What is a wind mitigation inspection? What the inspector looks at on a Vero Beach home, in plain English

If you have bought a house in Vero Beach, or shopped for homeowners insurance lately, someone has probably asked you for a "wind mit." It sounds technical. It is really just a checklist about how well your house is built to handle wind.

This article explains what that checklist looks at, who is allowed to fill it out, and what changed this year. It does not tell you what your insurance should cost. That part is between you and your agent.

What a wind mitigation inspection is

Florida law requires insurers to tell homeowners, when a policy is issued and at each renewal, about the windstorm mitigation discounts and credits they offer. To prove which wind-resistant features a house has, insurers use one uniform form that the state adopts by rule. That form is what the inspector fills out.

So the inspection is not a pass or fail. It is a record. The inspector looks at the house, checks a box for what is actually there, and attaches photos. Your insurer then decides what, if anything, that record means for your policy.

What the inspector looks at

The current form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), covers these features, according to a summary of the revised form published by Simpson Strong-Tie and a Citizens Property Insurance bulletin to agents:

• Building code: which version of the code was in force when the permit for the house was applied for.
• Region: now based on the design wind speed for your location.
• Roof slope: the pitch of the main roof. On a single-family home with more than one slope, each slope must be marked.
• Roof covering: the type of shingle, tile or metal, and the paperwork showing it met code.
• Roof deck attachment: how the plywood or boards are nailed to the roof framing. The form records the weakest method found.
• Roof-to-wall attachment: how the roof framing is tied to the walls, such as toe nails, clips, single wraps or double wraps. Again, the weakest connection found is the one that counts.
• Roof geometry: whether the roof is a hip roof, a gable roof or another shape.
• Secondary water resistance: whether there is a sealed layer under the roof covering that helps keep water out if shingles blow off.
• Opening protection: whether windows, doors, skylights and garage doors are protected from wind-borne debris.

That is why the inspector heads for the attic with a flashlight. The roof deck nails and the roof-to-wall connections are only visible from inside. Outside, they look at the roof covering, the roof shape, and every opening in the walls.

What changed in 2026

Citizens told its agents in a March 19, 2026 bulletin that the revised form took effect April 1, 2026, and that inspections done on or after that date must use it. The update changed how several features are recorded, added FORTIFIED Home Roof, Silver and Gold certificates as eligible for certain features, and switched the region question to design wind speed.

The Simpson Strong-Tie summary adds that the new form allows performance-based options for roof-to-wall connections. A tested retrofit product can be judged on its documented uplift capacity, as long as it is installed to the manufacturer's instructions and documented. It lists minimums of 535 pounds for single wraps and 891 pounds for double wraps.

If you have an older form, Citizens says it will still accept the previous version (Rev. 01/12) if the structure has not changed and the form was completed within five years before April 1, 2026. Citizens also says the change does not affect the credits it currently offers. Other insurers may have their own rules, so ask your agent.

Who is allowed to sign the form

Florida Statute 627.711 says insurers must accept the form when it is signed by one of these:

• A licensed home inspector who has completed at least 3 hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and passed a proficiency exam.
• A certified building code inspector.
• A licensed general, building or residential contractor.
• A licensed professional engineer.
• A licensed architect.

Insurers can accept other people they consider qualified, but they do not have to. The person who signs must personally inspect the house. Engineers and contractors may send a direct employee instead, and they are responsible for that employee's work. The law also bars inspectors from paying insurance agents for referrals, and it makes knowingly using a false form to get a discount a misdemeanor.

What to do before your inspection

1. Ask the inspector which license they hold, then look it up yourself on myfloridalicense.com before the appointment.
2. Clear a path to the attic hatch, usually in a closet or the garage, so the inspector can get in and take photos.
3. Gather paperwork: your roof permit, the product approval or invoice for your roof covering, and any paperwork for impact windows, doors or shutters. The roof covering section of the form asks about compliance documents.
4. If you have a FORTIFIED certificate, have a copy ready, since the new form recognizes it for certain features.
5. Make sure shutters or panels are where the inspector can see them, along with any labels on windows and doors.
6. Keep a copy of the finished form and its photos in your house file. The Simpson Strong-Tie summary says the form is valid for five years, and it advises keeping your supporting documents for that period.

One more tip: read the form when you get it. If a box does not match what you know about your house, ask the inspector about it right away. The form is a record of your home, and you want it to be accurate.