Wind Mitigation Inspections in Naples, FL (2026)

Most inspections cost you money or find problems. The wind-mitigation inspection is the rare one that’s designed to lower your bill — and in a coastal market like Naples, where wind is the biggest part of your premium, it’s usually the single best money-saver a buyer has. This guide explains what it documents, which features save the most, and how to make sure every credit you’ve earned actually shows up on your policy.

What it is — and the one form that matters

A wind-mitigation inspection records how well a home is built to resist hurricane-force wind, on a single statewide form: the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802. Every insurer must accept it, and an updated version takes effect April 1, 2026. The point isn’t to pass or fail — it’s to document features that, by law, earn you discounts. Unlike a 4-point inspection (which an insurer demands before they’ll cover an older home), the wind-mit is something you order to lower the premium you’ll pay.

The seven features it documents

The form (and the credits behind it) cover:

#	Feature	What inspectors look for
1	Roof covering	Whether it meets the Florida Building Code
2	Roof deck attachment	Nail size and spacing (nails beat staples)
3	Roof-to-wall connection	Toe-nails vs. clips vs. single/double wraps (straps)
4	Roof geometry	Hip (pyramid) vs. non-hip/gable
5	Secondary water resistance	A sealed barrier under the roof covering
6	Opening protection	Impact glass or rated shutters on windows/doors

Each one stacks: the more boxes a home checks, the larger the combined credit.

The credits — why this saves real money

Florida law requires insurers to offer wind-mitigation discounts and to notify every homeowner that they’re available. Two nuances matter for setting expectations honestly:

• The credits apply to the windstorm portion of your premium, not the whole thing. But in coastal Naples, wind is the largest part of the premium — so a big percentage off the wind portion is a big percentage off your bill.
• The most defensible hard number: a home built to the 2001 Florida Building Code or later automatically qualifies for at least a 68% discount on the windstorm portion. That’s why newer construction is so much cheaper to insure.

In practice, many Naples owners see roughly 20–40% off their total premium from wind-mit credits, with documented individual savings often running $800–$900+ per year — for a one-time ~$100 inspection. Even on an older home, claiming every credit you’ve earned (or adding shutters/impact glass to earn more) is the highest-return insurance move most buyers can make. See the homeowners insurance guide for how it fits the bigger premium picture.

Which features save the most

If you’re deciding where to spend on improvements, the state names the two most cost-effective measures as (1) securing the roof so it can’t blow off and (2) protecting openings from debris. On a typical report, the heaviest individual credits come from:

1. Opening protection — full impact protection (impact glass or rated shutters on all openings) captures the most.
2. Roof-to-wall connection — moving from toe-nails to clips or wraps/straps is the single largest dollar swing on most homes.
3. Roof shape — a hip roof (sloped on all sides) outperforms a gable and earns a meaningful credit.

Secondary water resistance and roof-deck nailing then stack on top.

Cost, who can perform it, and how long it lasts

• Cost: about $100 standalone in the Naples area (a local firm lists wind-mit starting around $125), or ~$155–$245 bundled with a 4-point — the bundle is the usual smart play.
• Who can do it: only authorized inspectors — a licensed home inspector with approved hurricane-mitigation training, a certified building-code inspector, a licensed contractor, a professional engineer, or an architect.
• How long it’s valid: up to five years, provided no material structural changes are made and no inaccuracies are found. Keep the report; when you shop or switch carriers, a current 1802 lets the new insurer apply the same credits.

Don’t overlook: the free inspection

Florida’s My Safe Florida Home program offers eligible homeowners a free wind-mitigation inspection (and grants toward improvements like shutters and roof upgrades). For many Naples owners it’s worth checking eligibility before paying out of pocket.

How I help

When you buy, I make sure a wind-mit inspection is part of the plan — ordered early, bundled with the 4-point where it makes sense, and actually applied to your policy. If a home is missing easy credits (no shutters, toe-nailed roof), I’ll flag the improvements most likely to pay for themselves in premium savings, and point you to My Safe Florida Home if you qualify.

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Sources & further reading

• Florida Statute 627.711 — uniform mitigation form & authorized inspectors · Florida OIR — wind mitigation resources
• Florida CFO — premium discounts for hurricane loss mitigation (the 1802 credits) · My Safe Florida Home
• Related: 4-point inspections, homeowners insurance, flood insurance, and buyer closing costs.

General information for Naples homebuyers, not insurance advice. Credit amounts depend on your home’s specific features and your carrier; confirm current figures with a licensed inspector and your insurer before relying on them.