PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The city of Port St Lucie says some good grades for how their building department enforces codes might be a way to lower premiums for homeowners.
WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny spent Tuesday in Port St. Lucie asking questions about how it works.
Joel Dramis, the city's building director, said the savings revolve around the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS). It's a program that grades how well cities are enforcing their codes, and Port St. Lucie is apparently doing really well, which they think can lower some insurance premiums.
The BCEGS rating is considered a valuable tool in the insurance industry.
"The lower the score it means you're doing a better job enforcing building codes," Dramis explained. "With enforcing building codes better, there's less losses in the event of a storm."
Dramis said results so far show homeowners are saving about $300 to $400 a year. However, it's mostly with the new homes being built.
We asked Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute what it means for residents who live in older homes.
"The BCEGS rating, while it is given to the community, each individual property has to qualify," Friedlander said. "If you have an older property that is not up to current codes, you're not going to qualify for this rating discount. It's not a blanket discount for all homeowners."
Even if it does turn into savings of a couple of hundred dollars for some people, it shows that some fast-growing cities like Port St. Lucie are looking for any way they can to give people a break on their insurance bills.
Matt Sczesny is determined every day to help you find solutions in Florida's coverage collapse. If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, you can reach out to him any time.
Read WPTV's latest "Coverage Collapse" stories below:
-
Florida ranks 7th for vacation scam losses as travel fraud surges nationwide
Florida ranks 7th for vacation scam losses. Floridians lose $764 on average as travel fraud nearly triples since 2021, a new study finds
Study: Florida ranks 10th highest nationally for rental wage requirements
According to a report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Florida ranks 10th highest in the nation for the hourly wage renters need to afford a two-bedroom apartment at $37.93.
AI shopping assistants growing in popularity, but consumer trust still lags
Consumers are increasingly using AI shopping assistants, but most still verify recommendations before buying — especially for costly or health-related purchases.
Smart college shopping: A parent's guide to saving on dorm essentials
With one daughter already graduated and another heading into her sophomore year at NOVA Southeastern University, this Acreage mom has learned what works—and what doesn't
