4-Point vs. Wind Mitigation: Which One Does Your Florida Insurer Actually Want?

If you own or are buying a home in Southwest Florida, your insurance agent has probably asked for “an inspection” without saying which one. There are two, they cover different things, and getting the wrong one wastes a week you may not have before closing or renewal.

Here is the difference between a 4-point inspection and a wind mitigation inspection, which one your carrier is actually asking for, and why most Cape Coral and Fort Myers homeowners end up needing both.

The short version

• A 4-point inspection tells the insurer whether your home is insurable. It documents the age and condition of four systems: roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.
• A wind mitigation inspection tells the insurer how much of a discount you’ve earned. It documents the features that help your house survive a hurricane.

One is about risk. The other is about credits. Carriers ask for the 4-point when they’re deciding whether to write or renew the policy, and they use the wind mitigation to price it.

What a 4-point inspection covers

The 4-point is a short form, usually two to four pages with photos. For each of the four systems we record the type, the approximate age, the condition, and anything a carrier will want fixed:

• Roof – covering material, approximate age, remaining useful life, and any visible damage, patches, or active leaks. In Lee and Charlotte County, the roof is the item that fails 4-points most often.
• Electrical – panel brand and amperage, wiring type, double-tapped breakers, and any of the panel brands carriers refuse to cover (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, Challenger, and a few others). Aluminum branch wiring is flagged.
• Plumbing – supply and drain pipe materials, the water heater’s age, and visible leaks. Polybutylene supply lines and cast iron drains in older Fort Myers homes are common trouble spots.
• HVAC – system age, whether it’s cooling properly, and its condition. Many carriers want to see a unit that isn’t past its expected life.

Most carriers ask for a 4-point on homes older than roughly 20 to 30 years, and many want the report dated within the last year. It is a snapshot, not a full home inspection, and it can be done at the same visit as one. More on our 4-point inspections.

What a wind mitigation inspection covers

Wind mitigation uses a standard state form (OIR-B1-1802). Florida law requires insurers to give premium credits for construction features that reduce hurricane damage, and this form is how you prove you have them. We document and photograph seven items:

1. Roof covering – was it installed to the current Florida Building Code (2002 or later permit)?
2. Roof deck attachment – nail size and spacing holding the decking to the trusses, checked from the attic.
3. Roof-to-wall attachment – toe nails, clips, single wraps, or double wraps. This is where a lot of the credit lives.
4. Roof geometry – hip roofs earn a bigger credit than gable roofs.
5. Secondary water resistance – a sealed roof deck under the shingles or tile.
6. Opening protection – impact-rated windows and doors, or shutters, on every opening.
7. Building code year – homes permitted after March 2002 get credit for the code itself.

The report is valid for five years, and the discounts can add up to hundreds of dollars a year, sometimes more on a tile-roof, hip-roof, impact-window home. More on our wind mitigation inspections.

So which one does your insurer want?

Read the request carefully. The words usually give it away:

• “We need a four-point,” “condition of the roof and systems,” “for underwriting,” “before we can bind” → 4-point.
• “Wind mit,” “1802 form,” “for credits,” “to apply discounts,” “hurricane mitigation” → wind mitigation.
• “Roof certification,” “roof condition form,” “how many years are left on the roof” → this is usually a separate roof inspection report, which we also provide.

When in doubt, ask your agent to send the exact form the carrier wants. We’ll match it.

Why most SWFL homeowners need both

On a home older than 20 years, the carrier typically wants the 4-point to approve coverage and the wind mitigation to price it. Skipping the wind mitigation doesn’t get your policy denied. It just means you pay full price. Skipping the 4-point when it’s required means no policy at all, which can hold up a closing.

Both inspections take about 30 to 45 minutes combined, need attic access, and can be done on the same visit as a full home inspection. If you’re buying, ask for all three at once. If you’re renewing, both can usually be done within a day or two of your call.

What if the 4-point turns up a problem?

It happens, and it’s better to find out from us than from a declined application. The usual fixes:

• Roof past its life – some carriers will accept a roof inspection showing at least five years of remaining life; otherwise it’s replacement.
• Obsolete panel – a panel replacement by a licensed electrician, then a re-inspection.
• Polybutylene plumbing – repipe, or shop for a carrier that will accept it with a higher deductible.
• Old water heater – replace it; it’s the cheapest fix on the list.

Schedule a 4-point or wind mitigation in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples

Brick and Mortar Inspections is a Florida-licensed home inspection company (HI15814) serving Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties. Call or text 239-560-8611, or request an inspection online. Reports are delivered the same day so your agent can submit them right away.