Florida homeowners can be asked for three different inspection reports. They overlap on the roof, so people mix them up. Each one answers a different question for your insurer, and knowing which is which saves you from paying for the wrong one.
How do the three inspections compare?
| Detail | Wind mitigation | 4-point inspection | Roof certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | Which hurricane features does the home have? | Are the four major systems in acceptable condition? | How old is the roof and how much life does it have left? |
| What it can do for you | Lower the wind portion of your premium | Let an insurer write an older home | Satisfy an insurer's roof age or condition rule |
| Form | State form OIR-B1-1802, required by law | No state form. Citizens publishes a sample, Insp4pt 03 25 | No state form. Citizens publishes a sample, RCF-1 03 25 |
| Systems covered | Roof and attic, roof-to-wall connections, openings | Roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC | Roof only |
| How long it lasts | Up to five years if nothing material changes | For Citizens, dated within 12 months before the application | Set by the insurer |
What is a wind mitigation inspection for?
It records the features that help a home resist hurricane wind. The current Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802, revision 04/26, has nine questions, including roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall attachment, roof shape, secondary water resistance and opening protection. Answers to questions 2 through 9 each need a photo or document behind them.
Insurers read it to pick the wind discounts on your policy, and one report can carry you through several renewals. How long it lasts and how each question is graded are in our wind mitigation inspection guide.
What is a 4-point inspection for?
It tells an insurer whether an older home is insurable. A Florida-licensed inspector reports on the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, with photos. Citizens wants one with any new application on a home older than 20 years, and the report cannot be more than 12 months old.
The Citizens sample 4-Point Inspection Form says underwriting uses the information only to decide insurability, and that it is not a warranty of any system. It does not affect your wind discounts. The roof questions on it are explained in our 4-point inspection guide.
What is a roof certification for?
It is a roof-only report on age, condition, remaining useful life and the date of the last permit, with a photo of each slope. Insurers ask for it when a roof is past their age limit or when they want proof of condition. Citizens, for example, wants proof that shingles older than 25 years, or tile, slate, concrete or metal older than 50, still have five or more years left in them.
Citizens calls its current version the Roof Inspection Form, RCF-1. RCF-1 says plainly that mitigation features belong on OIR-B1-1802. Citizens will also take the roof section of a 4-point in its place, as long as that section carries a photo of every slope.
Under Florida law, the roof inspection also matters for roofs 15 years or older. Florida Statutes section 627.7011 lets you have the roof inspected before an insurer can demand a new one. If the report gives the roof five more years, age alone cannot cost you the policy. Our guide to Florida roof age insurance requirements explains that rule.
Who can sign each form?
| Signer | Wind mitigation | 4-point | Roof Inspection Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| General, building or residential contractor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roofing contractor | Only if the insurer recognizes them | Not named on Citizens' form | Yes |
| Building code inspector | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Licensed home inspector | Yes, with hurricane mitigation training and an exam | Yes | Yes |
| Professional engineer or architect | Yes | Not listed in Citizens' examples | Not listed |
The wind mitigation list comes from Florida Statutes section 627.711. Roofing contractors are not named on it, but the statute lets an insurer accept anyone it recognizes as qualified. The 4-point column comes from Citizens' 4-point form, which says a professional licensed in one trade may sign only that trade's section. The roof column comes from RCF-1, which has its own signer list that includes roofing contractors and Florida-licensed home inspectors. Other insurers may accept different signers, so check with your agent.
Which one do I need?
- Shopping for a lower premium on any home. Get a wind mitigation inspection.
- Buying or insuring a home more than 20 years old. Expect a 4-point, and ask about a wind mitigation report at the same time.
- Your insurer flagged your roof's age. Get a roof certification on the form your insurer accepts.
- You just replaced your roof. Get a new wind mitigation report, and keep your final permit and paid-in-full contract as proof of the new roof.
A new roof can change answers on all three forms. When every report keeps flagging the same tired roof, our repair vs replacement guide and Orlando roof replacement cost guide can help you decide.
To find out where your roof stands before any of these, book a free roof inspection or see our wind mitigation service.
Sources
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form
- Florida Statutes s. 627.711(2), authorized signers of the wind mitigation form
- Citizens Property Insurance, sample 4-Point Inspection Form Insp4pt 03 25
- Citizens Property Insurance, sample Roof Inspection Form RCF-1 03 25
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7011(5), authorized inspectors for roofs 15 years or older
