House hunting, home buying, and moving are three things that are always happening around us. Whether you are from out of state, or a born & raised Floridian, you may or may not have been advised by your realtor or insurance agent to invest in a wind mitigation inspection. Harris Insurance’s President, Whit Harris, gives his expert knowledge on the subject in a quick way to help you get some discounts you deserve as a new or future homebuyer.
Here is a quick refresher and a bit of extra insight on wind mitigation inspections:
What is a wind mitigation inspection?
A wind mitigation inspection is done by a licensed inspector to determine if the home has structural features to combat hurricane force winds.
In addition to the home’s age, here are other areas that are looked at when an inspection is taking place:
- The home’s roof, its age, shape, and the materials it is made from.
2. How the roof attaches to walls, especially load bearing walls.
3. A home’s water resistance and its materials.
4. The home’s additional protections on openings such as sunroofs, garage doors, windows, etc.
5. Air leakage in the construction of the home.
Does this inspection save you money?
Almost always. Of course it’s impossible to know what features your home or potential purchase does or doesn’t have, but because of the success we’ve seen with our current clients, we always recommend wind mitigation inspections for homes built before 2002. As Whit, our expert, states: He has personally seen discounts ranging from hundreds to thousands! Wind mitigation inspections are currently valid for five years which allows the homeowners to reap the benefits on their annual premium year after year.
Don’t worry about a wind mitigation inspection “hurting” your chances to save. Your home doesn’t have to have every single feature to “qualify” for a wind mitigation discount. Every company applies these discounts differently which is another reason why an Independent Agency like Harris Insurance should shop your Florida property insurance regularly. We shop every available market every single time to ensure that you are receiving the best value for your insurance dollar.
Quick tip!
Whether it’s your primary residence or an investment property, we recommend that single-family homes, duplex, and townhome owners consider a wind mitigation inspection for properties built before 2002. It is worth the small investment to reap some big savings!
Where can I find additional information?
We’re glad you asked. We have put together a page for wind mitigations and how they affect your Florida property insurance. It can be found here! Our wind mitigation inspection page also covers the inspection process in greater detail.
If you have additional questions regarding wind mitigation inspections or your insurance policies, call us at 850.244.2111 to speak to your Agent. You can also email us at service@harrisinsurance.com.
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Views expressed here do not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is for general guidance of matter only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Discussion of insurance policy language is descriptive only. Every policy has different policy language. Coverage afforded under any insurance policy issued is subject to individual policy terms and conditions. Please refer to your policy for the actual language.
