New Insurance Law Could Interrupt Coverage
Homeowners are now required to prove opening protection
(HIT) - PGT Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI), wants to make sure Florida homeowners are aware of a new law that requires homes to have Florida Building Code compliant hurricane opening protection to be insured by Citizens Insurance. The law applies to homes with an insured value of at least $750,000 and located within the wind borne debris region.
"We are definitely seeing an increase in people asking about opening protection since the Citizens policy went into effect," said Frank Holmes of Ocean View Windows in Pompano Beach. "I want people to be aware of this situation so they are not caught short, with too little time, to get the required opening protection before hurricane season begins. Every year we see our business increase in the spring and with permits needing to be pulled, plus more replacement jobs, I am worried about homeowners losing coverage."
Citizens are sending notices to affected homeowners explaining their policies will not be renewed if they do not have opening protection. The notices are sent six months in advance of the policy renewal date. A map of the wind borne debris regions (WDBR) is located at citizensfla.com. Homeowners are urged to review the map to determine if their home is located within the WDBR. By checking before receiving notice from Citizens Insurance, homeowners can give themselves added time to decide how to comply with this new policy if necessary.
Hurricane opening protection means one of two choices: impact-resistant windows and doors or shutters. There is an exception that allows plywood shutters to be used outside of Miami-Dade and Broward counties if they are the proper thickness and are within the size limit specified by Citizens.
PGT WinGuard Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors meet the opening protection requirements of the Florida Building Code. In fact, following Hurricane Andrew, PGT helped develop the Miami-Dade testing requirements which are the strictest in the nation. Over two million WinGuard units have been installed without one reported impact failure.
Homeowners should consider the ancillary benefits of impact-resistant windows and doors when making their choice of opening protection. Once installed, WinGuard products provide 24/7/365 protection against intruders; they reduce outside noise and block up to 99% of upholstery fading UV rays from the sun. They don’t obstruct views, detract from the appearance of a home or require time-consuming, and sometimes costly, installation and de-installation.
Like Ocean View Windows in Pompano, Universal Windows in Sarasota is also seeing an uptick in business due to the new law but the CEO is concerned that there is not widespread knowledge about the new requirements.
"Most people we are seeing were not aware of this new policy until being notified by Citizens or receiving one our mailers," said Bob Smith, CEO of Universal Windows of Sarasota. "Due to the economy, most of our business comes from replacement or remodeling projects. Of those customers, I estimate 75-80% are due to this new Citizens opening protection policy."
Once a homeowner has the hurricane protection for their home’s openings, including the garage door, a qualified inspector will need to complete, sign and send in Form WDBR-1802 to Citizens Insurance.
ABOUT PGT:PGT® pioneered the U.S. impact-resistant window and door industry and today is the nation’s leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. Founded in 1980, the company employs approximately 1,350 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants in Florida and North Carolina. Utilizing the latest designs and technology, PGT products are ideal for new construction and replacement projects serving the residential, commercial, high-rise and institutional markets. PGT’s product line includes PGT® Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT® Architectural Systems; and Eze-Breeze® Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI). For additional information, or to find a distributor near you, visit pgtindustries.com or call 800-284-6019.
Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center
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