Homeowners insurance is one of the biggest costs of owning a home in Florida. One of the most effective ways to lower it is something many homeowners have never heard of: the wind mitigation inspection. If you’re upgrading to impact windows and doors before the 2027 hurricane season, here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection is a short visit from a licensed inspector who documents the features of your home that help it resist hurricane winds. The results are recorded on a standard state form (the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802), which you send to your insurance company.
Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts or credits for wind-resistant features that are documented. Depending on your home and your policy, those credits can make a noticeable difference in your annual premium.
What the Inspector Looks At
- Roof covering: the type of roof and whether it meets current building code
- Roof deck attachment: how the roof decking is nailed down
- Roof-to-wall attachment: clips, straps or wraps that connect the roof to the walls
- Roof shape: hip roofs generally perform better than gable roofs
- Secondary water resistance: an extra barrier under the roof covering
- Opening protection: whether your windows, doors, skylights and garage doors are protected
Where Impact Windows and Doors Come In
Opening protection is the part of the inspection that impact windows and doors directly affect. To receive the best opening protection credit, generally every glazed opening needs to be protected with approved impact-rated products or approved shutters. That includes:
- Windows
- Sliding glass doors
- Entry doors with glass
- Garage doors
- Skylights
This is why homeowners who replace only some of their windows may not see the full insurance benefit. If your budget means doing the project in phases, talk with your installer and insurance agent about which openings to do first.
Keep Your Paperwork
The inspector needs to verify that your products are approved for impact protection. Keep these documents together:
- Your installation contract and final invoice
- The building permit and final inspection approval
- Product approval numbers (Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA) for your windows and doors
- Any labels on the glass or frames, which you shouldn’t remove until the inspection is complete
At Four Seasons, we give you the documentation for your installed products so the inspection goes smoothly.
Step by Step: From Installation to Savings
- Install impact windows and doors on all openings, with permits.
- Pass the final permit inspection with your city or county.
- Schedule a wind mitigation inspection with a licensed inspector.
- Send the completed form to your insurance agent and ask them to apply any credits.
- Review your next renewal to confirm the credits are reflected.
A Note on Savings
Every home and every policy is different. The amount you save depends on your insurer, your home’s other features, your location and your coverage. Your insurance agent is the best person to estimate what your credits could be worth. Florida has also offered state programs in the past to help homeowners pay for hardening upgrades, so it is worth checking whether any program is currently accepting applications.
Protect Your Home and Your Budget
Upgrading to impact windows and doors is an investment in your home’s safety, comfort and value, and it can help with insurance costs too. Get started before the 2027 season.
Call us for a free estimate:
Brevard: (321) 441-9393
Volusia: (386) 285-8811
Orange: (407) 214-9314
This article is for general information only and is not insurance or legal advice. Contact your insurance agent for details about your policy.
