A wind mitigation inspection is a documented check of the features that help your home resist hurricane-force winds. Your insurer can use the results to apply any windstorm discounts it offers. A new roof can change several of those features, so it is worth understanding the process before you replace one. The size of any savings depends on your insurer, your policy and your home, so ask your insurance agent for specifics.
What a wind mitigation inspection is
Florida law requires insurers to include discounts, credits or other rate differentials for homes with features that reduce windstorm losses. Section 627.0629 of the Florida Statutes names roof strength, roof covering performance and roof-to-wall strength among the examples. The same section requires insurers to describe their hurricane mitigation discounts on their websites.
To document those features, Florida uses a standard document called the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, known as OIR-B1-1802. Under section 627.711, insurers must use this uniform form when applying wind discounts. A person qualified to sign it inspects the home and records what they find, with photos.
Who can complete the form
Section 627.711 lists the people an insurer must accept as signers. They include:
- A licensed home inspector who has completed hurricane mitigation training and a proficiency exam
- A certified building code inspector
- A licensed general, building or residential contractor
- A licensed professional engineer or architect
- Anyone else the insurer itself recognizes as qualified
The statute also says the signer must inspect the structure personally, not through employees or other persons — though a licensed engineer or contractor may authorise a qualified direct employee to carry out the inspection. Before you hire someone, confirm their license and ask your insurer or agent whether they accept that person’s form. Magnum does not offer wind mitigation inspections as a service on this site, so this article is general education only.
What the form looks at
The form records several features of the home. The ones most tied to the roof are below.
Roof covering
The inspector checks whether your roof covering meets Florida Building Code requirements. The form sets three alternative tests, and meeting any one of them is enough: the covering has an FBC or Miami-Dade product approval that was current when it was installed, or the roofing permit application is dated on or after 1 March 2002, or the roof is original and the home was built in 2004 or later. A separate test applies in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers Miami-Dade and Broward rather than Tampa Bay. This is why your permit paperwork and product approval numbers matter as much as the roof’s apparent age.
Roof deck attachment
This describes how the plywood or other decking is fastened to the rafters or trusses, including nail size and spacing. On a re-roof, the way the deck was attached may or may not be visible afterward, so ask your roofer what is documented.
Roof-to-wall connection
This records how the roof structure is tied to the walls, for example with clips, wraps or just toe-nails. A re-roof does not usually change this connection, because it is part of the home’s framing.
Roof shape
The form notes whether the roof is hip, gable or another shape. This is a design feature, so a replacement normally keeps the same shape.
Secondary water resistance
This asks whether the roof has a backup barrier against water if the outer covering is damaged, such as a self-adhering underlayment applied to the deck. It is one of the items you can influence during a replacement, and it is hard to verify afterward. Photos taken during installation can help.
Opening protection
The inspector also records whether windows, doors and garage doors have impact-rated glass, shutters or similar protection. This is separate from the roof.
Why a roof replacement changes the picture
Several of the items above, mainly roof covering, deck attachment and secondary water resistance, are decided when the roof is installed. A new roof permitted under the current building code may be recorded differently from an old one. That is why homeowners often get a new inspection after a replacement.
A few practical points follow from that:
- Ask what will be documented. Before work starts, ask your contractor whether the underlayment type, deck fastening and product approvals will be recorded, and whether progress photos will be taken.
- Keep your paperwork. The permit, final inspection sign-off, product approval numbers and photos are the evidence an inspector looks for.
- Schedule the inspection after the job is finished. Wait for the final building inspection to pass so the form reflects the completed roof.
- Compare materials by their documented wind performance. Our guide to roofing materials for extreme Florida weather is a starting point.
The 2026 revision of the form also makes FORTIFIED Home Roof, Silver and Gold certificates eligible for specific mitigation features, according to a Citizens Property Insurance bulletin. That bulletin also states plainly that the changes and new features "will not result in any difference to the credits available and applied at this time", so treat the certificate as documentation rather than as a discount. If you are interested in that program, ask your insurer how it treats those certificates.
How long the results last
The form itself states that a verification is valid for up to five years as long as no material changes have been made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found. Section 627.711 leaves the exact validity period to rulemaking. Citizens’ recent bulletin, for example, describes accepting a prior-version form if the home is unchanged and the inspection was completed within five years. Because a roof replacement is a material change, a report done before the work will not describe your new roof.
Also note that the form was revised effective April 1, 2026, to OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26). Inspections done on or after that date must use the new version.
What about the savings?
You will see roofing companies and inspection websites advertise large percentage savings. Those figures are not guaranteed, and they vary by insurer, home, location and which features qualify. The Florida statute requires discounts to be actuarially reasonable and sets no single number. The only reliable way to find out what you could save is to ask your insurer or agent for a quote with and without the mitigation credits. Your insurer’s website should also describe its discounts.
A sensible order of operations for Tampa Bay homeowners
- Ask your insurance agent which wind mitigation features your carrier credits and what documentation it wants.
- If you are planning a replacement, discuss those features with your roofer before the contract is signed. Our guide to evaluating roofing proposals can help you compare scopes.
- Keep the permit, final inspection and photos together.
- After the job passes final inspection, hire a qualified signer to complete the current form and send it to your insurer.
- Ask the insurer to confirm in writing how the new report changed your premium, if at all.
For background on the replacement process, see roof replacement in Tampa Bay, and for general insurance context see what homeowners should know about roof insurance claims in Florida. If you are not sure whether your roof needs replacing at all, here is what happens in a roof inspection.
FAQ
Is a wind mitigation inspection the same as a roof inspection?
No. A roof inspection looks at condition and damage. A wind mitigation inspection documents specific construction features for insurance purposes, including some that are not part of the roof.
Do I need a new inspection after a roof replacement?
Because the report describes the roof as it was on the inspection date, a previous report will not reflect new work. Ask your insurer whether it wants an updated form.
Will a new roof automatically lower my premium?
Not necessarily. A new roof may qualify for credits your insurer offers, but your premium also depends on many other factors. Ask your insurer.
Can my roofer sign the form?
Section 627.711 lists licensed general, building and residential contractors among those insurers must accept. Confirm the specific license type and your insurer’s acceptance first.
Next step
If you are weighing a replacement and want a professional look at your current roof, you can request a free roof inspection. This article is educational and is not insurance or legal advice. Check with your insurer or a licensed professional about your policy.
