Wind Mitigation Inspection

Hurricanes have caused tens of billions of dollars in insured damages and predictions of more catastrophic hurricanes making landfall in Florida have triggered increases in insurance premiums to cover potential future losses. In addition to reducing your hurricane wind premium by installing mitigation features, you may also reduce the likelihood of out of pocket expenses, such as your hurricane deductible, you may otherwise incur after a catastrophic event.

Establishing Your Premium

Below are the factors considered in establishing your premium:

Your location:

The closer a home is to the coast, the more vulnerable it is to damage caused by hurricane winds. This makes the hurricane-wind premium higher than for similar homes in other areas of the state.

Your policy:

Your insurance policy is divided into two premiums: one for damage caused by hurricane force winds (hurricane-wind) and one for all other damage (all perils), such as fire.

Your deductible:

Under the law, you are allowed to choose a $500, 2%, 5% or 10% deductible, depending on the actual value of your home. The larger your deductible, the lower your hurricane-wind premium. However, if you select a higher deductible your out-of-pocket expenses in the event of a hurricane claim will be higher.

Improvements to your home:

The state requires insurance companies to offer discounts for protecting your home against damage caused by hurricane winds. Securing your roof so it doesn't blow off and protecting your windows from flying debris are the two most cost effective measures you can take to safeguard your home and reduce your hurricane wind premium. These discounts apply only to the hurricane-wind portion of your policy. The costs of the improvement projects vary. Homeowners should contact a licensed contractor for an estimate. You can find a Certified Contractor in your area by visiting the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation online at www.myfloridalicense.com.

Your maximum discount:

Discounts are not calculated cumulatively. The total discount is not the sum of the individual discounts. Instead, when one discount is applied, other discounts are reduced until you reach your maximum discount of XX%.

How can I take advantage of the discounts?

Homeowners will need a qualified inspector such as a general, building, or residential contractor licensed under Section 489.111, Florida Statutes, or a professional engineer licensed under Section 471.015, Florida Statutes, who has passed the appropriate equivalency test of the Building Code training program as required by Section 553.841, Florida Statutes, or a professional architect licensed under Section 481.213, Florida Statutes, or a building code inspector certified under Section 468.607, to inspect the home to identify potential mitigation measures and verify improvements. For a listing of individuals and/or inspection companies meeting these qualifications contact your insurance agent or insurance company.