What Is a Wind Mitigation Survey and Can It Lower Your Home Insurance in New Orleans?
One inspection, a few hundred dollars, and I saved $2,900 a year on my own home
Home insurance in New Orleans is still painful. Premiums went up after Ida and a lot of homeowners are still absorbing that hit. But there is one proactive step that most people haven’t taken and it costs about $250.
It’s called a Wind Mitigation Survey.
What is it?
A Wind Mitigation Survey is a state-mandated inspection program created by the Louisiana Department of Insurance in 2009. The idea is straightforward: if your home is built or retrofitted to withstand high winds better than average, your insurer is required by law to give you a discount.
The inspection is conducted by a certified surveyor who examines your roof, attic, windows, and doors. They complete a standardized state form, the Louisiana Hurricane Loss Mitigation Survey Form, and you submit it to your insurance carrier. Your insurer then applies whatever credits your home qualifies for.
You don’t have to switch insurance companies. You don’t have to do any renovations first. You just have to ask.
What do they actually look for?
Here's the checklist inspectors use to determine your discounts:
A few things worth knowing from the FAQ over at Wind Mitigation Surveyors:
A general contractor or home inspector cannot certify the form. It has to be a registered Wind Mitigation Surveyor, licensed architect, licensed engineer, or Code Enforcement Officer registered with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council.
Plywood window covers only qualify if there is a permanent attachment system installed on the exterior walls, loose plywood doesn’t count.
Standard insulated windows, even if certified for hurricane winds, generally do not qualify unless they are specifically rated to withstand wind-borne debris.
How much can you save?
It varies. I had the inspection done on my own home and saved $2,900 a year on my premiums. I’ve had clients save over $4,000. I’ve also had clients whose homes didn’t qualify for any new credits: older homes with gable roofs and no storm protection tend to come up short.
The inspection runs $250–$300 and takes about an hour. If you save even one year of premium, it pays for itself many times over.
Who to call
Two companies I’ve worked with directly in the New Orleans area:
Tell them your insurance carrier when you call so they can fill out the correct form.
One more thing
If you’re getting a Fortified Roof, you may already be maximizing your wind mitigation credits through that product alone. Call the surveyor first and ask, they’ll tell you whether the survey is worth it given what you already have.
Questions about whether your home might qualify? Drop them in the comments.
Philip Ewbank is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams New Orleans. He covers the New Orleans and North Shore real estate markets.
8601 Leake Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118 C: 504.335.7481 | O: 504.862.0100 Each office independently owned & operated. Licensed in the state of Louisiana. License #0995700196