If you have ever purchased and insured a home, you are likely familiar with the various inspections involved in the process. One of the most important and common of these inspections is called a Wind Mitigation Inspection. But what exactly are these inspections, and why do we need them?

We are all familiar with wind: a natural movement of air of any velocity. The term mitigation is defined as the action of reducing the severity of something (in this case: wind). Therefore, a wind mitigation inspection is a report verifying all the safety features of your property to help minimize the effects of windstorms. This includes whether a permit was pulled to install the roof, the nail spacing used to secure the shingles, how the trusses are attached to the property, the shape of the roof, if there is a secondary water resistance (SWR) layer under the shingles and if there are hurricane rated shutters or hurricane impact glass for all openings. Windows, entry doors, garage doors and skylights are all considered to be “openings”.

Now that we know what a wind mitigation is, let’s discuss why you need this inspection.

Who doesn’t like a discount, especially on something you already need to pay for? Wind Mitigation Inspections will provide a credit on your homeowners’ insurance policy based on any safety features mentioned above that are present at the time of the inspection.

But wait, wind mitigation inspections aren’t only for homeowners! Owners of a condominium or townhome unit can benefit, too. Even though you may not be responsible for the roof or exterior of the building, you can still receive a credit on your insurance policy for the safety features of the building in which your unit resides. Some condominium associations may have their own wind mitigation inspection they can provide to their unit owners. Keep in mind, the association’s inspection will not provide a credit for opening protection since their inspection is not for each individual unit. We recommend purchasing your own individual inspection to receive all credits your unit qualifies for.

One additional eligible party for wind mitigation credits includes renters. Just like condo owners, renters are not responsible for the insuring the roof. However, renters can still receive a credit on their renters’ policy for any safety features the property may have. To sum up, if you own or rent a property, you should have a wind mitigation inspection completed or request one from your association or property owner. This inspection is accepted by insurance companies up to five years old and typically costs around $100, depending on the inspection company you choose. This low cost will allow you to receive the wind mitigation credits on your insurance policy for years to come. You would only need to re-purchase an inspection if you chose to re-write your insurance to a new company after the inspection if over five years old. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!