Nailing Down a Lower Insurance Premium

Did you know Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once asked a prospective employee to estimate the number of panes of glass in the city of Seattle in a job interview? Now, similarly, I’d like to ask you how many nails are in your roof?

If the question sends a shiver down your spine, Don’t worry, I’m not Jeff Bezos. However, while the answer to this won’t get you a job at Amazon, it could potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year if you’re a homeowner in the state of Florida. 

Most older Florida homes were built with clips that do not have the correct number of nails in their roof per the statutory building code. Many insurance companies know this, but either do not explain it to their customers or hide it to charge you a higher premium.

Well, if, like me, you would start squirming at the idea of a question like how many nails are in your roof, how to figure that out, and, for that matter, what is that spooky noise I always hear up there, and are those things related? I’d suggest hiring a contractor and a wind mitigation expert for the first problem, and a priest and/or a paranormal activity expert for the other (I know a guy). All jokes aside, here is the definitive guide to nailing down a lower insurance premium if you’re a homeowner in the state of Florida.

Step 1: Hire a licensed GC to nail the clips in. This small job takes only a day or two, costs only about $1500 and can save you loads of money on insurance premiums while also making your home safer.

Step 2: Hire a wind mitigation expert to assess the work. He’ll prepare a full-length report for your insurance agency detailing how hurricane-ready your home is for the next big storm, which helps you secure that lower home insurance rate. 

Step 3: Celebrate with your insurance agent. Enjoy those savings on the house (literally).