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Insurance Savings Guide

How a new roof cuts your Florida insurance

In Florida, the roof over your head is also the biggest lever on your homeowners premium. A re-roof built to current code and documented on the wind mitigation form unlocks premium credits your insurer is required to apply — and the same features that earn them are the ones that keep your home standing in a hurricane. Here's exactly how the savings work, and how the My Safe Florida Home grant can help pay for it.

Last updated · Complete Roofing LLC · Gulf Breeze, FL · FL Lic. CCC1337480

Reviewed by Jason Taylor, third-generation Florida-licensed roofing contractor (verify FL Lic. CCC1337480 at myfloridalicense.com)

Quick answer
A code-compliant re-roof documented on the OIR-B1-1802 wind mitigation form earns mandatory windstorm premium credits under FS 627.0629 — for a secondary water barrier, reinforced roof-to-wall connections, 8d ring-shank deck attachment, and roof geometry. Credits are capped at up to 88% of the windstorm portion of your premium (the ceiling, not a typical result). The My Safe Florida Homegrant program can help fund the upgrade when it's open.
Windstorm credit cap
Up to 88%
Statutory ceiling on the windstorm portion of premium under FS 627.0629 — the ceiling, not a typical result.
Roof covering wind rating
150 mph
GAF Timberline HDZ, the code-compliant covering we install — it answers the form's roof-covering question, one of five roof-system features scored.
Roof-system features on the form
5
Of nine questions on the current OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26, effective April 1, 2026), five score roof-system mitigation features — two of those are structural, unchanged by a re-roof.
Ring-shank deck nails
8d
Deck attachment spec on a tighter nailing pattern — one of the highest-value credits in the roof system.

How wind mitigation credits actually work

Under FS 627.0629, Florida insurers must apply premium credits on the windstorm portion of your policy for verified wind-resistant features. A licensed inspector records them on the OIR-B1-1802 form, and the credits stack — the more qualifying features, the lower your windstorm premium.

A new roof is the fastest way to improve that score, because most of the highest-value features live in the roof system. The credit is capped at up to 88% of the windstorm portion of premium — that's the ceiling, not a typical result, but even a partial credit on a Gulf-Coast wind premium adds up quickly.

This page covers the inspection and the form. For the full money map — realistic dollar ranges, the modern-code roof covering credit, the optional roof-deductible credit, and the new 2026 impact-window tax refund — see our guide to every real Florida roof insurance discount.

“Most of the wind-mitigation score is decided in a single day on the roof — how the deck gets fastened, whether we tape it. I don't treat those as upgrades to sell later. We build every roof to score as high as the structure allows, then photograph it so the inspector has proof.”
Jason Taylor, Co-Owner & Field Operations, Complete Roofing LLC

The roof features that earn the credits

The big ones: a roof covering that meets current code, a stronger roof deck attachment (8d ring-shank nails), reinforced roof-to-wall connections (clips, straps, or wraps), hip roof geometry, and a secondary water barrier — a sealed or taped roof deck.
Florida wind mitigation roof features and why each earns an insurance credit on the OIR-B1-1802 form
Roof featureWhat it isWhy it earns a credit
Roof coveringShingles or panels that meet the current Florida Building Code — we install GAF Timberline HDZ rated to 150 mph.A code-compliant covering is far less likely to blow off, which is the most common windstorm claim.
Roof deck attachmentHow the plywood deck is fastened to the trusses — 8d ring-shank nails on a tighter nailing pattern.Ring-shank nails resist withdrawal far better than smooth nails, keeping the deck on in high wind.
Secondary water barrierA sealed or fully taped roof deck under the underlayment. Standard on every roof we install.If the covering does come off, the taped deck keeps water out of the house — limiting interior loss.
Roof-to-wall connectionMetal clips, straps, or wraps tying the roof structure to the walls. Structural — usually not changed by a re-roof.Straps and wraps score higher than toe-nails because they resist uplift of the whole roof structure.
Roof geometryThe shape of the roof. A hip roof (sloped on all four sides) scores best. Structural — a re-roof does not change it.Hip roofs shed wind from every direction, so they take less uplift than gable ends.

