Wind Mitigation Inspections
An inspection that checks features like roof shape and shutters, which can qualify your house for a lower wind or hurricane premium.
Free to compare
A wind mitigation inspection is worth getting if your house has a hip roof, storm shutters, impact-rated windows, or a roof-to-wall connection with hurricane straps or clips. An inspector checks these features and gives you a form documenting what's there, which you send to your insurer. The savings depend on which features your house has and how your insurer weighs them, so two neighbors can see different discounts. If your roof was recently replaced, the inspection also records its age, which affects pricing on its own.
An inspection usually costs less than a single year's wind or hurricane discount is worth, and the features it documents don't change once they're built. Hurricane straps, a hip roof, impact windows stay put. That means the discount can keep applying year after year for a fee paid once. Since insurers weigh these features differently, comparing what each one offers for the same report shows which pays the most for the house already standing.
How long does a wind mitigation report last
A wind mitigation report doesn't expire on a fixed schedule set by the state, but most insurers treat it as good for five years. After that, they'll ask for a new one before they keep applying the discount, even if nothing about the house changed. Some insurers use a shorter window, so the date on the report matters as much as what's in it.
A few events make a new inspection worth getting before that five-year mark comes up. A roof replacement is the biggest one. The age and type of roof covering is one of the items the form records, and a new roof can qualify for a better rate than an older one even with the same shape and connections. Adding storm shutters or replacing windows with impact-rated ones also changes what the form would show, and the savings only apply once the updated report is on file.
If a hurricane or windstorm damages the roof or the straps and clips holding it to the walls, repairs done afterward can affect the inspection too. Rebuilding to current code sometimes improves the roof-to-wall connection rating, which is one of the larger factors in the discount. It's worth asking the contractor doing the repair what was replaced and how. That's what a new inspection would need to document.
Buying a house that already has a wind mitigation report doesn't mean that report transfers cleanly. Some insurers accept an existing report if it's recent and signed by a licensed inspector. Others want one done under the new owner's policy. The report belongs to the house, not the person who ordered it, so a seller's inspection from a few years back is worth asking for before paying for a new one. Checking with the insurer directly on what they'll accept avoids paying twice for the same information.
Who can do a wind mitigation inspection
The inspector has to be licensed for the work, not just anyone with a clipboard. Most states that use these discounts limit who can sign the form to specific professions. That usually means a licensed home inspector, a general contractor, a civil or structural engineer, or a building code official. Insurers check for a license number on the form, and a report signed by someone outside those categories typically gets rejected.
Finding one is often as simple as searching for wind mitigation inspectors in the area, since it's a common enough job in storm-prone states that companies specialize in it. A regular home inspector doing a buyer's inspection can sometimes complete the wind mitigation form at the same visit for an added fee, which saves a separate appointment. Worth asking about directly, since not every inspector offers it.
The inspection itself is quick, usually under an hour, and mostly involves photographs. The inspector documents the roof shape from above or from photos, checks the roof-to-wall connection from the attic, looks at the windows and doors for impact ratings, and checks for a secondary water barrier under the roof covering. Nothing gets torn open or tested in a way that could damage the house. Most of what qualifies for savings is visible without any invasive work.
Cost varies by region and by how many features are being documented, but it's a flat fee paid once rather than something billed to the insurer. Some insurers or state programs offer a rebate or discount that offsets part of the inspection cost, so it's worth asking before paying out of pocket. Keeping a copy of the signed report is worth doing regardless of who ends up using it, since it's the proof the discount is based on if a question comes up later.
Before you call for a quote
Check your declarations page for a wind or hurricane discount line and note the age of your report. If it's near five years old, or your roof has changed since, get a new inspection first.
