Do Hurricane Shutters Lower Insurance? Savings Guide for Homeowners

It’s not a myth; homeowners can gain a hurricane shutter insurance discount when installing hurricane code-approved shutters. 

Any homeowner should try to take advantage of these hurricane shutter insurance savings, as they can effectively pay for themselves! And that’s without mentioning the vast savings you can make by avoiding property damage bills.

However, to qualify for these savings, one must have both a certified shutter, a certified installation, and a certified inspection. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how much hurricane shutters lower home insurance, which types of shutters qualify, some pro tips for maximizing your discounts, and the process to get there:

 

How Much Do Hurricane Shutters Save on Insurance? 

You can expect your hurricane shutter insurance savings to come via wind mitigation credits that apply to the wind (or hurricane) portion of your insurance premium (not the full premium). 

That can bring in considerable savings, as the wind portion can make up 15 to 70% of the total premium, depending on your location. 

You can expect a hurricane shutter insurance discount on your wind portion of: 

• Opening protection (shutters and/or impact windows): 5 to 25% 
• Combined hardening (shutters, roof, and doors): Up to 45%

Example of Hurricane Shutter Insurance Savings 

For example, if your total annual premium is $4,000 and the wind portion is 50% of that ($2,000), a 20% hurricane shutters insurance discount would yield $400 in annual savings. 

Over 10 years, you’d save $4,000 on your insurance premium, which could potentially cover the shutter cost entirely! 

Note that savings vary by insurer, your home protection level, and location. For example, under Florida’s My Safe Florida Home Program, you could make annual average savings of between $800 to $1,200 per year after a full home hardening. 

 

Which Hurricane Shutter Types Qualify for Insurance Discounts? 

Hurricane shutter insurance discounts apply only to qualifying hurricane shutter types per state. 

Wind Mitigation Credits in Florida

The law requires all insurers in Florida to offer wind mitigation credits for qualifying hurricane shutters. 

To qualify for hurricane shutter insurance discounts in Florida, the shutters must: 

• Be listed in the Florida Program Approval system 
• Cover all exterior glazed openings. 
• Must have Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or Florida Building Code (FBC) approval.
• If even one window or glass door lacks approved protection, the credit is likely to be denied. 
• A wind mitigation inspection for hurricane shutters is required.

Wind Mitigation Credits in Texas

To qualify for insurance credits for hurricane protection in Texas, your shutters must: 

• Be TDI-approved products with the Texas Department of Insurance product evaluation. 
• Be approved for hurricane-force winds. 
• If even one window or glass door lacks approved protection, the credit is likely to be denied. 
• A wind mitigation inspection for hurricane shutters is required.

Rollac Hurricane Shutters are both Florida Building Code FL16135.1-approved and Texas Department of Insurance SHU 63-certified.

 

How to Get Your Hurricane Shutter Insurance Discount: Step by Step 

Step 1: Install Code-Approved Shutters

To qualify for hurricane shutter insurance discounts, you must choose shutters that have approval in your state. For example, Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance (NOA)

You’ll also need to gain the proper documentation for a professional installation, which may include permits, product approval documents, and photos.  

When using Rollac, we provide all the required documentation at the time of installation, making it much easier to qualify for insurance credit for hurricane protection. 

Step 2: Schedule a Wind Mitigation Inspection

You’ll next need to hire a licensed inspector who is certified to complete the OIR-B1-1802 form (Florida’s standard wind mitigation form). 

The inspector will verify the roof shape, roof covering, roof-to-wall connections, opening protection (your shutters), and secondary water resistance, as required by insurers. 

These inspections typically cost $75–$150 (the hurricane insurance shutter savings pay for this within the first year). 

In Florida, you may also be able to sometimes gain a free inspection via

Florida’s My Safe Florida Home (if funding is available). 

Step 3: Submit Documentation to Your Insurer

Next, you must send the completed documentation to your insurance company. These include:

• In Florida, this includes the OIR-B1-1802 form.  
• Product approval documentation. 
• Installation permits. 
• A request for confirmation of when the discount takes effect (typically, they apply at your next policy renewal). 

Step 4: Verify Your Discount

Finally, we advise confirming (with your insurer) the discount amount and whether it’s a premium reduction, credit, or refund. 

We also recommend re-inspecting after any additional upgrades to capture new credits (for example, with a new roof, door reinforcement, or window change).

