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Every Florida homeowner pays for windstorm risk — but only homeowners with a wind mitigation inspection on file get credit for the features that reduce it. If you’ve never had one, your insurer is rating your home as if it has no storm protection at all, and you’re paying the maximum wind rate by default.

What the credits are worth

Florida law (Statute 627.0629) requires insurers to discount premiums for wind-resistant construction features. The credits apply to the windstorm portion of your premium — in Palm Beach and Broward County, that’s typically the largest share of the bill. Depending on your home’s features and carrier, documented credits commonly cut hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. The inspection itself is a one-time cost that’s usually recovered within the first months of savings, and the report is generally accepted for up to five years.

What earns the biggest credits

• Roof shape: hip roofs (sloped on all sides) carry one of the largest single credits on the form.
• Roof deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections: ring-shank nailing and hurricane clips or straps — documented with attic photos.
• A newer roof: coverings installed to the current Florida Building Code, especially with sealed-deck secondary water resistance.
• Opening protection: impact windows, rated shutters, and reinforced garage doors on every opening.

Just replaced your roof? Don’t skip this.

A reroof resets your credit profile: new covering, new deck nailing, and modern underlayment are exactly what the form measures. Homeowners often see their single biggest premium drop right after a roof replacement — but only if a new inspection documents it. If your wind mitigation form predates your current roof, you’re leaving the biggest credits unclaimed.

How the inspection works

A qualified inspector spends about 30–45 minutes onsite, photographs the roof and attic connections, and completes the state’s OIR-B1-1802 form. You hand that form to your insurance agent, and the credits apply at your next renewal — some carriers apply them mid-term. SeaBreeze Roofing performs wind mitigation inspections across Palm Beach and Broward County as a State-Certified General Contractor (CGC-1521632), with the signed form and photo pages delivered fast.