A 4-point inspection tells an insurer whether your home is insurable. A wind mitigation inspection documents wind-resistant features that can earn insurance discounts. A roof inspection checks your roof’s condition and how much life it has left. They answer different questions, use different forms and are valid for different lengths of time.
Key facts
- A 4-point covers the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC.
- Florida’s wind mitigation form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), took effect April 1, 2026 and lists 9 items.
- A wind mitigation form is valid for up to 5 years if the home has no material changes.
- The Florida Department of Financial Services says a 4-point generally must be dated within 30 days before the insurance application, though insurers set their own timeframes.
- Florida law requires residential insurance rate filings to include discounts or credits for features that reduce windstorm loss.
What’s the Difference Between the Three Inspections?
| 4-point inspection | Wind mitigation inspection | Roof inspection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main question | Is the home insurable? | Which wind-resistant features can earn credits? | What condition is the roof in, and how long will it last? |
| What it covers | Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC | Roof covering, deck and roof-to-wall attachment, roof shape, secondary water resistance, opening protection and more | Roof covering, flashing, vents, leaks, decking and attic |
| Form | The insurer’s 4-point form, such as Citizens’ Insp4pt | OIR-B1-1802, the state’s uniform form | A roofer’s report, or an insurer’s roof form such as Citizens’ RCF-1 |
| Affects | Whether a policy is issued or renewed | Premium discounts on the wind portion | Repair and replacement plans, and roof-age documentation |
| How long it’s valid | Generally 30 days before the application (DFS), varies by insurer | Up to 5 years with no material changes | No set period; insurers decide |
What Is a 4-Point Inspection?
A 4-point is a limited inspection of the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC that insurers use to decide whether to write or renew a policy, usually on older homes. It looks at the age and condition of each system and flags hazards. For the roof, the inspector records the covering, age, remaining useful life, last permit, condition and any signs of leaks.
It doesn’t lower your premium on its own. A passing 4-point lets an insurer issue the policy. For the full breakdown, read our guide to the 4-point inspection in Florida.
What Does a Wind Mitigation Inspection Check?
A wind mitigation inspection records how well your home is built to resist hurricane winds, on the state’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802. The current version, Rev. 04/26, took effect April 1, 2026, and covers 9 items:
| # | Form item | What it looks at |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Building Code | The code the home was built or permitted under |
| 2 | Region | The home’s region based on design wind speed (new in 2026) |
| 3 | Roof Slope | The slope of the roof (new in 2026) |
| 4 | Roof Covering | The roof covering type and its installation |
| 5 | Roof Deck Attachment | How the roof deck is fastened to the framing (the weakest form found) |
| 6 | Roof-to-Wall Attachment | How the roof is tied to the walls (the weakest connection found) |
| 7 | Roof Geometry | Hip, flat or other roof shape |
| 8 | Sealed Roof Deck / Secondary Water Resistance | Whether a secondary water barrier is installed under the roof covering |
| 9 | Opening Protection | Protection for windows, doors and garage doors (the weakest found) |
Six of the nine items are about the roof. That’s why roof work can change a wind mitigation report so much.
The 2026 form also lets inspectors use FORTIFIED Roof, Silver and Gold certificates for certain items. Citizens Property Insurance says the form changes won’t affect the credits it applies at this time.
What Does a Roof Inspection Cover?
A roof inspection looks only at the roof, but in more depth. A roofer checks the covering, flashing, pipe boots, vents, valleys, gutters and the attic for leaks and soft decking, then estimates the roof’s remaining life. There’s no single state form for it. You get a report, and some insurers use their own roof form, such as Citizens’ Roof Inspection Form (RCF-1), updated in March 2025.
Remaining life matters for insurance. Under Florida Statutes §627.7011, if your roof is 15 years or older, you can have it inspected before your insurer requires replacement, and a roof with at least 5 years of useful life left can’t be refused on age alone. See Florida’s 15-year roof rule explained.
Does a 4-Point Inspection Include Wind Mitigation?
No. They’re separate inspections on separate forms. A 4-point checks the condition of four systems for eligibility. A wind mitigation inspection documents construction features for discounts. Many Florida inspectors offer both in one visit, but you get two separate reports.
A wind mitigation inspection also doesn’t replace a roof inspection. It records how the roof is built and attached, not whether it leaks or how much life it has left.
Who Can Do Each Inspection?
- 4-point: a Florida-licensed professional, such as a home inspector or a general, residential or building contractor, according to the DFS. On Citizens’ form, a trade such as a roofer or electrician may sign only its own section.
