Do New Homes Cost Less to Insure in Florida?
In this article
"New homes in Florida can cost less to insure, but there is no set dollar amount. Florida law requires home insurers to offer credits for features that cut wind damage, including features that meet the Florida Building Code. A new home is built to a recent code, so it may qualify for more of those credits, but what you save depends on what an inspector can verify and on which insurer you pick.
Do new homes cost less to insure in Florida?
They can, and the reason is wind. Section 627.0629 of the Florida Statutes (checked Sept. 27, 2026) says a home insurance rate filing must include ""actuarially reasonable discounts, credits, or other rate differentials, or appropriate reductions in deductibles"" for homes with features shown to reduce wind losses.
The law also lists the kinds of features it means. They include wind uplift prevention, roof strength, roof covering performance, roof-to-wall strength, wall-to-floor-to-foundation strength, opening protection, and window, door and skylight strength.
Here is the line that matters most to new-home buyers. The law says credits for features that ""meet the minimum requirements of the Florida Building Code must be included in the rate filing."" In plain words, building to code is supposed to count.
What the law does not do is set a dollar amount. Each insurer files its own rates. Two insurers can price the same new home very differently.
What building code is a new Florida home built to?
The Florida Building Commission's official site (checked Sept. 27, 2026) says the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), took effect Dec. 31, 2023.
Code version matters for insurance because it is the very first question on the state's wind mitigation form. The form asks which code was in force ""at the time of original permit application."" The choices are the Florida Building Code 2001 and 2004, the Florida Building Code 2007 and later, or, for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, the South Florida Building Code of 1994. If a home fits none of those, it is marked unknown.
Ask your builder for the permit application date for your home. It answers question one.
What is a wind mitigation inspection in Florida?
A wind mitigation inspection is how you prove your home's wind features to your insurer. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR, checked Sept. 27, 2026) says homeowners can hire a licensed inspector to examine the home using the official Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. Then you take the completed form to your insurance agent to start the discounts.
That form is called OIR-B1-1802. OIR's wind mitigation resources page (checked Sept. 27, 2026) says a new version took effect April 1, 2026, after a 2024 study of wind-resistant building features. The same page says the form is valid for up to five years, as long as no material changes are made to the home and no inaccuracies are found.
The form also says who can sign it. The list includes home inspectors with hurricane mitigation training, certified building code inspectors, contractors, professional engineers and architects, each holding the Florida license or certificate the form names.
What does the Florida wind mitigation form check?
The April 2026 version of the OIR-B1-1802 form (checked Sept. 27, 2026) has nine main questions. Here they are in plain words, with a question you can ask your builder for each one.
Form question | What it checks | What to ask the builder |
|---|---|---|
1. Building code | Code in force when the permit was applied for | What was the permit application date? |
2. Region | The design wind speed zone for the location | Which wind speed zone was the home designed for? |
3. Roof slope | Whether most of the main roof is 6:12 or steeper | What is the main roof pitch? |
4. Roof covering | Roof type, plus its permit or product approval | Can I get the roof permit and product approval number? |
5. Roof deck attachment | How the roof sheathing is fastened | What nails and spacing hold the roof deck? |
6. Roof-to-wall attachment | Toenails, clips, single wraps, double wraps or structural | What connectors tie the roof to the walls? |
7. Roof geometry | Hip roof, flat roof or other | Is the main roof a hip roof? |
8. Sealed roof deck | A sealed layer under the roof covering | Was the roof deck sealed, and how? |
9. Opening protection | How windows, doors, skylights and garage doors resist flying debris | Are the openings impact-rated or covered by approved protection? |
Each page of the form also carries a warning: ""Some items listed may not qualify for a discount."" The form proves what your home has. Your insurer decides what each item is worth.
Will my insurer tell me what each discount is worth?
Yes, in writing. OIR says a state rule requires insurers to send new and renewing policyholders a list of these discounts ""with exact dollar savings."" That notice is form OIR-B1-1655, the Notice of Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation. OIR's resources page says insurers provide it when a policy is issued and at each renewal.
Florida law adds two more helps. Since Oct. 1, 2023, Section 627.0629 has required insurers to describe their hurricane mitigation discounts on their websites. The same law says your premium notice must show the hurricane premium separately from the premium for all other coverages. That split makes it easier to see how much the wind credits move your bill.
Is there an average Florida home insurance cost for new homes?
We are not going to print one. A fair number depends on the exact home, the location, the coverage you choose and the insurer.
OIR does offer a free tool called CHOICES (checked Sept. 27, 2026). OIR says it shows sample average homeowners rates in any Florida county, based on three pre-defined model scenarios. OIR also says those rates are ""for illustrative purposes only"" and tells consumers to get a quote based on their own situation.
So the best number is a real quote on the exact home you plan to buy.
What this means for new-construction buyers in Florida
A new home gives you one big advantage: the paper trail is fresh. Use it.
Ask for the documents early. The permit application date, roof permit, product approvals, roof-to-wall connector type and window and door ratings all feed the form.
Get the form done when the home is finished. Have a qualified inspector complete the OIR-B1-1802 form, and keep a copy with your policy papers.
Get more than one quote. The law requires wind credits, but each insurer sets its own rates.
Read the discount notice. Compare the OIR-B1-1655 notice from each insurer so you can see the dollar value of each credit.
Budget the whole payment. Insurance sits next to principal, interest and property taxes in your monthly cost.
For the loan side of the payment, see our guide to the 2-1 buydown. For the tax side, see how the Florida homestead exemption works on new construction.
National House Search is builder-neutral. We can help you compare new homes from different builders side by side, including the questions above. Home prices and builder offers change often, so call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers.
Common Questions
Do new homes in Florida get a wind mitigation discount automatically?
Not automatically. Your insurer needs proof of the features, usually on the state's OIR-B1-1802 form completed by a qualified inspector. Florida law requires credits for features that meet the Florida Building Code, but each insurer files its own rates for state review.
What is the OIR-B1-1802 form?
It is Florida's Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. A new version took effect April 1, 2026, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. The form is valid for up to five years if the home has no material changes and no inaccuracies are found.
Which Florida Building Code is in effect now?
The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), took effect Dec. 31, 2023, according to the Florida Building Commission site, checked Sept. 27, 2026. The wind mitigation form asks which code was in force when your home's permit was applied for.
How do I see what my wind discounts are worth?
Your insurer must send you form OIR-B1-1655, the Notice of Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation says it lists the discounts with exact dollar savings. Insurers must also describe their hurricane mitigation discounts on their websites.
Does Florida law set a fixed wind mitigation discount?
No. Section 627.0629 of the Florida Statutes requires actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or other rate differentials, but each insurer files its own rates. That is why quotes for the same home can differ.
Where can I compare Florida home insurance rates?
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation runs a free tool called CHOICES that shows sample average rates by county. The office says those rates are for illustrative purposes only. For your real cost, get quotes on the exact home you plan to buy.
Ready to take the next step?
Call 561-704-0091 to talk with a National House Search specialist, or Schedule a visit.
Related reading: What is a 2-1 buydown and is it worth it? · Florida homestead exemption on new construction · Buying a new-construction townhome for the first time
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures checked September 27, 2026."