inspection with every roof we install. Here’s exactly what a wind mit inspection is, what the inspector checks, and how a new code-compliant roof turns into real savings on your insurance premium.
What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection is a short, non-invasive inspection that documents how well your home is built to resist hurricane-force winds. A licensed inspector fills out a standardized Florida form — the OIR-B1-1802 — and your insurance company uses it to apply wind mitigation credits (discounts) to the windstorm portion of your policy.
These aren’t optional favors from the insurer. Under Florida law (Statute 627.0629), insurance companies are required to offer premium discounts for construction features that reduce hurricane damage. The wind mit form is simply how you prove your home qualifies. No form on file usually means you’re paying full price — as if your home had zero storm protection.
The 7 Things a Wind Mitigation Inspector Checks
The OIR-B1-1802 form covers seven categories. Notice how many of them are decided by your roof:
- 1. Building code & roof age — When was the home built or re-roofed? A roof permitted under the 2001 Florida Building Code or later earns strong credits.
- 2. Roof covering — Are your shingles, tile or metal installed to current Florida product-approval standards (FBC or Miami-Dade)? A modern re-roof answers “yes.”
- 3. Roof deck attachment — How is the plywood/OSB decking nailed to the trusses? 8d ring-shank nails in a tight pattern hold far better than old staples or short smooth nails.
- 4. Roof-to-wall connection — Are the trusses tied down with toe-nails, clips, or hurricane straps? Straps and wraps earn the biggest single credit here.
- 5. Roof geometry (shape) — A hip roof (sloped on all four sides) sheds wind better than a gable roof and earns extra credit.
- 6. Secondary water resistance — Is there a sealed roof deck / secondary water barrier under the shingles? This is a peel-and-stick or taped-seam upgrade that also lowers premiums.
- 7. Opening protection — Do windows, doors and garage have impact-rated glass or shutters? (This one is about your openings, not the roof — but it stacks with the rest.)
Five of the seven categories are directly tied to your roof. That’s why a properly permitted, code-compliant re-roof is the single most effective way to improve your wind mit score.
How Much Can a Wind Mit Inspection Actually Save You?
The windstorm portion is often the largest single piece of a Florida homeowners premium — frequently 40% or more. Wind mitigation credits apply directly to that portion, so the savings can be significant. In Volusia County we regularly see homeowners save anywhere from a few hundred to well over a thousand dollars a year once a strong wind mit report is on file, depending on the home and the insurer.
The math matters: an inspection typically costs $75–$150 if you pay for it yourself — but the annual discount usually pays that back many times over, every single year the report is valid (generally up to 5 years).
Why a New Roof Changes Everything on the Form
Older Volusia County homes often score poorly on wind mit for reasons that are baked into 1980s and 1990s construction: decking stapled instead of nailed, trusses attached with a couple of toe-nails, no secondary water barrier, and a roof covering that predates modern product approvals.
When we re-roof your home, we install to the current Florida Building Code — ring-shank nailing patterns on the deck, a code-compliant secondary water barrier, and modern wind-rated shingles engineered for our coastal wind zones. If your trusses need better tie-downs, that’s addressed too. In other words, a new roof doesn’t just protect your home — it upgrades the exact line items the wind mit inspector is grading.
Our promise: Every roof we install comes with a wind mitigation inspection included, plus our 5-year labor warranty. You get the storm protection and the paperwork you need to claim your insurance savings — without chasing down a separate inspector.
When Should You Get a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
- Right after a re-roof — so your insurer immediately credits the new, code-compliant roof.
- When you buy a home — a wind mit report can lower your premium from day one.
- Before renewal — if you’ve never had one done, you may be leaving money on the table every year.
- When your current report expires — these generally last up to 5 years, then need to be redone.
Wind Mit vs. the 4-Point Inspection — Don’t Confuse Them
These two get mixed up constantly. A 4-point inspection checks the condition and remaining life of your roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC — insurers use it to decide whether they’ll cover you at all. A wind mitigation inspection is different: it documents storm-resistance features to lower your premium. Many Florida homeowners — especially with older homes — end up needing both.
The Bottom Line for Volusia County Homeowners
A wind mitigation inspection is one of the highest-return pieces of paper you can put in your insurance file — and your roof drives most of the score. If your roof is aging, a re-roof done to today’s Florida Building Code doesn’t just weather the next hurricane; it can meaningfully cut what you pay to insure your home, year after year.
Thinking about a new roof, or not sure whether your current roof qualifies for wind mit credits? We offer free estimates across Daytona Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona and all of Volusia County. Call Affordable Roofing & Construction at 386-392-8952 — licensed (CCC 1327602 & CGC 1509441), insured, and CertainTeed ShingleMaster credentialed.
This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Actual discounts depend on your home, your insurer, and a licensed inspector’s findings.
Leave a Reply