LANTANA, Fla. — This month, we invited you to tell us about your experiences applying for the popular My Safe Florida Home program.
We've received hundreds of comments, mostly asking us for help. However, WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny also spoke with homeowners who shared their success stories.
WATCH BELOW: WPTV viewer offers advice for successfully applying for My Safe Florida Home program
So, we wanted to ask them about the advice they can give all of us about applying for the coveted program, which was allocated $280 million by the Florida legislature this year.
"It is a slow and tedious process," Erika Sandilands of Cape Coral said. "You can't expect ... for it to be there in a month."
Sandilands is one of the homeowners from across Florida who emailed WPTV about how the program worked for them.
She scored an $8,000 grant for new windows, shelling out $4,000 of her own money.
However, Sandilands said the process of applying online can sometimes frustrate and discourage homeowners.
"That kind of takes a little time and due diligence on the part of the homeowner to be able to watch what's happening and make sure that each step of the way there's a little check mark you get that says you completed that process," Sandilands said. "If you haven't completed it, you need to go back and see what the problem is."
The process of applying has worked for thousands of homeowners, who have been granted money for improvements and hopefully a better rate on their home insurance.
Lantana insurance agent Robert Norberg said he's seen the results.
"Probably more than a dozen or so of my clients in the past year have benefited from the program," Norberg said. "As long as they follow all the appropriate steps and get the work done."
And getting the work done takes effort.
In Sandilands' case, it meant having to pay the money up front through financing with her contractors and getting the grant weeks later.
"It took us almost a year before the whole process was completed," Sandilands said.
Patience and diligence — these seem to be the two most important words of advice when applying for the My Safe Florida Home program.
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.
