4 Point vs Wind Mitigation in Davie: Which You Need

Every buyer under contract on an older Davie home eventually asks me the same thing. The insurance agent wants a 4 point and a wind mitigation, so which one do I actually need, and is one of them just a way to sell me something? Here is the honest answer, because these two inspections do completely different jobs and confusing them can cost you a policy or cost you money.

The difference that actually matters

Think of it this way. A 4 point inspection decides whether an insurer will cover you at all. A wind mitigation inspection decides how much you pay once they do. One is the gate. The other is the discount.

A 4 point looks at the condition and safety of four systems, the roof, the electrical, the plumbing, and the HVAC. Insurers use it to judge the risk of writing a policy on an older home. A wind mitigation inspection ignores condition entirely and instead documents how well your home is built to resist a hurricane. Those are separate questions, which is why an agent asks for both on the same house.

The reason this matters in Davie is simple. A large share of our housing stock predates 2000, especially the established homes in east Davie in ZIP codes like 33314 and 33317. Once a home passes about 20 to 30 years old, the 4 point stops being optional and becomes the thing standing between you and a bound policy.

When you need a 4 point inspection in Davie

Carriers set their own age thresholds, and the pattern in Broward County is consistent. Almost every private carrier requires a 4 point on a home 40 years or older before they will write a new policy. Most require one at 30 years. Some, including Citizens Property Insurance, still start around 20 to 30 years. The old universal 20 year cutoff has loosened, but the older your home, the more certain the requirement.

A 4 point is fast. It takes under an hour and runs a limited look at four systems, not the 400 item walkthrough of a full home inspection. Here is what the inspector documents.

• Roof: covering type, age, remaining useful life, and any visible leaks or damage. Roof age drives more declines in Broward than anything else. A roof past 15 years narrows your options fast.
• Electrical: panel type and wiring. Federal Pacific Electric panels, aluminum branch wiring, and old knob and tube wiring are common reasons a home gets flagged.
• Plumbing: pipe material and water heater age. Polybutylene supply lines are one of the most frequently rejected materials.
• HVAC: system type, age, and whether it runs.

One point that calms a lot of nervous buyers. A 4 point does not technically pass or fail. The inspector documents condition and the insurance underwriter decides. That means an issue on one carrier can be a non issue on another, which is why working with an agent who shops multiple carriers changes the outcome. If a system does get flagged, you may face required repairs before binding, a higher premium, or a decline, and that can delay a closing. Construction type feeds into the same math, and our Davie block versus frame insurance breakdown shows how the walls themselves move your rate.

When a wind mitigation inspection is worth it

A wind mitigation inspection is not required by law and it will never get you denied. Its only job is to lower your bill. It documents wind resistant features on the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, the OIR-B1-1802, which the state updated effective April 1, 2026.

Florida law is on your side here. Under Florida Statute 627.0629 insurers must give you a premium discount for each qualifying wind resistant feature, and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation publishes the credits. The inspector verifies things like:

• Roof shape, where a hip roof that slopes on all four sides earns the largest shape credit
• Roof deck attachment and the nails that hold it
• Roof to wall connections, meaning clips, straps, or single wraps
• Secondary water resistance under the roof covering
• Opening protection, meaning impact windows, doors, and shutters

The savings are real. Opening protection and a strong roof can together knock out a large share of the windstorm portion of your premium, and the maximum available runs up to 88 percent of that windstorm piece. Credits are not cumulative, so one strong feature can reduce what another is worth, but the net is almost always a lower bill. State data from the My Safe Florida Home program shows homeowners who add qualifying features report average savings above 900 dollars a year. Newer roofs built after 2002, and especially after 2012, earn the biggest credits. A wind mitigation report lasts five years as long as you do not change the roof, windows, or doors.

What each inspection costs and how to buy an older Davie home

Neither inspection is expensive relative to what it protects. A 4 point runs about 75 to 175 dollars, and a wind mitigation runs about 75 to 150 dollars. Booked together with the same inspector on the same visit, the bundle commonly lands around 150 to 325 dollars. When you are buying, you usually pay for these as part of your due diligence, the same as your full home inspection.

