BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach homeowner said the new shutters he got through the My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program didn't save him any money on his home insurance premium.
WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny has been covering the program for more than a year and how it could help reduce insurance costs for residents.
"They denied us any discount because we didn't get the garage door done," resident Michael LaFroscia said.
He told WPTV that the MSFH program did provide $4,200 for the $6,300 shutters, but he said the program didn't allow at the time for garage door replacement in Palm Beach County.
Now, he said he spent $2,100 of his own money and isn't saving anything on his $7,000 insurance premium.
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"I didn't save any money on insurance, I didn't get my house completely hurricane protected, and the contractors made their money, the inspectors made their money the homeowner gets knocked over the head."
Despite the intention of the program to save on premiums through home hardening improvements, insurance experts say it doesn't always work out that way.
Many insurers require complete home hardening, which includes all doors, windows and roofs.
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"It is political theater," said Jeff Brandes of the Florida Policy Project and a former state senator. "Nobody has actually studied the efficacy of the program at all, there is no data that shows the program is effective."
Recently, Melissa Burt DeVriese, the president of Security First Insurance, told Sczesny there are insurance savings for homeowners who do all the necessary improvements.
"What we found is consumers on average, of course every house is a little different, they will save 39% if they fully migrated their homes," DeVriese said.
If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, email me at matt.sczesny@wptv.com