How Can a Wind Mitigation save me money?? Here’s how…

Living in a coastal state, flirting with hurricanes and tropical stories every summer and fall, you are most assuredly familiar with a wind mitigation inspection. If you aren’t familiar with them, you may want to become so soon, they can give you a signification saving on your insurance.

Many property owners received wind mitigations to assess the preparedness of their homes and businesses in resisting the effects of windstorm damage or loss. These inspections are option and not required by insurances yet but the can save you a ton of money and more than pay for themselves!! Wind mitigation inspections are the only inspection that is almost guaranteed to result in some level of insurance discount on your insurance premium. In 2006, Florida became the first state in the nation to mandate that insurance companies offer some reduction insurance costs if a wind mitigation inspection is sought and certified upon review by a qualified inspector. A multitude of other coastal states have now followed Florida’s lead.

So now you’re wondering – Do I just get an inspection and save on insurance? And how much could a person stand to save??

The answer is it all depends on the features of your property. We as inspectors will evaluate the wind-mitigating characteristics of your home or business. Post inspection, we will make recommendations for any improvements or repairs to the property that you could make to enhance its sustainability against wind damage. We will then submit the inspection report to you and your insurance agent. In Florida, an average discount of 30% is typical, save a few hundred to over $1000 on your premium!

The 8 categories that Florida looks at to determine the safety feature on your home are:

1. Roof Covering: inspectors want to know when the roof was installed and does if it meets building codes. In Florida, the code standard was updated in 2001.

2. Roof Deck Attachment: inspectors will determine what type of roof decking is used and how it’s attached to the underlying structure, like if it’s nailed or stapled down. If nails are used, nail length and spacing between each will also be noted.

3. Roof to Wall Attachment: the roof attachments become the focus here: are trusses attached with nails or hurricane clips? Are the wraps single or double? The more secure your roof, the better impact on your wallet!

4. Roof Geometry: is your roof hip or not? Nope, the inspector won’t care how cool it is, just how it’s shaped – a hip roof resembles that of a pyramid, and is a definite qualifier for a discount.

5. Gable End Bracing: if the roof is a gable style, an inspector will review if the gable ends are braced to Florida Building Code standards. Gable ends measuring more than 48 inches tall should be braced for reinforcement, and inspectors will be checking for this qualification for discount.

6. Wall Construction Type: Inspectors will review the construction materials used on your home for framing, reinforcement, and outer fascia, and at what percentages. Steel reinforced concrete block homes may yield a better discount than one with a plywood-only frame and plastic siding.

7. Secondary Water Barrier: This is a newer item for roofs. If your roof was installed or upgraded before 2008, it’s fairly unlikely you’ll have this sort of barrier. As with most newer features, photo documentation, at a minimum, will be required for a discount in this area.

8. Opening Protection: Here, inspectors are looking for shutters and installed-protection devices from wind-born debris for doors and windows. They will also be checking the rating of the devices, if you have them (as in- are they hurricane-rated?). 100% of all openings need to be covered with Hurricane rated protection to qualify for this discount.

In the end have a wind mitigation inspection is totally up to you. However the cost-savings per year could more than outweigh the cost. Give us a call today to schedule yours!!