Wind Mitigation and 4-Point Inspections in Florida: Costs, Discounts and Roof Rules

A wind mitigation report lists the storm-resistant features of a Florida home so your insurer can apply the wind discounts state law requires. A 4-point inspection checks the roof, electrical, plumbing and air conditioning so an insurer can decide whether it will cover an older home at all. In Miami each one usually costs roughly $75 to $200, and a wind mitigation report can be used for up to five years if nothing changes.

The wind mitigation inspection

The report goes on a state form, the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802). A revised version, Rev. 04/26, has been required for inspections done on or after April 1, 2026. Citizens Property Insurance still accepts the older Rev. 01/12 form only if the inspection was done within five years before April 1, 2026 and the home has not changed. The form must be completed by a qualified Florida-licensed professional, such as a home inspector, contractor, engineer or architect.

The inspector documents:

• Building code: the code the home was permitted under. Miami-Dade and Broward are in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
• Roof covering and its permit date
• Roof deck attachment: how the plywood is nailed down
• Roof-to-wall attachment: toe nails, clips, single wraps or double wraps
• Roof shape: hip roofs score better than gable roofs
• Secondary water resistance: a sealed layer under the roof covering
• Opening protection: impact windows and doors, or approved shutters

The 2026 form also gives credit for FORTIFIED Home roof, Silver and Gold certificates, and it sets the region by design wind speed.

Florida law (section 627.0629) requires insurers to offer discounts for these features. The amount depends on the insurer. Wind coverage is a big part of a Miami premium, so a strong report can make a real difference. Inspectors need proof of what is installed. Keep the permits and Miami-Dade product approval papers (Notice of Acceptance, or NOA) for your windows, doors and shutters, because without them the inspector may not be able to give you credit.

The 4-point inspection

A 4-point inspection is not a full home inspection. It is an underwriting report on four systems: roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. Citizens requires one for homes more than 20 years old. Private insurers set their own age cutoffs, so ask your agent. Common problems that stop or delay a policy in South Florida:

• Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels, fuse boxes, or aluminum branch wiring
• Polybutylene supply pipes, which Citizens does not insure
• Galvanized pipes, active leaks, or an old water heater with no pan
• A roof near the end of its life, or signs of leaks

Quick comparison

Many inspectors bundle all three for less, so ask for a package price.

Roof age rules

Under section 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes:

• An insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old.
• For a roof 15 years or older, the insurer must let you get a roof inspection at your expense before requiring replacement. If the inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life left, the insurer cannot refuse solely because of age.

Citizens asks for proof of at least five years of remaining life on shingle roofs older than 25 years and on tile, metal or concrete roofs older than 50 years. If the roof has less than five years left, Citizens wants proof of a full replacement before writing the policy. Private carriers can still price an older roof higher, and quotes for the same house can vary a lot.

My Safe Florida Home: where it stands in late 2026

My Safe Florida Home, run by the Florida Department of Financial Services, offers a free wind mitigation inspection and matching grants of up to $10,000 for impact windows, doors and roof improvements. You pay the contractor first. The program reimburses you after the city or county signs off on the work and the program's inspector checks it.

Eligibility in the 2025–2026 cycle:

• An owner-occupied, site-built single-family home with a homestead exemption
• Originally permitted before January 1, 2008
• Insured value of $700,000 or less
• Low income (80% of the county median or less): no match required
• Moderate income (up to 120% of the median): the state pays $2 for every $1 you put in
• Above 120% of the median: not eligible

Funding status: lawmakers put $280 million into the program in 2025, and it reopened in August 2025 with priority windows by age and income. In May 2026, news reports said roughly $280 million was still undistributed and no new money was proposed for 2026. The 2026 state budget carried unspent balances forward. The program has opened and closed several times as money ran out, so check mysafeflhome.com for the current status before you count on a grant. Condo associations have a separate My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program.

Tips for buyers and sellers

1. Buyers: order the wind mitigation and 4-point reports inside your inspection period. Get real insurance quotes before that period ends.
2. Buyers: ask the seller for any existing wind mitigation report. If it is under five years old and nothing has changed, your insurer may accept it.
3. Sellers: get both reports before listing, so a buyer's insurer does not surprise you two weeks before closing.
4. Sellers: gather roof, window and electrical permits, and close any open ones first.

How we can help

We see these reports on almost every deal from Hialeah to Homestead and Key Largo, and we know which findings insurers in Miami-Dade and Broward care about. We will help you line up inspectors, read the reports and get insurance quotes in time. See our Florida home insurance guide, home inspection guide, open permits guide and homestead exemption guide, or contact us.

Frequently asked questions