What your insurance agent calls a “wind letter” or “wind mitigation form” is officially known as the “Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form.” The purpose of the form is to verify hurricane-resistant structural features of your home so that you can receive insurance discounts on the windstorm portion of your homeowner’s policy. You cannot do the inspection yourself. It must be completed by a Florida-licensed contractor, home inspector, architect, or engineer, and includes photos that document the wind-resistant features found by the inspector.

   Here are the things that comprise the inspection:

1. Roof Covering. Does the roof meet the 2001 Florida Building Code? Roofs installed after March 1st, 2002 meet this criterion.
2. Roof Deck Attachment. How is the roof deck (typically plywood sheathing) attached to the trusses or rafters below?
3. Roof To Wall Attachment. How are the trusses or rafters attached to the wall below?
4. Roof Geometry. What shape is the roof? The best shape for hurricane resistance is a hip roof (roof sloped inward on all sides).
5. Secondary Water Resistance. Typically this would be a self-adhered modified bitumen roofing underlayment (such as Grace Ice and Water Shield) or a foam barrier. Secondary water resistance is not usually added in residential construction, but it does get you a nice discount.
6. Opening Protection. What type of hurricane shutters or impact resistant windows and doors are installed in the home?

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about INSURANCE:

* Could faulty work or lack of a building permit for home improvements cause an insurance company to deny a claim?

• Why is a fuse box/panel an insurance problem for homebuyers?

• How is Citizens Property Insurance different from other Florida homeowners insurance companies?  

• Do I need a home inspection to get insurance? 

• Is the 4-point insurance inspection strictly pass or fail?

• Is a wind mitigation inspection report (OIR-B1-1802) required for homeowners insurance in Florida? 

• Which building permit date is used for the Building Code section of the wind mitigation form? 

• What are the different roof deck attachment discount categories for a wind mitigation inspection?

• What determines the year of a house? 

• What is the difference between a toe nail, clip, single wrap, and double wrap for the wind mitigation form?

• Should I give a copy of the home inspection report to the bank or insurance company? 

• How do I get the hip roof discount for my homeowners windstorm insurance?

• How do I get my home ready for a four point inspection for insurance?

• Can I do my own wind mitigation inspection?  

• Will a house without air conditioning pass a 4 point inspection?  

• What’s the difference between a gable and hip roof for my insurance? 

• Why does my homeowner's insurance want a four point inspection? 

• Which water pipes are an insurance problem and possibly uninsurable? 

• Why did I get no discounts or only a small discount from my wind mitigation inspection? 

• Why does my homeowner's insurance want a roof inspection? 

• Is it common for an insurance company to require an inspection? 

• How do I get insurance if my home can't pass a 4-point inspection? 

• How does a repaired sink hole under a house affect its market value?

       Visit our INSURANCE page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.