Wind Mitigation Inspection in Florida: What Form OIR-B1-1802 Documents

In South Florida, wind and hurricane exposure shape almost every homeowners insurance conversation. A wind mitigation inspection is how many features of your home — roof attachment, opening protection, and related construction details — get documented on the state’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, known as OIR-B1-1802. Insurers use that form when they evaluate wind-related rating factors for a personal residential policy.

This guide explains what the inspection is, what the form typically covers, who is authorized to sign it under Florida law, how long a completed form remains valid, and how the state’s My Safe Florida Home program relates — without promising any premium outcome. Coverage and rating always depend on your insurer, your policy, and your home’s actual features.

What a wind mitigation inspection is

A wind mitigation inspection is a focused review of construction features that can affect how a house performs in high wind. The authorized inspector records findings on Form OIR-B1-1802, the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form adopted for use when policyholders submit mitigation documentation for wind insurance rating.

Florida Statutes s. 627.711 requires insurers that write personal lines residential property insurance to notify applicants and policyholders, at issuance and at each renewal, about the availability and range of premium discounts, credits, other rate differentials, or deductible reductions tied to fixtures or construction techniques that reduce windstorm loss. The same statute directs use of the uniform mitigation verification form when that documentation is submitted.

Form OIR-B1-1802: what gets documented

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) publishes wind-mitigation resources for consumers and lists OIR-B1-1802 as the form an authorized inspector completes during a wind mitigation inspection. OIR notes that a completed form is valid for up to five (5) years, provided no material changes are made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found on the form.

After a 2024 Residential Wind-Loss Mitigation Study, OIR updated Form OIR-B1-1802 effective April 1, 2026. Inspections on or after that date use the revised form. Categories commonly addressed include:

• Building code compliance related to the home’s construction era and applicable standards
• Roof covering type and condition as documented on the form
• Roof deck attachment — how the deck is fastened
• Roof-to-wall attachment — clips, wraps, or other connections between roof and walls
• Secondary water resistance (SWR) — measures that limit water intrusion if roof covering is lost
• Opening protection — the weakest form of wind-borne debris protection on windows, doors, skylights, and garage doors

Keep a copy of the completed form and supporting photos with your insurance records. After a roof remodel, opening replacement, or other material change to a listed feature, plan an updated inspection so the form still matches the house.

Who may sign the form

Under s. 627.711(2)(a), an insurer must accept as valid a uniform mitigation verification form signed by certain authorized mitigation inspectors, including:

• A home inspector licensed under s. 468.8314 who completed required hurricane mitigation training and a proficiency exam
• A building code inspector certified under s. 468.607
• A general, building, or residential contractor licensed under s. 489.111
• A professional engineer licensed under s. 471.015
• A professional architect licensed under s. 481.213
• Another individual or entity the insurer recognizes as qualified to complete the form

In general, the signer must personally inspect the structures on the form and attest to that inspection. Limited exceptions let certain licensed engineers or contractors authorize a qualified direct employee (not an independent contractor) to conduct it. Verify the inspector is authorized under the statute before hiring.

Florida law prohibits false mitigation forms and referral kickbacks between inspectors and insurance agencies. Misconduct can bring licensing discipline and, for knowing fraud, criminal penalties.

How insurers may use the inspection

When you submit a current OIR-B1-1802, the insurer can use the documented features for wind-related rating and underwriting. Separately, s. 627.711(1) requires notice at issue and renewal of the ranges of discounts, credits, rate differentials, or deductible reductions available for mitigation features under that company’s filings.

OIR also notes that, effective October 1, 2023, residential property insurers must post website information on hurricane mitigation discounts available to policyholders. Your agent can explain how a completed form interacts with a specific policy — without promising a dollar or percentage outcome.

An insurer may, at its expense, independently verify a form before accepting it, with limited exceptions in the statute (including certain quality-assurance pathways and rules for forms submitted to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation).

My Safe Florida Home: free inspection and grants

Separate from a privately hired OIR-B1-1802 inspection, Florida’s My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program — run by the Department of Financial Services and subject to annual appropriations — offers eligible homeowners a free hurricane mitigation inspection and, for those who qualify, mitigation grants toward recommended improvements.

As of its August 2026 support update, MSFH was accepting applications. Create an Applicant Portal account, complete the prioritization questionnaire, and apply when your group’s window opens. Re-check mysafeflhome.com for current funding and schedule status before you apply.

Program materials describe inspection eligibility roughly as a site-built, owner-occupied single-family home (or townhouse under program rules) with a homestead exemption. Properties such as multifamily buildings, condominiums, mobile/manufactured homes, and second or rental homes are generally not eligible for the free MSFH inspection.

Grant eligibility is stricter. Among other criteria on the program FAQs, the home typically must already have received an MSFH initial inspection, have an insured value of $700,000 or less, and have been built before January 1, 2008. Matching grants provide $2 of state funds for every $1 the homeowner contributes (reimbursement basis), up to a maximum state contribution of $10,000; low-income grants of up to $10,000 may require no match — both subject to appropriation. Work generally must not start before official grant approval.

MSFH lists eligible improvements such as opening protection, roof-to-wall attachment, roof deck attachment, and secondary water resistance when they appear in the initial inspection report. The MSFH inspection is free and carries no obligation to pursue a grant. Confirm eligibility on the official site.

Practical steps for Florida City and Homestead homeowners

1. Ask your insurer or agent whether they already have a current OIR-B1-1802 on your policy and which revision they accept after April 1, 2026.
2. Hire an authorized inspector if you need a new form — confirm license type and hurricane-mitigation credentials under s. 627.711.
3. Keep the signed form and photos with your declarations page; share copies when you shop or renew.
4. Update the form after material roof or opening changes so documentation matches the house.
5. Check My Safe Florida Home if you may qualify for a free program inspection or grant — funding and group windows change.
6. Review related coverage such as flood separately; wind mitigation documentation does not replace flood insurance needs in South Miami-Dade.

At M&K Agency in Florida City, a licensed agent can review your declarations page, help you understand how a wind mitigation form fits a homeowners quote, and point you to official MSFH resources when relevant. Call (305) 859-3953 or request a quote. Office: 33550 S Dixie Hwy, Suite 102, Florida City, FL 33034. Hours: Monday–Friday 9–6; Saturday by appointment.

This page is general information based on OIR materials, Florida Statutes, and My Safe Florida Home publications. It is not a premium quote, a guarantee of credits, or legal advice. Speak with a licensed Florida agent about your property and policy.