Roof Inspection & Wind Mitigation: what to expect
Three different inspections get confused with each other in Florida, and they are not the same thing.
A condition or maintenance inspection is a roofer telling you what shape the roof is in and roughly how much life it has left. A four-point inspection is what many carriers ask for on older homes: it covers roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and it is used to decide whether they will write or renew the policy at all. A wind mitigation inspection is a separate, standardised report on the features that help a roof survive high wind: roof-to-wall connections, deck attachment, roof geometry, opening protection and the secondary water resistance barrier. Wind mitigation findings can reduce the wind portion of a premium, which is why it is worth having current documentation after any re-roof.
Note that four-point and wind mitigation inspections are typically performed by licensed inspectors rather than by the roofing crew, and a contractor with a direct financial interest in the outcome is not always the right person to produce them. Ask who will sign the report.
Typically included
- Plain-language condition report with photos
- Guidance on what carriers usually ask for on older roofs
- Wind mitigation documentation after a re-roof
- No pressure to buy a roof you do not need yet
Before you sign
Verify the contractor's licence at myfloridalicense.com, ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly by their insurer, get the full scope of work in writing, confirm that a permit will be pulled, and never pay a large cash deposit. If the work is connected to an insurance claim, read anything that assigns your benefits to a contractor very carefully, and speak to your carrier, not to us, about your policy.