Hurricane Shutters vs. Impact Windows: Which Is Right for Your Home?

Shutters cover your existing windows and doors when a storm is coming. Common types:

• Storm panels (aluminum or clear) — the least expensive option, but they must be carried out and bolted on before each storm, then stored.
• Accordion shutters — permanently attached beside the opening and pulled closed by hand. Fast to deploy and popular for that reason.
• Roll-down shutters — housed above the opening and lowered by crank or motor. The most convenient, and the most expensive.
• Bahama and colonial shutters — decorative styles that also provide rated protection when closed and locked.
• Fabric screens — lightweight rated fabric that's easy to store and handle.

Best for: lower up-front cost, and homeowners who are home and able to close up before a storm.

Impact windows use laminated glass in a reinforced frame. If debris hits, the glass may crack but stays in the frame, so the opening stays sealed.

• Always on — nothing to put up, which matters for seasonal residents, frequent travelers and anyone who can't safely handle panels.
• Year-round benefits: better security, less outside noise, and UV protection for floors and furniture.
• Higher up-front cost than most shutter systems, and replacement means a permit and installation work at every opening.

Best for: convenience, second homes, and long-term owners who want the everyday benefits too.

Florida law requires insurers to reduce the windstorm portion of your premium for verified storm-protection features. The features are documented on a wind mitigation inspection form (OIR-B1-1802), completed by a qualified inspector and generally valid for five years.

The important catch: the opening-protection credit is all-or-nothing. Every window, door, skylight and the garage door needs qualifying protection — rated shutters, impact glass, or a rated garage door. If even one opening is unprotected, you typically get no credit in that category.

So before you buy, ask the contractor to confirm in writing that the finished job will qualify every opening, and schedule a new wind mitigation inspection afterward to send to your insurance agent.

A common approach is impact glass where shutters are awkward — front doors, sliders, second-story windows — and accordion or panel shutters elsewhere to manage cost. That's fine for both protection and the insurance credit, as long as every opening is covered by a rated product.

• Is each product Florida Product Approved, and will you include the approval numbers on the contract?
• Will you pull the permit and handle the final inspection?
• Does the quote cover every opening, including the garage door?
• What is the lead time, and what is the warranty on product and installation?
• What is your Florida license number?