In Florida, a 4-point inspection examines the four systems insurers care most about — roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — to determine whether your home qualifies for coverage at all. A wind mitigation inspection evaluates hurricane-resistant features to determine how much discount you qualify for on your premium. Both are unique to Florida and touch nearly every transaction involving an older home. Together they typically cost $180–$220 and can save buyers hundreds to thousands annually.
These two inspections are unlike anything most buyers from Ohio, New Jersey, or Michigan have dealt with before — and the rules changed in April 2026 in a way every buyer and seller in Lee and Collier County should understand.
The 4-point inspection: what it is and when you need it
This is an insurance underwriting document, not a full home inspection — it looks at exactly four systems: roof (age, material, condition), electrical (panel type, wiring, hazards), plumbing (pipe materials, water heater condition), and HVAC (functionality, age).
Most Florida insurers require one for homes 20 years or older — Citizens Property Insurance still applies that threshold, though many private carriers have softened to 25 or 30 years following new market entrants and improved underwriting tools in 2025–2026. Ask your insurance agent early, since the exact threshold varies by carrier. A significant share of Bonita Springs and Estero resale inventory was built in the 1990s through early 2000s, putting much of it squarely in range.
There's no formal pass/fail certificate, but conditions insurers consider unacceptable risk can seriously limit your options: aging roofs with under 3–5 years of useful life remaining, Federal Pacific or Zinsco electrical panels (known fire hazards that push buyers toward Citizens or surplus-lines coverage), polybutylene pipe (common in homes built 1978–1995) or galvanized steel plumbing, and end-of-life HVAC systems.
A flagged 4-point doesn't always kill a deal, but discovering the problem a week before closing forces a bad choice. Get it done at the start of your inspection period, not the end.
The wind mitigation inspection: how it can save you real money
Florida law (FL Statute 627.0629) requires insurers to offer premium credits for each documented hurricane-resistant feature. The inspector evaluates seven areas: roof covering type, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, roof shape (hip roofs score significantly better than gable), opening protection (impact windows/doors, shutters), secondary water resistance, and — new in 2026 — region and roof slope.
Homes built after 2002, under Florida's strengthened post-Andrew building code, have a strong chance of qualifying for meaningful credits — but even older homes with hip roofs, impact windows, or documented hurricane straps can qualify. Buyers in Bonita Springs who get a strong wind mitigation report typically see 10–45% reductions on the windstorm portion of their premium. On a $6,000–$8,000 annual bill, not unusual in coastal Lee County, that's $600–$3,600 in annual savings — from a $100–$125 inspection valid for five years. One of the best returns on any $100 you'll spend in this process.
What changed in 2026 — and why it matters right now
On April 1, 2026, Florida's official wind mitigation form — OIR-B1-1802 — was updated for the first time in over a decade, based on the 2024 Residential Wind-Loss Mitigation Study. Inspectors must now support nearly every credit with photographs, product approval numbers, or permit documentation — undocumented features may not get credited under the new form. Two new fields (Region and Roof Slope) were added, and opening-protection categories were clarified. Insurance carriers began applying credits under the new form starting July 2026.
If you're buying a home and the seller's wind mitigation report predates April 1, 2026, it was produced under the old standard — your insurer will ask for an updated version. Budget $100–$125 for a fresh inspection.
How sellers can use both inspections to their advantage
Get a 4-point inspection before you list. Discovering a 20-year-old HVAC or an outdated panel before listing gives you options — repair, price for it, or disclose proactively — all better than a surprise renegotiation at closing.
Get a fresh wind mitigation report under the 2026 form and include it in your listing documents. A report showing $800–$1,500 in annual premium savings turns "I'm worried about insurance" into "the insurance question is already answered" — a real edge when other listings haven't done this.
Bundle both together — most Southwest Florida inspection companies offer both for $180–$220 combined, one appointment, documentation that supports your listing the whole time you're on market.