Quick answer: Florida requires insurers to include discounts for home features that reduce windstorm loss, such as roof-to-wall connections, opening protection and roof-deck attachment. The statute does not set a percentage, and each carrier decides its own credits. Start with a wind mitigation inspection on the current state form, then get written quotes. Roof age and separate roof deductibles also affect coverage. Nothing here is a quote or a promise of savings, and coverage questions belong with a licensed insurance agent.
People shopping for a Florida home often ask the same question: what can I do to bring the insurance cost down? The honest answer has three parts. Some features earn credits under state law. The credits differ by company and by policy. And the only number that counts is a written quote for the specific house. This article explains how the pieces fit, so you can ask the right questions before you choose a home or an insurer.
What the statute requires
Under s. 627.0629(1), insurers' rate filings must include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or other rate differentials, or appropriate reductions in deductibles, for features that reduce windstorm loss. The statute does not set a percentage. The size of any credit comes from each carrier's filed rates, which is why two companies can price the same house very differently.
Start with a wind mitigation inspection
Most carriers need a wind mitigation inspection before they apply a windstorm credit. The inspection is recorded on a state form. For inspections on or after April 1, 2026, the form is OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), according to Citizens Property Insurance's notice on the change. Some earlier versions may still be accepted in limited cases, so ask your agent which form the carrier requires before you order the report. The inspector records features such as roof shape, roof covering, roof-to-wall connections, roof-deck attachment, opening protection and secondary water resistance.
Citizens' discount page lists the features it recognizes. Those include roof-deck attachment, roof covering, roof-to-wall connections, secondary water resistance, opening protection (shutters or impact windows and doors) and hip roof shape. Citizens applies discounts only to the wind portion of the premium, and it requires documentation from an inspection before a discount applies. That page does not publish percentages, and it lists no separate credit for new construction or FORTIFIED-designated homes.
Roof age and roof deductibles
Roof details can matter as much as the features. Under s. 627.7011(5), an insurer may not refuse or nonrenew solely because a roof is under 15 years old. For a roof 15 years or older, the homeowner may obtain an inspection, and refusal based on age is barred if that inspection shows five or more years of remaining roof life. Florida also caps a separate roof deductible at the lesser of 2 percent of the Coverage A limit or 50 percent of the cost to replace the roof (s. 627.701(10)). Ask the agent what roof deductible would apply to the house you are considering. Our guide to buying a home with an older roof covers this in more detail.
The market is moving, but each quote is different
Florida Realtors reported on September 24, 2026 that four private insurers had filed rate cuts ranging from 3.2 percent to 10.4 percent at renewal, and that the state's insurance commissioner expected more cuts. Those filings apply to specific carriers and policies. They do not tell you what your premium will be, and a cut in one company's filing does not change another company's quote.
My Safe Florida Home
My Safe Florida Home is a state program that offers home hardening inspections and grants. The program's official site describes free inspections and grants of up to $10,000 under the statute (s. 215.5586). The 2026 law (SB 1452, chapter 2026-174) changed eligibility requirements for the hurricane mitigation inspection. Eligibility and funding change, so I don't describe who qualifies here. Check the current requirements with the program before you plan around a grant.
Questions to ask before you choose a home
Ask the seller whether a wind mitigation report exists and which form it uses. Ask whether the roof has been replaced and when, and whether a roof permit or inspection record is available. Ask an insurance agent which credits the carrier applies to this specific home, what the roof deductible would be, and whether the roof is covered at replacement cost. Those answers are worth more than any general percentage, including the ones in this article.
Keep the claims honest
Florida requires real estate advertising to be accurate. I won't promise a premium, a discount amount or an insurability decision for any home. If you would like to understand how a particular feature might affect a quote, I can help you organize the questions and the documents, and a licensed agent can give you the numbers.
Questions buyers ask about insurance and home features
Do I need a wind mitigation inspection to get discounts?
Usually yes. Citizens requires inspection documentation before a windstorm discount applies, and other carriers ask for a qualifying inspection as well. Confirm the form your carrier requires before you order the report.
Which form does the inspector use?
For inspections on or after April 1, 2026, the state form is OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), according to Citizens' notice. Ask your agent whether an earlier version is acceptable for the house you are buying.
Can an insurer drop an older roof?
Not solely because of its age when the roof is under 15 years old. For a roof 15 years or older, an inspection showing five or more years of remaining life bars refusal based on age under s. 627.7011(5). Other underwriting rules still apply.
What should a buyer ask an agent?
Which windstorm credits the carrier applies to this home, what the roof deductible would be, whether the roof is covered at replacement cost, and whether the policy's wind and hurricane deductibles are shown in writing. Get all of it in a written quote.
Talk with William. Buying a home and want to understand the insurance picture before you make an offer? Send me the listing. I will help you list the features, roof details and documents to ask for, and I will connect you with a licensed agent who can quote the house. Call or text (772) 800-2274 or send a message.
General information, not insurance, legal, tax or financial advice. Premiums, credits and deductibles depend on the carrier, the policy and the property. Coverage and premium questions belong with a licensed insurance agent. Statute references and program details are as reviewed on October 20, 2026. William Merchant, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Gold. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 627.0629, Residential property insurance rate filings and wind mitigation discounts (2026)
- Citizens Property Insurance: Uniform mitigation verification inspection form changes (OIR-B1-1802, Rev. 04/26)
- Citizens Property Insurance: Discounts for home features
- Florida Statutes 627.7011, Homeowners' policies: settlement options and roof age (2025)
- Florida Statutes 627.701, Property insurance; liability of insurers (roof deductibles, 2026)
- Florida Realtors: Florida approves more home insurance rate cuts (Sept. 24, 2026)
- My Safe Florida Home program
- Florida Statutes 215.5586, My Safe Florida Home program (2025)
- Florida Senate: SB 1452 (2026), chapter 2026-174
