Texas windstorm certificate (WPI-8): what a coastal roof or window quote needs

Where the windstorm rules apply

TDI's Windstorm Inspection Program covers structures in the designated catastrophe areas, known as the First Tier Counties: Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, and Willacy, plus certain cities east of State Highway 146 in Harris County (La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook, and Shoreacres). TDI says its inspection process began on January 1, 1988.

Homeowners in those areas may not be able to get private insurance that covers windstorm and hail damage, and TWIA is the insurer of last resort for that part of the coverage. TDI's windstorm website has maps of the designated area if you are not sure where your address falls.

Some coastal barrier land has an extra condition. TDI says a property located in a CBRA area must have had a building permit or plat filed with the municipality, the county, or the United States Army Corps of Engineers before June 11, 2003, to be insurable for wind and hail through TWIA.

What work needs a certificate

To qualify for TWIA wind and hail coverage, TDI says new structures, alterations, additions, or repairs to existing structures, including re-roofs or roof repairs, in the designated catastrophe areas must be constructed and inspected according to the building specifications TDI adopted. Most new construction, roof replacements, major repairs, and other alterations require an inspection and a certificate of compliance.

TDI gives examples of work that does not: roof repairs of less than 100 square feet that don't involve decking; repairs or replacement of fences, gutters, decorative shutters, steps, and screen doors; and replacement of glass in windows or doors. Replacing the windows themselves is different, and TDI's program calls for an inspection of each windborne-debris-resistant product you install.

The stakes are coverage. According to TWIA, without a certificate of compliance it lacks evidence that the structure conforms to applicable building codes, and the property may be considered uninsurable and ineligible for TWIA coverage.

The certificates, and who can inspect

TDI issues two types of certificates of compliance. A WPI-8 is issued for ongoing construction, with inspections done while the work is underway by an appointed Texas licensed professional engineer or a TDI windstorm inspector. A WPI-8-E is issued for completed construction, with the inspection done by a Texas licensed professional engineer. TDI notes that inspecting a completed structure for building code compliance is more difficult, so it may cost more.

As of June 1, 2020, all certificates of compliance are issued by TDI. Before that, TWIA accepted applications for its own certificates for completed improvements, called WPI-8-Cs, from January 1, 2017, to May 31, 2020.

Some cities that have adopted TDI's building standard ask for proof that the project is enrolled with TDI before issuing a building permit. TDI's answer is to ask your contractor or builder for a copy of the WPI-1 application they submitted.

What your estimate should say

TDI's advice is to ask your contractor how they will meet the inspection requirements and get a certificate of compliance. Put the answer on the estimate in writing: who applies to TDI, whether the inspections happen during the work or afterward by an engineer, who pays for them, and when the certificate is expected.

When you compare quotes, a lower price that leaves certification out is not the same job. If the work is finished without the required inspections, the path is an engineer's inspection of the completed work for a WPI-8-E, which TDI says may cost more than inspecting during construction.

Once the work is certified, keep the certificate with your house records. TDI publishes WPI-8s on its website and sends inspection and WPI-8 information to TWIA nightly. To check whether a home was ever certified, search TDI's website or call the Windstorm Inspections Program at 800-248-6032, option 3.

Older homes, exceptions, and discounts

TWIA lists two exceptions to the certificate requirement under the Texas Insurance Code. Residential properties with construction from 1988 to June 18, 2009 that are not certified may still be eligible for TWIA coverage with a 15% surcharge on the premium. And residential properties insured on or after June 19, 2009 by a private insurer that were non-renewed or cancelled while missing a required WPI-8 may be eligible.

TDI says structures built before January 1, 1988 can be eligible for TWIA under certain conditions, and that those with TWIA coverage must have all construction inspected and certified to keep it. TWIA also offers wind and hail discounts for new homes built to the International Residential Code or International Building Code, and for existing homes that retrofit exterior openings with windborne-debris-resistant products; ask TWIA or your agent what applies to your policy.