Here is why the timing matters for a Davie buyer. Most single family policies in town run between 4,200 and 5,500 dollars a year in 2026, and on older homes that number swings hard on roof age and wind features. There is relief in motion, with Citizens filing a 14.1 percent average rate cut effective July 1, 2026, but you should budget for the real number, not the promise. Getting both inspections during your inspection period tells you two things before you are locked in. The 4 point tells you whether you can even insure the home and at what condition. The wind mitigation tells you how low the premium can go. Bring both reports to your insurance quote and they can change the number on the spot. For the full picture of what drives your premium, our Davie home insurance guide and the current Davie homeowners insurance rates breakdown walk through every lever. Flood is a separate policy with separate math, covered in our Davie flood insurance cost by zone guide.

How to handle both inspections when buying an older Davie home

Run this sequence during your inspection period and you will never be surprised at binding.

1. Order the 4 point and the wind mitigation together, bundled with one licensed inspector, early in your inspection period.

2. Read the 4 point first. If the roof, electrical, plumbing, or HVAC gets flagged, price the fix and decide whether to ask the seller for a repair or a credit.

3. Use the wind mitigation report to shop the premium. Hand it to your insurance agent and get a quote on the specific address, not a statewide average.

4. If the roof is the problem, get a real replacement quote, because a new roof both clears the 4 point and boosts your wind mitigation credits at the same time.

5. Confirm your bound premium in writing before your financing and appraisal deadlines pass, so the cost is real before your money is at risk.

Do that and the insurance question stops being the thing that blows up your closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need both a 4 point and a wind mitigation inspection to buy a home in Davie?

On an older home, usually yes, but for different reasons. The 4 point is what your carrier requires to write the policy on a home roughly 20 to 40 years or older. The wind mitigation is optional and only lowers your premium. Booking them together is cheaper and gives you both answers before your inspection period ends.

What fails a 4 point inspection in Florida?

A 4 point does not officially pass or fail, but the common red flags that lead to a decline are an aged or damaged roof, Federal Pacific Electric panels, aluminum branch wiring, knob and tube wiring, and polybutylene plumbing. Different carriers treat these differently, so an item that stops one insurer may be acceptable to another with certification.

How much do a 4 point and wind mitigation inspection cost in Davie?

A 4 point runs about 75 to 175 dollars and a wind mitigation runs about 75 to 150 dollars. Scheduled together on the same visit, the bundle usually costs around 150 to 325 dollars. Buyers typically pay these as part of due diligence during the inspection period.

How much can a wind mitigation inspection save me?

It varies by home, but a hip roof and opening protection can remove a large share of the windstorm portion of your premium, with a maximum credit up to 88 percent of that portion. State My Safe Florida Home data shows average reported savings above 900 dollars a year. The report is valid for five years unless you alter the roof, windows, or doors.

Does my 4 point inspection expire?

Yes. Most carriers accept a 4 point for two to five years, depending on their guidelines. A wind mitigation report is good for five years as long as the roof, windows, and doors are unchanged. If you switch carriers later, you may need a fresh 4 point even if the old one has not aged out.

Talk to a Davie Real Estate Expert

If you are buying an older Davie home, the insurance step is where deals quietly go sideways, and it does not have to. I will walk you through the 4 point and the wind mitigation on the specific address you are considering, connect you with inspectors and agents who move fast, and make sure the premium is real before your deadlines pass. Book a Davie strategy call at https://bit.ly/daviestrategycall or call (954) 235-5783 and we will get ahead of it together.

Contact

Anthony Spitaleri

Coldwell Banker, Weston office serving Davie, Florida

Phone: (954) 235-5783

Web: livingindavieflorida.com

About the Author

Anthony Spitaleri is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker, one of the most established residential real estate brands, with approximately 2,700 offices globally, founded in 1906. A Davie native who returned home in 2025 after 13 years in Miami Beach, Anthony specializes in luxury homes and estates above $1 million, acreage and equestrian properties with no HOA, and relocation buyers moving to Davie from out of state. He created livingindavieflorida.com, the most in-depth independent Davie real estate resource available, with in-depth coverage of Davie’s gated communities, acreage and equestrian properties, and luxury estates, plus original weekly market data, interactive tools, Town Council recaps, and a 24/7 AI concierge. Anthony has been licensed in real estate since 2013 (BK3281907), is a Certified Strategic Coach through Coaching Services International (CSI), an active member of the Davie Cooper City Chamber of Commerce, and a weekly volunteer at Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Davie. Learn more about Anthony.