Two inspections, two jobs: credits and insurability
The WIND-MITIGATION inspection (reported on form OIR-B1-1802) is the money document: it verifies roof attachment, roof covering, roof-to-wall connections, and opening protection, and its findings feed premium credits that commonly outweigh the inspection's cost within months. The 4-POINT is the gatekeeper on older homes: a snapshot of roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC that answers the insurer's underwriting questions. A Canadian buying a 1990s villa should expect to order both at purchase, and to refresh them when the carrier asks.
Verified fact: the roof-age frame is statutory since the reforms: under-15-year roofs cannot be refused SOLELY for age, and 15-plus roofs earn the right to an inspection (remaining-life certification) before replacement is demanded: s. 627.7011 read at the text June 11, 2026. The folklore (« insurers reject all old roofs ») is out of date; the FILE decides.
Opinion: order the wind-mitigation report even when nobody asks: on most Florida homes it is the highest-yield hundred dollars in the insurance file.
Who does NOT order these
Renters: never. Condo owners: the association's envelope carries the building file; the unit's HO-6 rarely wants these. New-build buyers: the builder's documentation often substitutes initially.
The frame, level by level
| Aspect | State (FL) | Insurer practice | Canadian contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind credits | Uniform form OIR-B1-1802 | Credits applied per filed rules | No analogue: wind credits are a Florida craft |
| Roof age | s. 627.7011 post-reform frame | Underwriting within the statute | Age questions exist, without the statutory rail |
| Older-home underwriting | No statute mandates the 4-point | Carrier requirement by age band | Comparable inspections exist ad hoc |
A worked example: the 1998 villa file, 2026
Diane buys a 1998 villa. Day one: combined wind-mit + 4-point ordered (Typical range: her bundle ran 180 USD, June 2026 reading, about 251 CAD at the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3930 published June 10, 2026). The 1802 documents clips and shutters: her premium credits recover the fee in under a year. The 4-point flags a 2009 water heater: replaced for a few hundred dollars BEFORE binding, instead of an exclusion. Her 2011 roof, under 15 years, cannot be age-refused (s. 627.7011); at year 15 she will order the remaining-life inspection the statute guarantees.
Common mistakes
- Skipping wind-mit because it is optional. The credits routinely dwarf the fee.
- Believing roof folklore. The statute's 15-year frame and inspection right replaced the old horror stories: read the text, then your quote.
- Hiding the 4-point's findings. Fix-then-bind beats exclude-then-claim.
- Using unlicensed inspectors. Credits ride on properly credentialed reports.
- Losing the reports. They transfer value at renewal and at sale.
The inspection checklist
- Order wind-mit (1802) + 4-point at purchase on any non-new home.
- Fix 4-point flags before binding.
- File both reports with the policy; re-send at carrier request.
- Diarize roof year 15: the statute's inspection right is yours to use.
- Refresh after any roof or opening upgrade: new credits await.
Frequently asked questions
Are these inspections legally required?
No statute mandates them; carriers require the 4-point on older homes and reward the 1802: practical necessity, statutory frame.
Can I be refused for a 12-year-old roof?
Not SOLELY for age: s. 627.7011 read June 11, 2026. Condition findings are another matter: the file decides.
What do they cost?
Dated June 2026 ranges above; bundles common. The credit math usually pays for the visit.
Who performs them?
Licensed inspectors and contractors per the form's rules; our DBPR guide covers verification.