- Wind mitigation: under Florida Statutes §627.711, a licensed home inspector who has completed hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a professional engineer, a professional architect, or anyone else the insurer recognizes. Roofing contractors aren’t on that list.
- Roof inspection: a roofing contractor, or another licensed professional your insurer accepts for its roof form.
How Long Is Each Inspection Valid?
- Wind mitigation: up to 5 years, as long as no material changes have been made to the home and the form has no inaccuracies. Replacing the roof changes several items on the form, so get a new report after reroofing.
- 4-point: the DFS says it generally must be dated within 30 days before the insurance application, but each insurer sets its own timeframe.
- Roof inspection: no set period. Insurers decide how recent a roof report must be.
Citizens accepts the older wind mitigation form (Rev. 01/12) if it was completed within five years before April 1, 2026 and nothing on the home has changed. Inspections done on or after April 1, 2026 must use the new form.
Which Inspection Does Your Insurer Need?
It depends on the insurer and the home:
- 4-point: insurers commonly ask for one on older homes when you apply for or renew a policy.
- Wind mitigation: usually optional, but it’s how you document features that qualify for discounts. Florida Statutes §627.0629 requires residential rate filings to include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or other rate differentials for features that reduce windstorm loss. The form itself notes that some items may not qualify for a discount.
- Roof inspection or roof form: asked for when the roof is older, when the insurer questions its condition, or under the 15-year rule.
Ask your agent which reports the policy needs before you book, so you don’t pay for one twice.
How Can a New Roof Improve Your Wind Mitigation Report?
Because six of the nine form items involve the roof, a reroof can change several answers at once:
- Roof covering: a new covering installed under the current code with a permit.
- Roof deck attachment: on many older site-built homes, Florida’s re-roof rules require re-nailing the deck during a full replacement.
- Secondary water resistance: the same re-roof rules call for a secondary water barrier on many older homes when the roof is replaced.
After a new roof, schedule a new wind mitigation inspection with a qualified inspector so your insurer sees the updated features. For when a replacement makes sense, see our roof replacement in Brandon, FL page.
Which Inspection Should You Get for an Older Roof?
Start with a roof inspection. It tells you whether the roof will pass the roof section of a 4-point and how much life it has left, before the insurer’s inspector sees it. If problems turn up, you can repair them first. Then book the 4-point and wind mitigation together if your insurer needs both.
For how often to check an aging roof, read how often to get a roof inspection in Florida.
Roof Inspections in Brandon, FL
Tidewell Roofing inspects shingle, tile, metal and flat roofs before a 4-point or a renewal, fixes what would cause problems and gives you a photo report of the roof’s condition. We don’t perform wind mitigation inspections; a qualified inspector does those. Learn more about our roof inspection in Brandon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 4-point inspection the same as wind mitigation?
No. A 4-point checks the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC so an insurer can decide whether to cover the home. A wind mitigation inspection documents wind-resistant construction that may earn premium discounts. They use different forms.
Can you fail a wind mitigation inspection?
Not in the usual sense. The form records which features your home has. Homes with fewer qualifying features simply earn fewer credits. A 4-point is different, because a system in poor condition can stop an insurer from writing the policy.
Does a 4-point inspection lower my insurance premium?
Not directly. A 4-point is used to decide eligibility. Premium discounts for wind-resistant features come from the wind mitigation report.
What is a wind mitigation report?
It’s the completed OIR-B1-1802 form. A qualified inspector fills it out with photos and documentation of your home’s wind-resistant features, and your insurer uses it to apply any discounts you qualify for.
Can my roofer do a wind mitigation inspection?
Usually not. Florida law lists home inspectors with hurricane mitigation training, building code inspectors, general, building or residential contractors, engineers and architects. Roofing contractors aren’t on the list unless your insurer accepts them.
Will the 2026 wind mitigation form change my discount?
Citizens says the April 2026 form changes will not change the credits it applies at this time. Other insurers set their own rules, so ask yours. If your home hasn’t changed, a recent report on the older form may still be accepted.
Not Sure Your Roof Will Pass?
Tidewell Roofing will check your roof before your insurance inspections and fix any problems first. Request a roof inspection with no obligation.
Sources
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form Changes, March 19, 2026; Roof and 4-Point Inspection Form Updates, March 20, 2025; 4-Point Inspection Form (citizensfla.com)
- Florida Department of Financial Services, Four Point Inspection Guide (myfloridacfo.com)
- Florida Statutes §627.0629, §627.711 and §627.7011 (flsenate.gov)
- FORTIFIED Home Technical Bulletin FH 2026-02 (fortifiedhome.org)
This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance requirements vary by company and change over time; confirm current rules with your insurer.