Wind Mitigation Inspection in Miami: How Much You Can Actually Save in 2026

If you own a home in Miami-Dade or Broward County and you’ve never had a wind mitigation inspection done, you’re almost certainly leaving money on the table — sometimes $1,000, sometimes $4,000 or more, every single year. The inspection costs $125–$225 and pays back the cost many times over in the first year alone for most homes. As of April 2026, Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation updated the official form (OIR-B1-1802), and the new version recognizes more mitigation credits than the previous one — meaning even if you’ve had an inspection in the past, getting a refreshed one in 2026 may unlock additional discounts.

This post walks through what a wind mitigation inspection actually documents, the seven credit categories that determine your savings, what’s changed in the 2026 form, and real-world examples of what Miami homeowners are saving. I’m a Florida-licensed roofing contractor and HAAG-Certified Residential Inspector — this is the stuff I see every week on Miami roofs.

What a Wind Mitigation Inspection Actually Is

A wind mitigation inspection is a documented assessment of your home’s hurricane-resistant features. The inspector evaluates seven specific construction characteristics that affect how well your home will hold up in a windstorm, then completes the official OIR-B1-1802 form and submits it to your insurance carrier. The carrier uses that form to calculate which mitigation discounts apply to the wind portion of your homeowners insurance premium.

The wind portion of a Florida policy is usually 50–75% of the total premium, so discounts here are significant. The state-mandated discount structure means insurers have to apply credits when the documentation supports them — they’re not optional. But you have to file the form to get the credits.

What’s New in the 2026 Wind Mitigation Form

The current OIR-B1-1802 form became mandatory April 1, 2026. Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation updated it based on the 2024 Residential Wind-Loss Mitigation Study. The key changes most homeowners care about:

• More granular roof-deck attachment criteria. The new form recognizes additional fastener patterns and decking attachment methods that qualify for credits, especially for homes built in the 2000s and 2010s.
• Updated secondary water resistance (SWB) categories. The form now distinguishes between different types of SWB systems more precisely.
• Clarified opening protection documentation. Requirements for impact-rated windows, doors, garage doors, and hurricane shutters are more specific.
• Revised roof-to-wall connection classifications. The form’s clip, single-wrap, and double-wrap categories now have clearer criteria, reducing the gray area where homes could end up under-classified.

Practical impact: if your last wind mitigation inspection was on the pre-2026 form, your home may qualify for additional credits under the new criteria. A refreshed inspection is often worth the $125–$225 cost.

The Seven Credit Categories

Each section of the form ties directly to an insurance credit. Here’s what the inspector documents in each, what it means, and what’s typically claimable in Miami-Dade and Broward.

1. Building Code. When your home was built relative to the applicable Florida Building Code. Homes built to the 2001 Florida Building Code or later get credits the previous code era doesn’t. For Miami-Dade, the HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone) code applies — homes built to HVHZ code get the strongest credits.

2. Roof Covering. The material on your roof, when it was installed, and whether it has current Miami-Dade NOA (Notice of Acceptance) approval. A new roof installed to current code typically resets this category to the strongest credit.

3. Roof Deck Attachment. How the plywood or OSB deck is fastened to the roof framing. Nail pattern, fastener size, and fastener type all matter. The 2026 form recognizes more attachment categories than the old one — a refresh inspection often catches credits the old form missed.

4. Roof-to-Wall Connection. How the roof framing attaches to the wall framing. The categories run from clips (weakest) through single wraps, double wraps, and structural connections (strongest). Most Miami homes built in the 1990s and later have at least clips; newer construction usually has wraps. This is the credit category most often misidentified by less-trained inspectors.

5. Roof Geometry. The shape of your roof. Hip roofs (sloped on all four sides) are the most wind-resistant and get the strongest credit. Gable roofs (with vertical end walls) are weaker. Flat and mixed geometries fall in between.

