Wind mitigation inspection of roof could be money-saver

For Tampa resident Lowelle Lomel, a simple home inspection saved her big bucks on her home insurance.

"Yes we saved over $2,000 on our insurance which was shocking to me" said Lomel in her 1920s-era home.

Lomel had just had the roof replaced and due to her busy life hadn't gotten the home inspection done sooner. It turns out that the delay in her case didn't matter too much, "because we are at the tail end of our current policy I think our policy ends in November, they sent me a check for this past year, and my premium for next year is reduced."

The insurance company sent Lomel a refund for part of last year's premium thanks to a wind mitigation inspection company - which comes to your house and surveys how well your house can withstand hurricane force winds.

Tim Glisson, of Insure Inspect, performed the inspection on Lomel's home and says "every single house no matter what age can receive credits."

This little known insurance discount - allowable under state law - requires insurance companies to offer Florida homeowners discounts, credits, or other rate differentials for construction techniques that reduce damage and loss in windstorms, according to Insure Inspect's Web site.

The thought behind the statute is that the less damage you receive the less money you'll be paid out in case of a hurricane.

Many people think that their house or roof may be too old to have any hurricane mitigation devices, or that the stricter building codes were only implemented after Hurricane Andrew but Glisson says differently.

"We have been reinforcing houses over the years, people don't know that and the insurance companies don't tell them that so I come in even to a '60s and '70s house and I find hurricane clips," he says. Those passive devices could be money savers if they are verified with an inspection and sent to your insurer.

Think about your roof. Was it installed after 1994 or 2001? Roofs that meet code for those years could qualify you for a credit if they meet the Florida building code.

Other things that go into the mitigation inspection verification include; roof design, garage door design, and window protection. The wind mitigation inspection can give you the added benefit of you knowing where weak spots could lie in your home.