Wind Mitigation
Wind Mitigation Inspections check for certain building techniques in order to limit the damage caused by high winds. Having a wind mitigation inspection will often provide considerable reductions in homeowner’s insurance premiums and/or deductibles for hurricane coverage.
In 2006, one of the largest property insurers in Florida, Citizens Insurance increased rates by 45% for wind insurance (or hurricane coverage). Other insurers followed suit.
In Florida, wind damage coverage on a homeowner’s policy can be up to 70% of the total insurance premium, depending on location.
Wind mitigation inspections benefit homeowners by reducing premiums, private insurers by reducing claims, and all levels of government.
Incentives for Wind Mitigation Inspections
Wind mitigation inspections can tell you if your home has the proper techniques that will protect your home from damage. Even if your home is insured, any damage to your house is costly, for both the homeowner and the insurance company. Repairs to the home can take months, especially when there are material shortages caused by a big storm that affects the entire community.
Lenders in South Florida now require homeowners to carry windstorm insurance in order to obtain a mortgage here. Many insurers will not provide windstorm insurance when a home is vulnerable to wind damage.
In South Florida, homeowners who get a wind mitigation inspection can often benefit from reduced insurance premiums. After Hurricane Andrew, the State of Florida passed a law that requires insurance companies to provide discounts and credits for building features and home improvements that reduce the possibility of damage or loss due to wind. To qualify for this discount, homes must have a certified wind mitigation inspection. Unfortunately, many Floridians do not know about this law.
If you have windstorm insurance (or hurricane coverage), you can avoid a costly deductible in the event of damage due to high winds. Deductibles can be as high as $20,000 for homes in hurricane-prone areas. Therefore, if you have mild to moderate wind damage (an amount less than your deductible), your damage might not be covered by insurance at all. With a certified wind mitigation inspection to ensure proper techniques have been used in the construction of your home, these expenses can be avoided completely.
Our Checklist for Wind Mitigation Techniques:
Garage Doors: Garage doors are checked in a wind mitigation inspection for proper tracking, mounting and adequate panels.
Opening Protection: Glass doors and windows are checked for structural vulnerabilities.
Roof Covering: The key factor in the performance of your roof covering, regardless of the type of material, is the method used to secure it to the roof deck. Nails, not staples, should be used to fasten these materials.
Roof Shape: This refers to the geometry of the roof, rather than the condition of the material used to cover the roof. Our wind mitigation inspection checks for proper construction and/or bracing, especially on gable roofs. If not properly built or braced, gabled roofs have been known to fail outwardly during severe storms.
Roof Deck Attachment: Once the roof deck fails, even partially, the insurance claim has become a major one. We inspect the roof coverings, installation and condition of the roof decking, and the existence and proper installation of hurricane clips and straps. This type of wind mitigation inspection helps to minimize damage to the roof deck and therefore the size of future claims to the insurance company.
Roof-to-Wall Connections: We inspect the structure to ensure that proper construction techniques have been used so that the roof is likely to stay attached under high negative pressure.
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