A wind mitigation inspection is a $75–$150 visit that routinely unlocks hundreds of dollars in annual insurance credits — and it’s the gateway document for My Safe Florida Home grants. Here’s exactly what happens, what it costs, what the inspector looks for, and how the money flows afterward.
Expect roughly $75–$150 from licensed private inspectors, 30–60 minutes on site, and a completed Uniform Mitigation Verification form (OIR-B1-1802) delivered within days. Through the My Safe Florida Home program, the same inspection is free when program funding is active — the smart first stop before paying privately.
The 1802 form covers seven categories: roof covering (age and installation standard), roof deck attachment (nail size and spacing), roof-to-wall connection (toe nails vs clips vs single or double wraps — the biggest single credit), roof geometry (hip roofs earn more), secondary water resistance, opening protection (impact-rated windows, doors, and shutters — the category you can most easily upgrade), and gable-end bracing where applicable. You earn credits for what EXISTS; the report doubles as your upgrade shopping list.
Florida law requires insurers to credit documented mitigation features. Real-world results vary by home, insurer, and county, but hundreds per year is routine and four-figure annual savings happen on wind-heavy policies with strong feature sets. Against a sub-$150 inspection, payback is typically measured in months — then repeats every renewal. Full credit mechanics live in our complete wind mitigation guide.
Inspection first, always. It costs little or nothing, unlocks credits immediately, and becomes your required ticket if MSFH grant funding opens — the queue rewards homeowners whose paperwork already exists. There is no scenario where waiting helps.
Using an unlicensed “inspector” whose form insurers reject; losing the 1802 (insurers want the current form, typically valid five years); assuming your insurer applied credits automatically — SEND the form and confirm the discount line by line; and upgrading openings without impact-rated, code-approved products that actually earn the credit. On that last one — impact doors and windows are our trade: free quote here, and we’ll make sure what you install is what the form rewards.