Most existing houses have one or more wind resistive construction features and may qualify for some insurance discounts. In addition, houses built after 1994 have many wind resistive construction features and will likely qualify for credits.
Background
Florida Statute 626.0629 requires insurance companies to offer Florida homeowners "discounts, credits, or other rate differentials..." for construction techniques that reduce damage and loss in windstorms. Florida insurance companies were required to submit filings by March 2003 that provide for these wind mitigation discounts. The insurance company filings began to take effect during 2003. Each year, as insurance companies submit new filings, the Wind Insurance Savings Calculator is updated to reflect these filings that contain the latest information about premium savings.
The wind insurance savings presented herein are given as percentages of the wind portion of your total insurance premium. The wind portion is generally between 15 and 70% of the total premium depending on where you live in Florida. For premium quotes, contact your insurance agent or the individual insurance company in question.
Mitigating a Roof
Failure of roof components is a major contributor to damage and loss in a windstorm. As the highest part of a house, the roof experiences higher wind speeds than other parts of the building. Failure of roof coverings is common, followed by failure of the roof deck. Occasionally, the roof-to-wall connection fails and the whole roof may blow off. Once a house loses its roof, rainwater is free to enter which can produce high losses very quickly.
The best time to mitigate a roof is when the roof covering (shingles, for example) have to be replaced. A homeowner should consider performing the following mitigation steps at the time of a roof recovering:
- Have the contractor renail the roof deck. Add 8 penny nails so that the spacing is every 6 inches. This is very inexpensive to do once the roof cover is removed.
- Consider adding Secondary Water Resistance to the renailed roof deck. This will prevent water from entering the house if the roof cover fails in high winds.
- Recover the roof per the specifications in the Florida Building Code. Many insurance companies will provide credits for each one of these steps.
Mitigating Openings
Window and door glass is very susceptible to breakage from flying debris in a windstorm. Once the glass fails, wind pressure and rainwater enter the building. The increased pressure often results in the failure of additional parts of the building. The water produces damage to the building and contents.
Protecting the windows and glass doors is one of the most important steps a homeowner can take to reduce the chance of damage in a hurricane. This can be achieved by installing shutters or impact-resistant glass, which meet the impact test requirements described under more info for Opening Protection.
Check with the insurance company to confirm the amount of credits that may be available for Protecting Openings. If you already have shutters, you may want to determine if they qualify for a discount.
Understanding Wind Insurance Savings
The insurance wind insurance savings presented in this website are estimates of the maximum discounts for which you might qualify under recent insurance company filings. Some companies have an option for homeowners to be rated under the new plan, while others will transfer customers into the new plan automatically.
Hurricane Zones
Each insurer may have some features that the homeowner can self certify, but almost all require certification of key features by a qualified construction professional at the homeowners expense.
It is important that you check with the insurance company to obtain actual dollar quotes and to understand the details of the requirements to receive wind insurance savings.
Most homeowners have policies that cover fire, theft, and general liability in addition to windstorms. The discounts for wind loss mitigation features only apply to a fraction of the total premium. Depending on the insurance company and where you live in Florida, the wind portion of your total premium may vary from 15% to 70% of the total policy premium.
Note: The declaration page provided by your insurer provides the portion of your premium that covers the windstorm coverage.
Once I know what my discounts would be, how do I prove to the insurance company I have these features on my home?
Consumers can have their homes inspected by a licensed inspector at no cost under the state’s My Safe Florida Home program. Their website describes how to apply for an inspection and lists the eligibility requirements for matching grants to purchase and install loss mitigation devices.
Another way consumers can have their homes inspected is to pay a licensed inspector to examine the home using the official Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. This form must be accepted by all licensed residential property insurance companies in Florida.
In either case, the homeowner should take the completed inspection form to their agent to begin processing the policy discounts. What if my agent or insurance company refuses to accept the inspection results submitted on the proper form? Call the Department of Financial Services' Consumer Hotline 1-877-MyFLCFO (877-693-5236) (In Florida) or 850-413-3132 (Out-of-State) to report what happened.
Downloadable Brochures
Wind Migration Form -
ViewFlorida Wind Insurance Savings Calculator -
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