Florida Wind Mitigation Discounts and Condo HO-6 Basics
James Brazil lives in Mérida, Mexico. He founded Swift Agent Sites and studied Classics at the University of Mississippi.
Published · Updated
Florida insurers must offer hurricane loss-mitigation discounts when your home has qualifying wind-resistant features verified on the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. Condo unit owners usually need an HO-6 policy for interior and personal property risks the association master policy does not cover.
Those two topics travel together after every storm season. Homeowners ask how to lower the wind portion of the premium. Condo owners ask why the association policy did not pay for flooring, cabinets, or a special assessment. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), the Department of Financial Services, and Citizens Property Insurance all publish consumer guidance on the split.
What is a wind mitigation discount?
Florida law requires residential property insurers to recognize fixtures and construction techniques that reduce hurricane wind damage. OIR maintains the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802). An authorized inspector completes the form. You give it to your insurer so applicable discounts can be applied.
OIR notes the form is valid for up to five years if no material changes are made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found. A revised OIR-B1-1802 became effective April 1, 2026, after OIR's periodic review of wind-loss mitigation research.
Insurers must also provide a Notice of Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation and publish mitigation discount information on their websites. Ask your agent for the carrier's current discount schedule rather than guessing a percentage from a neighbor's bill. Discount ranges depend on features, construction type, and the insurer's filed rating.
Common features inspectors document include roof shape, roof covering and attachment, roof deck attachment, secondary water resistance, opening protection (shutters or impact glass), and wall-to-foundation connections. Only features that are actually present and correctly verified count.
How do I get an inspection and keep the credit?
Pick an inspector authorized under section 627.711(2)(a), Florida Statutes. OIR encourages consumers to verify that authorization before paying for an inspection.
After the inspection:
- Keep a copy of the completed Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form
- Send it to your insurer or agent and ask for written confirmation of any discount applied
- Update the form after material upgrades (new roof, new opening protection) so the file matches the house
- Recheck at renewal if the carrier asks for a newer form
Florida also runs mitigation assistance programs. My Safe Florida Home (individual homeowners) and the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot Program (associations) are listed by OIR among state mitigation programs managed through the Department of Financial Services. Eligibility, grant amounts, and inspection offers change with funding cycles, so confirm current rules on mysafeflhome.com before you budget around a grant.
Mitigation discounts reduce the windstorm portion of the premium. They do not erase your hurricane deductible, and they do not create flood coverage. Pair hardening with a clear flood plan; see flood insurance basics for Florida.
What does a condo HO-6 policy cover?
Citizens explains the ownership split this way: when you own a house, you are responsible for the structure. When you own a condo unit, you are generally responsible for interior features such as flooring and appliances, while the association maintains exterior and building structure items described in the governing documents.
An HO-6 (condo unit-owner) policy is the usual product for that interior and personal-property risk. Citizens notes HO-6 options can include:
- Dwelling coverage for portions of the unit you are responsible for
- Personal property
- Loss of use if a covered loss makes the unit uninhabitable
- Personal liability and medical payments
- Loss assessment coverage
Citizens states that loss assessment coverage of up to $2,000 is included in its HO-6 policies, and that assessments are typically for deductibles and repairs not covered by a unit-owner policy. Always read your own form and the association's master policy. Association documents control what the master covers (often described as "bare walls," "single entity," or similar approaches). Request a copy of the association policy from the board before you assume cabinets or flooring are someone else's problem.
Loss assessment for a covered peril is not the same thing as every special assessment an association may levy for reserves, deferred maintenance, or capital projects. Ask your agent which assessments your HO-6 actually responds to.
How do Citizens, private markets, and condo towers fit together?
If private carriers will not write your condo unit or home at a comparable price, you may look at Citizens eligibility and the 20% rule. Citizens offers condo-unit products as part of its personal lines suite when eligibility is met through an appointed agent.
For single-family homes, a current mitigation form can be the difference between a workable private quote and a residual-market path. For condo buildings, association-level hardening and master-policy deductibles still drive unit-owner assessments after a storm. Unit owners should ask the board about the master deductible, reserve funding, and any recent mitigation work before renewal season.
FAQ
Does a wind mitigation inspection guarantee a discount?
It documents features. Your insurer applies discounts according to its filed rating and the verified items on the form. Ask for the resulting premium change in writing.
How long is the Uniform Mitigation Verification Form good for?
OIR says up to five years if there are no material structure changes and no inaccuracies on the form. Confirm what your insurer will accept at renewal.
Is the association master policy enough for a condo owner?
Usually not for your contents, interior finishes you are responsible for, liability, and loss assessments. Citizens describes HO-6 as the typical unit-owner policy for those gaps.
Will mitigation upgrades remove my hurricane deductible?
No. Deductibles and mitigation discounts are different parts of the policy. Hardening can lower premium; it does not eliminate the percentage hurricane deductible.
Where do I start if I want both a condo HO-6 review and a mitigation check?
Call a licensed local agent with your association master declarations, your unit HO-6, and any prior mitigation form. For program eligibility, review My Safe Florida Home current offerings separately.
Next step
A licensed local insurance agent can order or review a mitigation inspection, translate HO-6 limits next to your association master policy, and check Citizens or private options if you are shopping. Bring the declarations pages, condo docs, and any OIR-B1-1802 form you already have. More consumer guides sit under Florida insurance articles.
Sources: FLOIR: Wind Mitigation Resources, Citizens: Condo vs homeowners coverage, My Safe Florida Home.
This is general information for Florida. It is not a recommendation to buy, drop, or switch a specific policy. Confirm current details with the insurer or a licensed agent who knows your situation.
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