 

Hurricane Shutter ROI: How Fast Do Shutters Pay for Themselves?

The rate at which hurricane shutters will pay for themselves varies quite substantially, given that there are different shutter types and different hurricane shutter insurance discount rates. 

Hurricane shutter insurance savings are also just one piece of ROI. For example, they could save you tens of thousands of dollars in repair costs during a storm, increase your property value, or provide significant energy savings via improved insulation. 

Here’s a look at some common ROI examples:

 

Hurricane Shutter ROI Examples
Scenario	Budget Shutter Install	Premium Shutter Install
Shutter Type	Accordion: 15 windows	Motorized roll-down: 15 windows
Approx. Total Cost	$2,000 to $3,500	$6,000 to $8,000
Annual Insurance Savings	$300 to $600/year	$300 to 600/year
Payback Period	4 to 7 years	10 to 15 years
Additional Value	Storm protection, some security	Storm protection,  daily security, energy savings, property value, and remote control.

 

Our final piece of ROI advice is to remember that even premium motorized shutters pay for themselves when you factor in insurance savings, avoided storm-damage costs, energy-efficiency savings, and any increase in property value.

State-Specific Insurance Requirements

Florida:

• Insurance must legally provide savings if you have qualified hurricane shutters: 
  • Fla. Stat. §627.0629 states:  “Insurers provide savings to consumers who install or implement windstorm damage mitigation techniques, alterations, or solutions to their properties to prevent windstorm losses.”
• You must fill out the wind mitigation form OIR-B1-1802
• Your hurricane shutters must have Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA. 
• You may be eligible for free inspections and, in some cases, retrofit grants through the My Safe Florida Home program.

Texas:

• There is no state-mandated form to fill out; it varies by insurer.
• You must install hurricane shutters certified by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
• The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) requires approved protections for coastal areas. 

Other Coastal States:

South Carolina: 

• The Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Reform Act (2007) requires insurers to offer hurricane shutter insurance discounts to qualifying homes.
• Requires inspection and verification. 

Louisiana: 

• Insurers must provide qualifying homes with wind mitigation credits. 
• Requires inspection and verification. 

North Carolina:

• Applies to beach and coastal homes only. 
• Credits are voluntary and vary by insurer. 
• Requires inspection and verification. 

Georgia

• Credits are voluntary and vary by insurer. 
• Homes built after 2007 get a 15% discount when built to the Georgia/International Building Codes.
• Pre-2006 homes must submit a GA Mitigation Verification Affidavit or Mitigation Certification Form from a certified professional. 

Final Advice from Rollac

Finally, we advise you to consult your insurer to determine the exact requirements for insurance credit for hurricane protection. This is because regulations and requirements vary by state and insurance company, and can sometimes be very specific. 

When you purchase and install certified hurricane shutters through Rollac, we will provide you with the required documentation to support your qualification, as well as a fully certified professional installation. 

 

FAQs on Hurricane Shutter Insurance Discounts

Does plywood qualify for hurricane shutter insurance discounts?

No. DIY wood protection is not a tested or certified wind mitigation product in any state.

Do I need shutters on EVERY window to get the insurance discount?

Yes. To have hurricane shutters that lower insurance premiums, insurers will require that you have them installed on every opening.

How much does a wind mitigation inspection cost?

Wind mitigation inspection costs around $75 to $150, depending on your location and property size.

Do roll-down shutters qualify for higher discounts than accordion shutters?

No, they should receive the hurricane shutter insurance savings if they are both certified. 

Can I get the discount if I install shutters myself?

No. In most states, a professional installation with a certification is required. You can get this with Rollac hurricane shutters.

Do roll-down shutters qualify for insurance discounts?

If they have a certification for your state, then yes. 

Do accordion shutters qualify for insurance discounts?

If they have a certification for your state, then yes. 

Get Certified Hurricane Shutters for Insurance Discounts with Rollac 

Installing hurricane shutters for an insurance discount is an extremely wise idea and can only increase your ROI, given the savings you’ll see from damage prevention and energy efficiency. 

However, these insurance discounts are only possible when the shutters are certified and installed by a qualified professional. 

Rollac’s SecuraMax and DuraComfort rolling shutters are pre-approved for insurance credits in Florida and Texas. 

We also provide a qualified installation with full documentation of your wind mitigation inspection. 

We welcome you to contact us today for a quote and to find out how much you can save on your insurance premiums.