6. Secondary Water Resistance (SWB). Whether there’s a continuous water-resistant barrier installed under the roof covering. Self-adhering peel-and-stick underlayment, foam adhesive systems, and other approved SWBs qualify. Standard 30# felt under tile or shingle does not. This is one of the most commonly missed credits.

7. Opening Protection. Impact-rated windows, doors, garage doors, and hurricane shutters. The form distinguishes between Hurricane (Class A/Large Missile), Basic (Class B), and Unprotected. Full hurricane-rated opening protection on every opening unlocks the strongest credit in this category.

Real-World Miami Savings Examples

These are typical, not guaranteed — your savings depend on your specific carrier and policy. But the pattern is consistent across most Florida insurance carriers:

Example A: 2005 Pinecrest home, hip roof, hurricane straps, no SWB, no impact glass. Wind premium portion was $2,800/year before inspection. After the inspection documented hip-roof geometry and roof-to-wall straps, discounts brought it to roughly $1,800. Annual savings: about $1,000.

Example B: 2012 Doral home, hip roof, hurricane straps, SWB, partial impact glass. Wind premium was $3,400/year. After full documentation of geometry, attachment, SWB, and partial opening protection, discounts brought it to roughly $1,500. Annual savings: about $1,900.

Example C: 2018 South Miami home built to current HVHZ code, hip roof, full impact-rated openings. Wind premium was $4,200/year. With every credit category documented at the strongest level, the premium dropped to about $750. Annual savings: about $3,450.

Example D: 1990 Coconut Grove home, mixed gable/hip, original underlayment, no impact glass. Wind premium was $3,100/year. Limited credits applied, discounts brought it to roughly $2,500. Annual savings: about $600 — and the inspection itself told the homeowner exactly what to upgrade to capture more credits in the future.

Even the homes that don’t qualify for many credits benefit, because the inspection tells you exactly what’s missing — which often points to high-ROI upgrades worth doing the next time you replace your roof or windows.

Why a HAAG-Certified Inspector Matters Here

The wind mitigation form looks like a checkbox exercise. It isn’t. The inspector has to correctly identify roof-to-wall connection type, distinguish SWB from standard underlayment, evaluate fastener patterns from limited visual access, and photograph everything in a way the insurance carrier will accept.

A field inspector who isn’t trained in roofing systems often misses credits — particularly the SWB category and the roof-to-wall connection category, which together can be worth thousands of dollars per year. We’ve seen homes where a previous inspection categorized the roof-to-wall connection as “clips” when it was actually “single wrap” — that error alone was costing the homeowner about $1,200 per year.

A HAAG-Certified Inspector with active roofing-contractor licensing reads the roof correctly the first time. That’s why this matters.

How Often You Should Have It Done

The OIR-B1-1802 form is valid for up to five years, provided no material changes are made to the home. Reasons to get a new inspection inside the five-year window:

• You replaced your roof (new roof covering, often new SWB, often new fasteners — usually triggers credit category upgrades)
• You installed impact windows or doors
• Your last inspection was on the pre-2026 form (the new form recognizes more credits)
• Your insurance premium recently went up significantly and you want documentation to challenge the rate

If your last inspection was more than five years ago, you’re due regardless.

What an Inspection Costs and How to Schedule

Wind mitigation inspections in Miami-Dade and Broward typically cost $125–$225, with results delivered within 24–48 hours. Bundled with a 4-point inspection (often required by carriers for homes 20+ years old), the combined cost is typically $200–$325.

For most Miami homeowners paying $2,500–$5,000 annually in wind premium, the inspection pays for itself many times over in the first year.

Schedule a wind mitigation inspection by calling (305) 894-6575, or learn more on our wind mitigation inspection service page. We also offer 4-point inspections and bundle discounts for both.

Andrew Babeu is a Florida-licensed roofing contractor (License CCC1337074) and HAAG-Certified Residential Inspector. BGI Roofing LLC serves Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.