Wind Mitigation & 4-Point Inspections in Sarasota
These are the two inspections Florida insurance companies ask for most. A wind mitigation inspection can lower what you pay for windstorm coverage. A 4-point inspection often decides whether an insurer will cover an older home at all. Good News Home Inspections completes both on the official forms, with photos, for homeowners and buyers across Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Wind mitigation: what the OIR-B1-1802 form records
The wind mitigation inspection uses the state's Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802. Florida requires insurers to offer premium credits for wind-resistant features, but only the ones an inspector verifies. We check each item in the attic and around the outside of the house:
- Building code: the permit date the home was built under.
- Roof covering: the type of covering and whether it meets code for its permit date.
- Roof deck attachment: how the roof sheathing is nailed to the trusses.
- Roof-to-wall attachment: toe nails, clips, single wraps or double wraps.
- Roof geometry: hip roofs resist wind better than gable roofs.
- Secondary water resistance: a barrier that limits leaks if the covering blows off.
- Opening protection: impact-rated or shuttered windows, doors, garage doors and skylights.
4-point: roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC
A 4-point inspection is a focused look at the age and condition of the four systems insurers worry about most on older homes. It is not a full home inspection, and insurers use it to decide whether to write or renew a policy.
Roof
Covering type, approximate age, remaining life and any sign of active leaks.
Electrical
Panel type and condition, wiring type and any hazards such as double taps or exposed wiring.
Plumbing
Supply and drain pipe materials, water heater age and location, and visible leaks.
HVAC
Age of the system and whether it is in working condition.
Which one do you need?
Buying an older home. Many Sarasota and Bradenton neighborhoods were built from the 1950s through the 1980s. On homes like these, insurers often ask for both reports before closing, and many buyers book them alongside the full home inspection.
Buying a newer home. A 4-point is rarely needed, but a wind mitigation report can still lower the premium on your first policy.
Renewing a policy. If your renewal letter asks for an updated report, book the one it names. After a re-roof, a new wind mitigation report may earn credits the old one could not.
We also offer Hurricane Retro-fit Affidavit inspections and roof certifications for insurers that ask for them. For more detail, read our wind mitigation guide for Sarasota and our 4-point inspection guide.
We complete both inspections in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Venice, North Port, Englewood, Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton and Palmetto, and throughout our Gulf Coast and Central Florida counties.
FAQs
Wind mitigation and 4-point questions
Insurers generally accept a wind mitigation report for up to five years, as long as the home has not changed. A new roof, new windows or added shutters are good reasons to get a fresh report, because they can change the answers on the form.
No. They are separate inspections on separate forms. The 4-point reports the condition of four systems, while the wind mitigation form records construction features that resist wind. Many insurers ask for both on an older home.
Usually not. Insurers mostly ask for a 4-point on older homes, and the age cut-off varies by company. A wind mitigation report is still worth having on a newer home, because homes built to recent Florida codes tend to have the features that earn credits.
The report describes what we found. Insurers commonly accept the home once the item is repaired or replaced, which is why many buyers book the 4-point early in their inspection period.
Ready to Schedule Your Inspection?
Protect your investment with a comprehensive inspection from Good News Home Inspections. We're here to give you peace of mind.
Same-day appointments available • Licensed & insured • Serving all of Central Florida