Wind Mitigation Inspection in Orlando: What Homeowners Need to Know

If you own a home in Orlando, you have probably heard that a wind mitigation inspection can lower homeowners insurance. That is possible, but the useful version of the story is more specific: the inspection does not create a discount by itself. It documents qualifying construction features, and your insurance company uses those verified features to determine the credits available under its approved rating plan.

Florida law requires personal-lines residential insurers to notify policyholders about available hurricane-loss-mitigation discounts and to use the state's uniform mitigation verification process. The form used for that process is the OIR-B1-1802 Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. As of April 1, 2026, Florida requires the updated Rev. 04/26 form for new inspections.

What Is a Wind Mitigation Inspection?

A wind mitigation inspection is a documented evaluation of features that affect how a home is expected to perform during strong wind. The qualified inspector records the findings on Florida's OIR-B1-1802 form and includes supporting photographs or documentation for the features being verified.

The completed form can then be submitted to the homeowner's insurance company. Under Florida Statute 627.711, insurers must recognize a valid uniform mitigation verification form signed by an authorized mitigation inspector. The actual premium impact, however, is determined by the insurer's approved rates and the specific features documented on the property.

That distinction matters. A wind mitigation inspection is not a pass-or-fail roof inspection, and there is no single universal "wind mitigation score" that every carrier uses the same way.

Florida Changed the Form in 2026

The Florida Department of Financial Services states that the revised OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) must be used for inspections performed on or after April 1, 2026. The revised form is more detailed than the older version and requires documentation for the items being verified.

The current form reviews nine areas:

You can review the current requirements through the Florida Department of Financial Services wind mitigation resources.

Why Wind Mitigation Matters for Orlando Homeowners

Wind coverage is a meaningful part of a Florida homeowners policy, so documenting qualifying mitigation features can affect the wind-related portion of the premium. The exact dollar amount is not something a roofing contractor can promise, and it can vary substantially from one property and carrier to another.

Instead of relying on a generic savings estimate, ask your insurance agent two direct questions: Do I already have a valid wind mitigation form on file? and Which credits are currently being applied to my policy? If the form is missing, expired or no longer reflects improvements to the home, a new inspection may be worth considering.

Florida's current form is valid for up to five years, provided no material changes have been made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found. A roof replacement, structural retrofit or opening-protection upgrade can be a reason to obtain a new inspection before the existing form reaches that five-year limit because the older report may not document the newer work.

What Roof Features Can Affect the Inspection?

Roof covering and code documentation

The inspector identifies the roof covering, such as asphalt shingle, concrete or clay tile, metal, built-up roofing or membrane, and records information used to verify code or product-approval compliance. The 2026 form specifically asks for the permit application date, Florida or Miami-Dade product approval information and the year of original installation or replacement.

A newer roof can make this documentation easier to establish, but "newer" is not itself a blanket wind-mitigation category. What matters is what the form can verify about the installation.

Roof deck attachment

This section looks at how plywood, OSB or another deck system is attached to the trusses or rafters. Nail type, spacing, deck thickness and verified uplift resistance can all matter. A reroof may include deck-renailing work when required or specified, but homeowners should not assume every roof replacement automatically changes the deck-attachment category.

Roof-to-wall attachment

This is the connection between the roof framing and the wall structure. The form distinguishes between conditions such as toenails, clips, single wraps, double wraps and other engineered or structural connections.

This is also one of the places where the original article needed an important correction: replacing the roof covering does not automatically upgrade the roof-to-wall connection. Those structural connections can remain exactly as they were unless specific enhancement work is performed.

Roof geometry

The inspection documents the roof's shape using the definitions on the state form. A hip roof must meet the form's perimeter requirements to be classified as hip. The inspector, not the homeowner or roofing sales representative, determines the classification from the actual structure.

Sealed roof deck / secondary water resistance

A qualifying sealed roof deck, sometimes called secondary water resistance or SWR, is intended to reduce water intrusion if the roof covering is lost during a wind event. The current form recognizes specific qualifying assemblies. Standard underlayment by itself should not automatically be described as SWR.

