My Safe Florida Home

The My Safe Florida Home Program offers eligible homeowners free wind inspections from hurricane mitigation inspectors and possibly a reduction in homeowners insurance.

The My Safe Florida Home program is a long-term investment helping reduce the insurance premiums all Floridians pay. By making homes safer against hurricanes, homeowners will be less exposed to hurricane damage which means fewer or lower insurance claims. In addition, the improvements you make to your home to strengthen it against hurricanes and could result in savings on your insurance premiums.

Important Update: The 2007 Florida Legislature and the Governor passed legislation that modifies components of the My Safe Florida Home program, including grant criteria. Under the new law, if you received your wind inspection after May 1, 2007, you will be eligible for a matching grant up to $5,000 if you meet the new eligibility requirements. For information on the new eligibility requirements, please click here.

If your home has undergone a wind inspection through the My Safe Florida Home program and you are potentially eligible for insurance discounts or credits, you will receive a mitigation form via email or to your address by mail. This personalized form will tell your insurance company how your home may qualify for insurance discounts.

Beginning November 1, 2007, the My Safe Florida Home program will require wind inspection firms to have their inspectors complete, sign and mail mitigation forms directly to homeowners.  This will result in quicker service to the homeowner, who may receive the mitigation form before their complete wind inspection report. Beginning November 12, 2007, the Office of Insurance Regulation will require insurance companies to honor these forms when signed by an inspector for a homeowner participating in the My Safe Florida Home program.

Who is eligible for free wind inspections?

• Any Floridian whose residence is a single-family, detached, site-built home.

Properties not eligible for free home inspections include:

• Mobile homes or manufactured homes
• Apartments
• Condominiums
• Multi-family Dwellings
• Businesses
  

This is not an entitlement program. You must apply and obtain approval in order to receive the free inspection. Requesting or obtaining an inspection does not guarantee or automatically qualify you for a grant. Floridians whose homes have undergone wind certification and hurricane mitigation inspections approved by the Department of Financial Services may be eligible to apply for matching grants up to $5,000.

The My Safe Florida Home program will offer matching grants up to $5,000 for specific home improvements recommended in the wind inspection reports. A completed inspection does not automatically qualify you for or guarantee that you will receive a grant.

A "matching grant" means that for every dollar of the homeowner´s own money spent on a wind resistance upgrade recommended in the department´s inspection report, the program will provide an additional dollar to help pay for the upgrade, up to a maximum grant of $5,000.

For example:

• If the recommended improvements you have done cost $3,000, the state would pay $1,500 and you would pay $1,500.

• If the recommended improvements you have done cost $20,000, the state would pay $5,000 and you would pay the other $15,000.

Grant funds are only guaranteed if you apply for a grant and receive approval for a grant by the department. You can apply for a grant online or by calling us at 866-513-6734.

Hurricane and wind insurance premiums can possibly be reduced if your house has certain construction aspects.

Note: Very soon most insurance companies will not renew your homeowners insurance policy without a bona fide house inspection.

 My Safe Florida Home Q&A page

A few of the commonly asked questions.

Yes, You must use an approved inspector - call or go to the website. 
The Department of Financial Services will have a qualified inspection firm or inspector call you to schedule your free inspection. The law requires the Department to assemble a group of qualified inspectors who have undergone background checks.

What will the inspection report tell me?
The law specifies that the inspection report must:

1. Outline improvements that may be made to your home to increase resistance to hurricane wind damage.
    

2. Provide an estimate of how much each improvement would cost to complete.
    

3. Provide an estimate of insurance discounts that may be available. (If you provided insurance information at the time you applied.)
    

4. Offer a hurricane resistance rating that shows the home´s current ability, and future ability with improvements, to withstand hurricanes.

Is my application information or inspection report a public record?
Yes. With the exception of the insurance information you provide at the time you apply for an inspection, the information on your application and in your inspection report is considered public information and available upon request.

1. Call for your free inspection. 1-866-513-6734 or visit free wind inspection

2. Apply for your homestead exemption if you don't have it, so you can apply for the matching grant.

3. Apply for a matching grant if modifications are necessary.

4. Get your mitigation form and send it to your insurance company.

Bookmark the My Safe Florida Home website so you can check for updates and/or changes.

The legal stuff: This page is for information purposes only. Please visit the My Safe Florida Home for current rules, regulations, legislations & updates.