Earlier this week, I was called out to do a wind mitigation inspection for a client of Orchid Island Roofing. Simple enough—this is what we do day in and day out. I did the inspection as thoroughly as always, walked through some questions the homeowner had about the glass block in their home and how to protect it, and everything seemed smooth.

The next day, I got an email from the insurance agent, with a copy of the previous wind mitigation report from 2023 attached. His message was polite but to the point:

“I just want to be certain everything is absolutely correct compared with the old MIT. If it is, great. If not, just make any changes that may need to be made and send it on back to me.”

So I dug in. And it didn’t take long to find the problem.

The 2023 report showed that the home qualified for two major insurance credits:

1. A hip roof, and
2. An impact-rated garage door.

But during my inspection, it was clear that neither of those things were true.

There were two front-facing gables that made up more than 10% of the roof structure—disqualifying it from hip roof credit. And there were no markings or labels anywhere on the garage door to prove it was impact-rated. As per the form’s instructions, those attributes must be documented with photos or paperwork. If they aren’t, they don’t count. Period.

I explained that to the agent. His response?

“That’s exactly what I needed to know, Sean. Thank you very much for the clarification. I do appreciate it.”

Then came the call from the roofer.

The rep from Orchid Island Roofing was trying to understand what had gone wrong with the old report. She could clearly see the discrepancies. She asked me how to talk to the homeowners about it, and honestly, all I could say was:

“I’m sorry. This is what insurance fraud looks like.”

Then I got a message from Jim at our office with the clients’ info. They had called and wanted to have a chat. I gave them a call when I got back to the office, ready to explain the whole thing—but I didn’t even have to. They already knew. They had looked at their roofer’s documentation, checked the front of their home, and done their own research on roof systems and what qualifies for insurance discounts.

They understood the bottom line:

Their insurance rate would go up—not because of anything they did wrong—but because their original report was wrong.

And here’s the thing… they were okay with that. They appreciated the truth. That was a massive relief, because most of the time when I’m in this situation, the client is frustrated (rightfully so). They were told one thing, and billed accordingly, sometimes for years. Then a guy like me comes along—either because I know what I’m doing, or because I’m simply not willing to commit insurance fraud—and suddenly, their rate changes.

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The Bigger Problem

This isn’t a one-off situation. The form used for wind mitigation clearly says:

“Any documentation used in validating the compliance or existence of each construction or mitigation attribute must accompany this form. At least one photograph must accompany this form to validate each attribute marked in questions 3 through 7.”

And yet, somehow this false report slipped through.

• The inspector didn’t provide documentation.
• The agent didn’t catch the error.
• The underwriter didn’t flag it.
• Even the insurance company’s verification process missed it.

No one caught it. Until me.

But the problem is, once the lie is out there, the truth has to be proven. And that’s the hardest part of being an honest inspector. I walk into homes every day where I have to fight to prove the truth—not to get someone in trouble, but to protect homeowners from relying on bad data. Because when it all comes crashing down, it’s the homeowner left holding the bill. What does that look like to the home owner?

If a Claim Is Made After Receiving False Discounts:

1. Claim Denial or Reduction
   • The insurance company might deny the claim entirely or reduce the payout, saying that the policy was issued based on misrepresented information.
   • They could argue that the premium should have been higher, and the discounts invalidated the terms of the policy.
2. Policy Cancellation
   • Once the insurer discovers the discrepancy (especially during a claim investigation), they may cancel the policy retroactively—this is called rescission. It’s like the policy never existed in the first place.
3. Fraud Investigation
   • If the report is proven to be intentionally false, it could trigger a fraud investigation.
   • That could lead to legal consequences for whoever submitted the incorrect information—whether that’s the inspector, the agent, or even the homeowner (if they were in on it).
4. Reimbursement of Discounts
   • The insurer may demand repayment of the discounts the homeowner received improperly. That can add up to thousands of dollars over a few years.
5. Blacklisting or Red Flagging
   • The homeowner could be flagged in insurance databases, making it harder or more expensive to get coverage in the future.
     
     So yeah… it’s a big deal. Doing the inspection right from the start isn’t just about being by-the-book—it’s literally protecting people from serious consequences down the road.

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Closing Thoughts

To homeowners: if you’re getting insurance discounts, make sure you understand why. Ask to see the photos. Ask what documentation is being used. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

To agents and roofers: partner with inspectors who are thorough and honest. It may not always be the answer your client wants in the moment, but it builds trust—and in the long run, that’s what keeps your business strong.

And to the inspectors out there doing it right—keep doing it right. Even when it’s uncomfortable.

Here is a link to the wind mitigation form. Read it! Understand it! Call us if you have questions!

https://www.citizensfla.com/documents/20702/31330/Uniform+Mitigation+Verification+Inspection+Form+OIR-B1-1802/3ff6a375-1088-482b-8496-5b325ed6453b