Windstorm Certificates (WPI-8) and Insurance Claim Repairs

When a wind or hail claim is approved on the Coastal Bend, the repair work is not just a matter of hiring a roofer. For most properties in Corpus Christi and the surrounding counties, the repair has to be inspected under the Texas Department of Insurance windstorm program and documented with a windstorm certificate (WPI-8), and a city permit is often required as well. Those steps affect how repairs are scoped, how long they take, and in some cases what they cost. This article covers the basics of WPI-1 and WPI-8, the city permit rules, the current code editions, and how ordinance or law coverage fits in.

The TDI windstorm inspection program in brief

The program was created by House Bill 2012 in 1987, and TDI inspections began on Jan. 1, 1988. It applies in the designated catastrophe area: 14 first-tier coastal counties, including Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, and Kleberg, plus parts of Harris County east of Highway 146. According to TDI, the work the program covers includes “re-roofs or roof repairs.” Inspections are performed by appointed Texas-licensed professional engineers or by TDI inspectors.

The certificate matters for insurance because of TWIA eligibility. Under Texas Insurance Code §2210.251, structures built, altered, remodeled, enlarged, or repaired, or with additions, on or after Jan. 1, 1988 need a certificate of compliance to be eligible for TWIA coverage. TDI notes that “construction must be certified to be eligible for windstorm insurance coverage through TWIA.”

WPI-1, WPI-8, WPI-8-E, and WPI-8-C

TDI took over issuing certificates for completed improvements on June 1, 2020. If you are not sure whether your home already has a certificate, or whether past repairs were certified, keep that question on your list before hurricane season. A missing certificate can complicate TWIA eligibility; our TWIA windstorm claims page covers how that fits into a claim.

Current code editions: TDI vs. the City of Corpus Christi

Two sets of codes are in play, and they are not the same edition.

The city’s local amendments make the separation explicit. Local §110.3.4.1 states: “Framing inspections do not include or take the place of inspections or certifications for compliance required under Texas Department of Insurance windstorm requirements.” In other words, passing a city inspection does not mean the work is windstorm-certified, and the reverse is also true. The city’s local design criteria table lists a design wind speed of 140/150 mph and identifies Corpus Christi as a windborne debris zone. (The posted ordinance PDF has blank signature lines, so confirm current criteria with Development Services.) Our local building codes page summarizes the city’s adopted codes.

City of Corpus Christi permit requirements for storm repairs

Re-roofing

The city requires a permit to re-roof. According to the Development Services residential remodels and repairs page, the roofing and siding submission includes:

• A Residential Building Permit Application (Form 1003)
• A detailed scope of work naming the roofing method and materials
• A completed TDI WPI-1 form from the windstorm engineer or inspector responsible for windstorm compliance

The city’s homeowner permitting guide also lists work that needs a permit, including replacing more than 100 square feet of shingles, changing the roof slope, removing and replacing roof decking, and changing the roof material.

Other windstorm-related repairs

The same city page notes that “windstorm related repairs require an engineer” for interior remodeling and foundation repairs, and that a “sealed windstorm plan” is required for new accessory construction. Permits are applied for, paid, and scheduled through the city’s online permit portal. Development Services is at 2406 Leopard Street and can be reached at (361) 826-3240.

Why windstorm inspection matters for your insurance claim

It shapes the repair scope

Repairs that must be certified have to meet the windstorm code that applies to the certificate. That can affect fastening schedules, underlayment, roof-to-wall connections, and other details. An insurance estimate written only for “like kind and quality” replacement may not reflect what a certified repair actually requires. When reviewing an estimate, it is worth checking whether it accounts for the work needed to pass windstorm inspection. Our article on how to review an underpaid roof insurance estimate walks through that review.

It affects future TWIA eligibility

Because a certificate is generally required for structures repaired on or after Jan. 1, 1988, an uncertified roof repair can create an eligibility problem at renewal or at the next claim. Keep copies of the WPI-1, WPI-8, permits, and contractor invoices together with your policy documents.

It adds steps and time

Engineering review, inspections during the work, and certificate processing add time. Plan for that in your repair schedule, and if your policy pays recoverable depreciation only after repairs are completed within a set time, keep track of that deadline. Our claim deadline calculator can help.

Ordinance or law coverage: who pays for code upgrades?

Ordinance or law coverage pays, up to its limit, for increased costs of complying with building codes when you repair covered damage. Code requirements alone do not create coverage. If your policy has no ordinance or law coverage, or a low limit, code-driven costs beyond that limit may fall on you. A few points to keep in mind:

• Check your declarations page for an ordinance or law limit, which is sometimes written as a percentage of the dwelling limit.
• Code-required items should be identified in the estimate and supported by the code section, permit requirement, or engineer’s direction that requires them.
• Some policies pay ordinance or law amounts only after the work is completed. Read the policy wording.
• Your windstorm policy and your homeowners policy may handle ordinance or law differently. Check each one.

For a broader look at roof claims, see our roof damage insurance claims page.

If earlier repairs were never certified

Many homes on the Coastal Bend have had roofs replaced or repaired more than once since 1988, and not every job was inspected. Sometimes an owner buys a home without knowing whether a past re-roof was certified. If you are unsure, it is worth finding out before the next storm rather than after.

• Look for paperwork. Check closing documents, prior owner records, contractor invoices, and permit records for a WPI-8 or related certificate.
• Ask TDI. TDI’s windstorm program is the place to ask how certificates are confirmed for your property and what options exist for work that was completed without inspection. Its general questions page is at tdi.texas.gov.
• Talk to your agent. Ask how a missing certificate affects your TWIA policy at renewal.
• Plan the next repair carefully. If a storm claim leads to a new roof, a properly inspected and certified repair can help resolve the question going forward.

Commercial buildings and multifamily properties

For commercial buildings, the TDI windstorm certification is tied to the 2024 IBC for WPI-1 applications from April 1, 2026, while city permits follow the city’s adopted 2021 IBC with local amendments. Low-slope roofs, rooftop equipment, storefront glazing, and large overhead doors all carry windstorm details that affect repair scope and cost. A commercial claim estimate should account for the engineering and inspection steps needed to certify the repair, not just the materials. Our commercial property claims page explains how those claims are documented.

A simple checklist for repairs after a wind or hail claim

1. Confirm with your contractor that a windstorm engineer or TDI inspector is engaged before work starts.
2. Confirm the city permit is pulled, and that the WPI-1 is part of the submission for a re-roof.
3. Make sure the scope of work names the roofing method and materials.
4. Ask for inspection reports during the work and the certificate when it is issued.
5. Keep the WPI-1, WPI-8, permit, inspection records, invoices, and photos with your claim file.
6. Submit proof of completion to your insurer if your policy releases depreciation or ordinance or law amounts after repairs.

How a public adjuster can help

A licensed public adjuster can review whether your claim estimate reflects the repairs that windstorm certification and city permits actually require, and can help document code-related costs under your ordinance or law coverage. Corpus Christi Public Adjuster works with property owners in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, and surrounding Coastal Bend communities. Fees are disclosed in a written contract before any work begins; Texas law caps public adjuster compensation at 10% of the insurance settlement. A public adjuster does not issue windstorm certificates or perform engineering inspections; those come from appointed engineers or TDI inspectors.

If you are planning repairs on an open claim, a Corpus Christi Public Adjuster free claim review can help you check the scope before work begins.

This article is general information about property insurance claims in Texas, not legal advice, and not a promise of any coverage or outcome. Your policy language and the facts of your loss control your claim.