Opening protection

Wind mitigation is not only about the roof. The form also evaluates protection for openings including windows, entry doors, sliding glass doors, skylights and garage doors. Documentation matters here too. A product that looks impact resistant is not necessarily verified as qualifying protection without the required evidence.

Does a New Roof Automatically Mean More Insurance Credits?

No. A roof replacement can improve some of the information documented on a wind mitigation form, but it does not automatically improve every category.

For example, a properly permitted replacement may establish current roof-covering compliance. The project may also include deck fastening or a qualifying sealed roof deck, depending on the actual scope. But the home's roof geometry does not change just because shingles were replaced, and the roof-to-wall connections may not change unless they were specifically evaluated and upgraded.

If you are considering a roof replacement in Orlando, ask what will actually be included in the scope: roof-covering system, deck repairs or renailing where applicable, underlayment type, permits, product approvals and any specifically requested structural enhancements. Those records can be useful when the wind mitigation inspection is completed later.

Who Can Perform a Wind Mitigation Inspection in Florida?

Florida Statute 627.711 identifies the professionals whose signed forms insurers must accept when the statutory requirements are met. The list includes certain trained licensed home inspectors, certified building code inspectors, licensed general, building or residential contractors, professional engineers, professional architects, and other individuals or entities the insurer recognizes as qualified.

A common oversimplification is to say that any licensed roofing contractor can sign the form simply because the inspection involves a roof. The current statutory list does not say that. A roofing professional may separately hold a qualifying license, but the credential used to sign the OIR-B1-1802 must meet the state's requirements or be accepted by the insurer.

JA Edwards of America is a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor and Certified General Contractor, but our standard free roof inspection in Orlando should not be confused with the OIR-B1-1802 wind mitigation inspection used by an insurance carrier. Our roof inspection is designed to evaluate the condition of the roofing system, document visible issues and help determine whether repair or replacement is appropriate.

When Should You Consider Getting a New Inspection?

A new wind mitigation inspection can make sense when the current insurance file no longer reflects the home accurately. Common examples include:

• You do not know whether your insurer has a valid OIR-B1-1802 on file.
• Your existing wind mitigation report is approaching or beyond its five-year validity period.
• You recently replaced the roof.
• You added qualifying opening protection, such as documented impact-rated windows, doors or shutters.
• You completed roof-to-wall, roof-deck or sealed-roof-deck improvements.
• Your agent tells you that the policy does not currently reflect mitigation features you believe the home has.

If the existing form is still valid and nothing on the property has changed, replacing it early may not create a benefit. Your insurance agent can tell you what is already on file before you pay for another inspection.

What the Inspection Process Looks Like

Citizens Property Insurance, for example, states that its underwriters review mitigation forms and supporting documents and may verify the inspection when allowed by Florida law. That is another reason documentation matters just as much as the boxes checked on the form.

What If Your Home Has an Older Roof?

An older roof does not automatically make a wind mitigation inspection useless. Several features on the form are independent of the roof covering's age. A home can still have documented roof geometry, roof-to-wall connections or opening protection that may be relevant to the insurer's mitigation rating.

At the same time, an inspection should not be sold as a guaranteed path to savings. The current OIR form itself notes that some listed items may not qualify for a discount. If the roof is aging or has visible problems, the more urgent question may be condition rather than mitigation credits.

That is where a professional roof inspection and a wind mitigation inspection serve different purposes. One helps you understand the roofing system's condition. The other documents specific construction features for insurance rating.

How JA Edwards of America Can Help

JA Edwards of America has served Central Florida since 2004 and operates from our Orlando office at 220 Weber St. We are a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1334804), Certified General Contractor (CGC1534283), GAF Master Elite contractor and GAF President's Club 3-Star contractor.

If you are replacing a roof, our team can provide the roofing documentation associated with the project and explain the work that was actually completed. If you are not sure whether the roof needs replacement in the first place, start with a free roof inspection in Orlando. We will inspect the roofing system, document what we find and give you a written recommendation based on the roof's condition.

For the insurance credit itself, the completed wind mitigation form should be reviewed with your insurance agent or carrier. They determine which documented features qualify under your policy and what premium effect, if any, applies.