My Safe Florida Home Inspection Program Uses Humor to Spotlight Money-Saving Benefits
Mar 11, 2008
FLOIR–Mar. 10, 2008
TALLAHASSEE— The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) today launched a statewide public awareness campaign highlighting MySafeFloridaHome.com—a Web site where Floridians can apply online for a free wind inspection and learn how to strengthen their homes against hurricanes and windstorm damage.
The commercials asking, “How fast can you save money?” compare the ease of applying for a free wind inspection, which can lead to discounts on homeowners’ wind insurance, to other satirical things people might do to save money. Floridians in every part of the state will be exposed to the humorous promotional campaign on either TV or radio through May, including commercials in Spanish and Haitian-Creole.
(Click link to play via YouTube.com)
My Safe Florida Home – Two-ply
My Safe Florida Home – Haircut
The My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program, re-launched by Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in April 2007, has provided more than 172,000 free wind inspections to Floridians. Homeowners receive a wind inspection report, which suggests ways homeowners can harden their homes against storm damage and informs homeowners if they are currently eligible to save money on their wind insurance premiums.
More than 70% of homeowners receiving free wind inspections have learned they are already eligible for an average savings of $224—without making a single improvement. Floridians whose homes have received free wind inspections from the MSFH program may also be eligible to apply for matching tax-free grants of up to $5,000 to make improvements to their homes. To date, the MSFH program has given 4,402 homeowners grants totaling more than $14.3 million, with an additional 15,000 homeowners are currently working with the program to make improvements.
Floridians in single-family, site-built homes are eligible for a free wind inspection performed by a qualified hurricane mitigation inspector. Properties not eligible for free wind inspections include mobile and manufactured homes, apartments, condominiums, multi-family dwellings and businesses. The MSFH program has also partnered with local governments and the Volunteer Florida Foundation to offer low-income homeowners an opportunity to strengthen their homes against natural disasters.
The TV spots will begin airing today in the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, West Palm/Ft. Pierce, and Tallahassee/Thomasville markets while radio spots air in Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Jacksonville, Fort Myers/Naples, Pensacola/Ft. Walton, Gainesville/Ocala, and Panama City. Hispanic radio will air in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Creole radio will air in Miami/Fort Lauderdale.
For more information, please visit www.MySafeFloridaHome.com or contact the program toll-free at 1(866) 513-MSFH (6734).