Credits are applied by your insurer under FS 627.0629 based on a licensed inspector's OIR-B1-1802 report. Actual savings vary by carrier, home, and policy — we can't promise a figure.

These aren't upgrades we upsell — a fully taped deck (secondary water barrier), double synthetic underlayment, and code-exceeding attachment are standard on every Complete Roofing job. We build and photo-document each install to earn the maximum credit your home's structure qualifies for. See our wind mitigation roofing page for the full spec.

How My Safe Florida Home can help pay for it

My Safe Florida Home is a state program (Florida Dept. of Financial Services) that has offered free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants for home hardening — including roof and opening upgrades. Funding runs in cycles, so confirm current availability on the official program site before counting on it.

For the full breakdown of what the grant covers, who qualifies in 2026, and whether you need a special contractor, see our My Safe Florida Home roof guide. Whether or not grant funds are open, the wind-mitigation credits under FS 627.0629 apply to any qualifying roof, and $0-down roof financing can bridge the gap. This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice — verify specifics with your agent, your carrier, and the official My Safe Florida Home program.

Insurance credits are only half the reason

The same features that lower your premium are the ones that keep the roof on in a storm. A roof that earns full wind-mitigation credits is a roof engineered to survive the next hurricane — which also resets age-based non-renewal and restores insurability for an aging roof.

For the rules on roof age and staying insured, see Florida roof age & insurance, and for the full picture of coverage and claims, start at our Florida roof insurance hub.

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Got Questions?

Wind Mitigation & Insurance Savings — FAQ

It varies by home and carrier, but the windstorm portion of a Florida premium can be cut substantially — the mitigation credits under FS 627.0629 are capped at up to 88% of the windstorm premium (that's the ceiling, not a typical result). Homes with a newer code-compliant roof, a secondary water barrier, hip geometry, and reinforced roof-to-wall connections earn the most. Even a partial credit adds up fast on a Panhandle wind premium.

It's Florida's Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. A licensed inspector documents your home's wind-resistant features — roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections, roof geometry, and secondary water resistance — and your insurer must apply the corresponding premium credits. A new, properly documented roof is the fastest way to improve your score.

The big ones are: a roof covering that meets current Florida Building Code, a stronger roof deck attachment (such as 8d ring-shank nails), reinforced roof-to-wall connections (clips, straps, or wraps), hip roof geometry, and a secondary water barrier (a sealed or taped roof deck). Complete Roofing installs to earn the maximum credit your home's structure qualifies for and photo-documents every step.

My Safe Florida Home is a state program administered by the Florida Department of Financial Services that has offered free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants to help homeowners harden their homes — including roof and opening upgrades. Funding runs in cycles and can open, pause, or close, so check the official program site for current availability before you count on it. Either way, the wind-mitigation credits under FS 627.0629 apply to any qualifying roof.

A standalone wind mitigation inspection typically runs about $75-$150 in Florida (free if you qualify for a My Safe Florida Home inspection). The OIR-B1-1802 form must be signed by an authorized inspector — a licensed home inspector, general/building/residential contractor, building code inspector, engineer, or architect. Roofing contractors aren't on the signer list, so we don't sign the form ourselves — we build and photo-document the features that score, then coordinate the inspection so nothing gets missed.

Yes — roof-to-wall retrofits can be done standalone, though industry guides put that cost at roughly $850-$3,000 depending on access, versus only a few hundred dollars extra when done during a re-roof (the connections are exposed anyway). If a re-roof is in your 1-3 year plans, bundling the retrofit is usually the better math. My Safe Florida Home grants, when funded, can apply to roof-to-wall connection upgrades.

Want to know what your roof could save you?

We'll inspect free, tell you which wind-mitigation credits your home qualifies for, and photo-document every feature for your insurer's OIR-B1-1802 form.