No Impact Windows? Storm Shutters May Still Count on Your Florida Wind Mitigation Form

Many homeowners around Port St. Joe and WindMark Beach assume that without impact windows and doors, they can’t get “opening protection” credit on a wind mitigation inspection. That isn’t how the form works. Approved storm shutters or panels that cover every glazed opening can count the same way impact glass does, if they’re properly rated and documented.

Insuring the Coast Insurance Agency is an independent agency at 402 Reid Ave, Ste B, in Port St. Joe. Here’s how the opening protection question works and what your inspector needs to see.

What “Opening Protection” Means on the Wind Mitigation Form

Florida’s current Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), has been required for inspections since April 1, 2026, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services. Opening protection is question 9 on that form. It asks one thing: what is the weakest form of windborne debris protection on the house?

Openings include windows, doors, sliding glass doors, skylights and garage doors (not roof vents). The form looks at two groups:

• Glazed openings have glass: windows, sliding and glass doors, skylights, glass block, and garage or entry doors with glass.
• Non-glazed openings are solid entry doors and solid garage doors.

The key word is weakest. The home is rated by its least-protected opening.

The Key Point: The Form Doesn’t Require Impact Glass

For the top two categories, the form says all glazed openings must be protected, at a minimum, with impact-resistant coverings or products listed as windborne debris protection devices in the Florida or Miami-Dade product approval system, and tested to the standards the form lists for cyclic pressure and large-missile impact.

In plain English, that can be impact windows and doors, or approved shutters or panels over regular glass. If the product meets the same standard, the form puts both in the same category. So a home with standard glass and rated, documented shutters on every glazed opening may land in the same category as a home with impact glass.

The Opening Protection Categories, Explained

Here’s how the form defines each answer for glazed openings:

• A: Every glazed opening has verified protection that passed cyclic pressure and large-missile testing (a 9-lb missile for windows and doors, 4.5 lb for skylights).
• B: Every glazed opening has verified protection tested to a 4-to-8-lb large missile (2 to 4.5 lb for skylights).
• C: Every glazed opening is covered with plywood or OSB panels that meet Table 1609.1.2 of the 2007 Florida Building Code.
• N: Every glazed opening has some covering, but it can’t be verified as A, B or C. This includes shutters that look like they qualify but have no documentation.
• X: One or more glazed openings have no windborne debris protection.
• Z: One or more openings are damaged and need repair or replacement.

Two details matter a lot here:

1. “All” means all. One unprotected window, sliding door or skylight can drop the whole home to X.
2. Damage matters. The form says buildings with openings that need replacement don’t qualify for wind mitigation rate differentials at all, regardless of their other features.

Don’t forget the solid doors

The A, B, C and N answers each have sub-levels (such as A.1, A.2, A.3) based on your non-glazed openings: solid entry and garage doors. The top sub-level generally needs those doors rated at the same level as your glazed openings, or higher. A garage door rated only for wind pressure, or not rated at all, may move you to a lower sub-level.

Documentation: What Your Inspector Needs to See

The form requires at least one photo or document for each feature marked, and A, B and C require a verified product. Shutters that look strong but can’t be identified are rated N. Helpful items:

• Product approval numbers: a Florida Product Approval number or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA lookup).
• Labels on the shutters, tracks, windows or garage door.
• Permits and invoices from the installer.
• Photos of each opening with its protection in place.

Keep removable panels labeled and where the inspector can see them. A missing panel may count as an unprotected window.

The Inspector Decides, the Carrier Sets the Credit

The inspector picks the category based on what’s installed and can be verified. Your insurance company then applies its own filed rating plan, so how much opening protection affects your premium, if at all, depends on your carrier and your home’s other features. The form itself notes that some items may not qualify for a discount.

A completed form is valid for up to five years if no material changes are made and no inaccuracies are found. If you’ve added shutters or replaced windows or a garage door since your last inspection, a new one may be worth a look. For every question on the form, see our Florida wind mitigation inspection guide.

Eligible homeowners may also check the state’s My Safe Florida Home program, which lists window, exterior door and garage door upgrades among the improvements it may help fund. Eligibility rules apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article is provided by Insuring the Coast Insurance Agency for general informational purposes only. It is not an insurance contract, a guarantee of coverage or rates, or legal advice. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy issued, as well as underwriting approval and availability. Premiums, credits and eligibility vary by carrier and property. The wind mitigation form’s definitions are for inspection purposes only and don’t certify any product as offering protection from hurricanes. Photos: Mark Wolfe/FEMA and Robert Kaufmann/FEMA, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Please contact a licensed insurance agent to review your specific situation.