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:
-
Amid uncertainty, economist highlights resilience of consumers despite tariffs
While tariffs could lead to price hikes in the short term, economist Thomas Weinandy believes strong employment levels may help consumers manage increased costs effectively.Shein and Temu customers noticing price hikes amid Trump's tariffs
Fast fashion fans in Colorado are talking about fast price hikes on the ultra-low-cost sites Shein and Temu. Jaclyn Allen shines light on one industry that could benefit from the changes.US consumer confidence plunges to lowest in 5 years on tariff worries
Americans' confidence in the economy slumped for the fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Airfare prices decline ahead of summer travel season
Air travelers may be in for some good news as airfare prices are set to become a bit more affordable. Here's what to know.