What's the TWIA wind zone for my address?
Enter any Coastal Bend Texas address. The tool returns whether you sit inside Texas Windstorm Insurance (TWIA) territory, the ASCE 7-16 design wind speed you have to build to, the WPI-8 inspection rule that comes with it, and the hurricane evacuation tier per Texas DEM.
What the result means
- TWIA territory
- The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is the state-mandated windstorm insurer for 14 first-tier coastal counties (per Texas Insurance Code §2210). If your address is inside TWIA territory, every new roof, window install, or exterior door install needs a WPI-8 inspection to keep your windstorm claim valid. If you're outside TWIA, your regular homeowners policy carries wind — no WPI-8 required.
- Design wind speed (mph)
- The ASCE 7-16 basic wind speed for Risk Category II buildings (homes, most commercial). Roofing fasteners, fence post depth, shutter ratings, and garage door reinforcement all spec to this number. Inland Coastal Bend sits around 120-130 mph; the immediate coast hits 145-155 mph.
- WPI-8 certificate
- The Texas Department of Insurance "Certificate of Compliance" issued by a TDI-approved inspector after verifying your install meets windstorm code. Required in TWIA counties. Without a current one, the next named storm's windstorm claim gets denied.
- Hurricane evacuation tier
- Texas Division of Emergency Management's evacuation order tier. Tier A evacuates first when a storm enters the Gulf, Tier C last. Inland counties have no formal tier but still get the rain and wind.
Who builds wind-rated work in the Coastal Bend
For verified, licensed, and insured Coastal Bend contractors who actually do TWIA-compliant work, the hurricane shutter installers, roofers, window installers, and garage door pros on NPCLocal are the operators we route customers to. Verify license, insurance, and WPI-8 experience before any work starts — same advice we'd give for any contractor regardless of source.
Sources
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association — TWIA's own published coverage map + WPI-8 process
- Texas Department of Insurance — Windstorm Inspection Program — official WPI-8 inspector list + requirements
- ATC Hazards by Location — official ASCE 7-16 wind speed lookup (the canonical source we cross-reference)
- Texas Division of Emergency Management — official evacuation tier maps
- Codified in Texas Insurance Code Chapter 2210
Disclaimer
This tool is an informational quick-lookup based on publicly published TWIA and ASCE wind data. It is not a substitute for an ATC Hazards site report or a TDI-licensed engineer's design. County-level boundaries are accurate, but exact wind speed at a specific lot can vary inside the same county. For permit applications, insurance documentation, or engineered specifications, always confirm with the official ATC and TDI sources above.