TEST: MSFH Advisory Council Meeting Report: September 25
Sep 25, 2008
On Thursday, September 25, 2008, the My Safe Florida Home (“MSFH”) Advisory Council (“Council”) held a meeting in Tallahassee, Florida to receive presentations and testimony from interested parties. To review the agenda which includes a list of the presenters, click here.
Patrick Maroney, Director of the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center, gave a presentation which provided an overview of the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Storm Center. To view a copy of the presentation, click here. To view the August-September 2008 Storm Center Brief, click here.
Council member Senator Mike Bennett (R- Bradenton) expressed concern about insurance companies paying modeling companies for their outputs.
Council member Jack Nicholson (Senior Officer of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund) spoke about the need for improved post-event mitigation.
David Rosner and Lynn McChristian from the National Commission on Energy Policy (“NCEP”) gave a presentation entitled “Exploring Options for My Safe Florida Homes.” To view a copy of the presentation, click here.
The NCEP is conducting a study that will enhance climate resilience in Florida homes. Senator Bennett recommended funding home inspections from the savings that a policyholder would achieve. For example, if an inspection saved a homeowner $1,000, the homeowner would receive $850 in premium savings and the insurance company would provide $150 for the cost of the inspection.
Timothy Reinhold, Director of the Institute for Business and Home Safety, gave a presentation on the value and relevance of a home structure rating system to Florida communities.
Michael Rowan, President of the Ameripro Inspection Corporation, discussed the challenges of hurricane mitigation inspections. To view a copy of his presentation entitled “Hurricane Mitigation Inspections – Present and Future Challenges,” click here.
Mr. Rowan explained the presence of fraudulent inspections, which leads to premium fraud and basic safety issues.
Council members expressed concern regarding Mr. Rowan’s testimony. Scott Wallace, Executive Director of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Inc., indicated that his organization is experiencing the same problems. Tami Torres, Program Administrator of MSFH, pointed out that there are currently no penalties for fraudulent activity.
Ms. Torres provided a status report for MSFH. To view a copy of the report, click here.
Following presenters listed on the agenda, testimony was taken from members of the public.
Representatives from the building inspection industry spoke about industry problems. For example, many inspectors certified by MSFH are not qualified for general home inspections. The representatives recommended consolidating inspections and creating a board to oversee inspectors, which would be housed in the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
In closing, the Council agreed on the importance of including roof enhancements as a function of the MSFH program. Currently, the MSFH program does not provide subsidies for roof enhancements. The Council agreed that a subcommittee would address roofing issues with the roofing industry.
The above information is a brief summary of the discussions that took place during the meeting. Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact Colodny Fass.