PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Florida-based insurance company is offering a new program of lower premiums to buyers of newly constructed homes.
"This program is for new home construction, and it's an embedded program that is sold through the builder," Melissa Burt DeVriese, the president of Security First Insurance, said.
She said the HO-5 program works with builders as new homes are constructed to Florida's new building codes.

"It can be a substantial cost saving for consumers because new homes are built to high standards, especially when they come from a developer," DeVriese said. "Generally for our consumers at Security First, if they have a new home policy compared to a standard policy the savings will be about 20-30%."
Lower premiums for newly built homes have been a perk lately for buyers in the Port St. Lucie area where new construction is popular.

"Insurance for new construction is less than half of what it would be for an older home," Realtor Sonsire Gonzalez, who also owns a home built in 2023, said.
WPTV asked her what she pays for homeowners insurance for her three-bedroom home.
"I can tell you it's about $1,400 for the whole year," Gonzalez said.
That's an eye-opening figure, and one worth considering as home buyers look around in Florida.
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:
-
Mother’s Day bouquet hacks: How to keep flowers fresh a week or more
With bouquets averaging $58 this year, you and mom want flowers that last more than a few days. A floral expert shows us secrets to keep them looking fresh for days longer.
Whirlpool hikes prices again as Iran War, inflation shake appliance market
Whirlpool posts $82M loss, cites Iran war and inflation for recession-level sales drop; slashes outlook, raises prices, suspends dividend.
DoorDash plans to spend more than $50 million on gas price relief for drivers
DoorDash said Wednesday it expects to spend more than $50 million in the second quarter on gas price relief for its delivery drivers.
Summer travel costs are rising. Here's how to save.
The summer travel season is approaching, and higher airfares and gas prices are making vacation planning more difficult for many travelers.