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What is a wind mitigation inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection lets home insurance companies know how well your home can withstand hurricane-strength winds — and can help you save on your home insurance premiums.
How much money can you save on home insurance with a wind mitigation inspections?
A positive risk rating in your wind mitigation inspection report can save you anywhere from 3% to 55% on the wind portion of your home insurance policy.
How much does a wind mitigation inspection cost?
A wind mitigation inspection typically cost from $99 to $150, though exact pricing will vary depending on where you live. These inspections usually take around an hour to complete, and you will receive a copy of the report that you can send to your insurance company.
Do I need to get a wind mitigation inspection to qualify for home insurance?
No, wind mitigation inspections are not legally required to purchase a home insurance policy. However, most insurance companies require you to get an inspection if you want to take advantage of its mitigation discounts to lower your insurance premiums.
How long is a wind mitigation inspection report good for?
Wind mitigation inspection reports are good for five years from the date of inspection.
However, if you made mitigation improvements to your home during those five years, you’ll want to have another inspection to ensure you’re receiving the highest discount possible on your home insurance premiums.
What are the wind mitigation improvements to my house that will qualify me for the highest discount on my home insurance policy?
The wind mitigation inspection report is formatted to observe 7 items of you property. These 7 items determine how well your house can withstand hurricane winds.
To maximize discounts on your home insurance policy, you need to understand the 7 questions that are answered on the wind mitigation inspection report.
The first item is Florida Building Code.
If your house was built before March 1st 2002 you cannot receive this first discount, plain and simple.
The second item is about Florida Building Code Regarding Your Roof.
This is similar to the first question. If your roof permit was applied for before March 1st 2002 then you would not qualify for this discount. But if you get a new roof you would qualify for this discount.
The third item is about the Roof Decking Attachment.
This indicates how strong the roof deck is attached to your roof trusses. If you have a new roof you qualify for this discount. If your roof is older you may not qualify for this discount based on how long the roof nails are and how far apart they are spaced.
The fourth item is the Roof To Wall Attachment.
This determines how well your roof is attached to the exterior walls of your house. The highest discount in this category is a double wrap, a single wrap, clips and structural attachment. If you home trusses are “Toe-Nailed”, which is the method of using nails to connect trusses to the exterior wall instead of metal straps, then you would not qualify for the highest discount here.
The fifth item is the Roof Geometry.
In order to qualify for this discount your roof must be at least 90% of a hip roof shape. The home inspector will measure to determine the roof shape percentage. A hip roof shape is considered the strongest geometrical design against hurricane wind force.
The sixth item is Secondary Water Resistance.
All roof installations are required to have a secondary water barrier, but not a resistant barrier. Secondary water resistance (SWR) is a peel and stick layer that self-adheres to your roof decking. Furthermore, when shingle nails are driven through SWR the SWR is able to water proof those holes. To determine if you have an SWR, call a home inspector or ask your roofer. If you don’t have an SWR you will have to replace your roof in order to receive this discount.
The seventh and last item is your Opening Protection.
You can qualify for this discount if all windows and doors (including garage doors) are protected by either a shutter or are impact rated windows or doors. All shutters or impact rated windows and doors must have documentation. Special Note: The impact rating must be documented with the words “Large Missile Impact Rated”. Any windows without documentation prohibit the discount.