If you own a home in Florida, you’re probably aware of an unfortunate trend. Home insurance rates are increasing, and in many cases, they are increasing significantly. Thankfully, you are not powerless in this situation. There are ways to reduce your risk and thereby your insurance costs. Keep reading to learn a bit more about why insurance costs are increasing and the four key ways your roofing company can help.
Why Are Insurance Costs Rising?
These increases are largely the result of the 7 major hurricanes that ripped through Florida in 2004 – 2005. The damage caused by these storms resulted in massive losses for insurance companies.
After experiencing such losses, many insurance companies wanted to stop offering coverage in Florida. The Florida State Legislature persuaded these companies to continue offering coverage, but at much higher rates. Virtually every home in Florida was then classified as “high risk,” and default insurance prices increased by anywhere from 50 – 100%.
How Can You Lower Insurance Costs?
Higher insurance costs, understandably, brought a lot of pushback from residents. The Florida state government responded by creating programs to reduce insurance rates for residents who could prove their homes were at lower risk for hurricane damage.
The Florida Mitigation Windstorm Affidavit was formed as a part of these negotiations. Under this legislation, there are 7 areas where building owners can show to their insurer to demonstrate their homes are at a reduced risk of wind damage. Each insurer can assign their own discounts based on mitigation efforts taken in these 7 key areas.
Of the 7 areas listed under the FMWA, 4 are directly associated with the roof. As such, there are 4 key ways Kelly Roofing can help you qualify for insurance discounts.
1. Roof-to-Wall Connections
If your roof is not properly anchored to the walls, a hurricane could blow your whole roof off. On the other hand, if your roof structure has a continuous attachment of your trusses to the headers, the home is at a lower risk for wind damage. Homes with continuous roof-to-wall connections, therefore, qualify for insurance discounts.
Your roofing company can help you save on insurance by adding hurricane clips to your roof-to-wall connections. Hurricane clips are twisted pieces of metal connecting your roof trusses to the headers. They can often be added without replacing your roof. More advanced connections, such as single-wrap or double-wrap connections, can qualify for additional discounts.
2. SWR
SWR stands for Secondary Water Resistance barrier. This fully adhered water barrier underlayment can be placed under your traditional roof system. If the roof materials blow off, this sticky material will prevent water from leaking into the home.
Including an SWRB in your roof replacement plan earns you a significant discount on your homeowners’ insurance. This is because the SWRB reduces interior water damage and the need for mold remediation. In the 2004 – 2005 hurricane season, 70% of insurance claims were for interior damage. The insurance companies have a vested interest in preventing this from happening again.
3. Roof Covering
Current building codes require roof coverings to protect against winds up to 110 miles per hour. Since 2002, every roof installed in Florida has to meet this requirement. So, unless your roof is more than 21 years old, you likely qualify for this discount. If you have an older roof, Kelly Roofing can provide a replacement which meets new code requirements. With your new roof in place, your insurance costs should go down significantly.
Some insurance companies won’t cover homes with tile or shingle roofs older than 15 years. They don’t tend to age-restrict coverage on metal or Tesla Solar Roofs, however. This is one reason why we often recommend metal and Tesla Solar Roofs for roof replacement customers.
4. Roof Geometry
Insurance companies offer discounts for roofs with a “hip” shape. In other words, you want a hip roof geometry without gable ends since gables are at high risk for wind damage. We take this into account when designing new roofs for clients.
If you have a gable roof, there is the option of having gable braces installed for added stability. This change yields a slight insurance reduction.
The other three areas considered under the FWMA have to do with opening protection. They apply to windows, doors, skylights, and garage doors (many people forget about garage doors). All of these elements must either be reinforced or designed to be hurricane-resistant.
Other Advice
Kelly Roofing can ensure your roof qualifies you for insurance discounts under the FWMA. We also have a few other pieces of advice for those looking to reduce their home insurance costs.
- Consider a Metal Roof. Metal roofs are longer-lived than other options. Your insurance company is less apt to discontinue your coverage as your roof ages if the roof is metal.
- Talk to an Insurance Broker. An independent insurance broker can shop around with various insurers and find you the company with the best rates and coverage.
- Consider Increasing Your Deductible. A higher deductible often lowers your monthly premiums. Consider increasing the deductible on only the wind portion of your insurance.
If you’re concerned about high insurance costs, talk to a roofer. They can come to take a look at your home and let you know what changes can be made to qualify you for discounts under the FWMA. A roof replacement may not be necessary if improvements are made to your current roof structure.
Kelly Roofing is uniquely positioned to help with wind mitigation in Florida. We received our Tile Roofing Industry (TRI) High Wind Certification as soon as it became available, and we’ve participated in continued education courses required to maintain the certification. As such, we can confidently provide wind mitigation services for concrete and clay tile roofs in Florida.
We’d love to make your home safer and help you lower your insurance rates. Contact Kelly Roofing today to schedule an estimate or discuss your options in more detail.
