Wind Mitigation Inspections: How a New Roof Lowers Your Insurance Bill

Most Florida homeowners know their insurance bill is high. Fewer know that part of it is determined by a checklist — and that a new roof is one of the few times you can move several items on that checklist at once.

What a wind mitigation inspection actually is

A licensed inspector visits your home and completes the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802), documenting specific wind-resistant features. This isn't a courtesy discount insurers hand out if they feel like it — Florida law makes these credits mandatory. If a licensed inspector documents the features on the form, your insurer is required to apply the corresponding discount to your premium.

What it checks that involves your roof

Several of the form's highest-value categories are roof-specific:

• Roof covering type and the permit date it was installed under
• Roof deck attachment — how the decking is fastened down
• Roof-to-wall connections — clips, single wraps, double wraps, or straps
• Secondary water resistance (SWR) — a sealed underlayment system that keeps water out even if the roof covering is damaged
• Roof shape — hip roofs generally score better than gable roofs for wind resistance

What changed with the 2026 form update

A revised version of the form (Rev. 04/26) became mandatory for all inspections conducted on or after April 1, 2026, following the state's 2024 residential wind-loss mitigation study. The update tightened documentation standards significantly — inspectors now need to support nearly every answer with photo evidence, not just a visual check. It also added performance-based retrofit options for roof-to-wall attachment methods, meaning a documented, manufacturer-spec retrofit can now qualify for credit based on tested wind-uplift capacity, not just the type of connector visible.

Why a reroof is your best opportunity to move the score

Roof covering, deck attachment, and secondary water resistance can all be freshly documented as compliant at the moment of a reroof — but only if the proposal actually specifies the methods that qualify. A contractor's estimate that's silent on SWR, or that doesn't specify a compliant nailing pattern for deck attachment, may get you a new roof without moving your wind mitigation score at all.

What to do about it

Before you sign, ask specifically whether secondary water resistance is included and what product will be used. Ask how the deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections will be documented for the permit file. After the reroof passes final inspection, schedule a wind mitigation inspection and send the updated form to your insurer — the discount isn't automatic just because the roof is new; it has to be documented and submitted.

This is exactly the kind of detail we check when we review a roofing estimate — not just whether the price is fair, but whether the proposal actually specifies what you'd need to qualify for these credits, rather than just getting a roof back on the house.