02/06/2014
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Town Hall Meetings Planned to Inform Baldwin County Homeowners on Programs Affecting Wind Insurance Increases A series of town hall meetings, sponsored by Coastal Alabama Partnership in conjunction with Leadership Baldwin County, local chambers of commerce and Smart Home America, are being held throughout Baldwin County to educate homeowners to changes in state regulations that can reduce homeowner wind insurance premium rates. Coastal Alabama Partnership has spearheaded efforts over the past several months to call attention to the insurance issues. The first town hall meeting will be held February 11 in Bay Minette as part of the program for the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce quarterly breakfast, scheduled from 7:30‐9 a.m. at the Bay Minette Civic Center. “We want to educate the public on how they can reduce their wind insurance and, at the same time, strengthen their home through fortification,” says Wiley Blankenship, president and CEO of Coastal Alabama Partnership. Wind insurance premium hikes have battered homeowners along the Gulf Coast. There are programs geared toward building stronger structures and, in the process, saving significant insurance premium rates for coastal home and business owners. However, a lot of consumers are unaware of these programs. “Smart Home America is excited by the opportunity this collaboration has presented to get this important information out to homeowners,” Smart Home America board member Alex Cary said. “We will be presenting how to build or mitigate your existing home, what options are available and specific information on the new insurance credits that will be coming soon for taking these measures.” “Alabama law mandates that if you fortify your homes, wind insurance rates must be lowered,” explains Blankenship, referring to discounts available for homes built or retro‐ fitted to FORTIFIED standards from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. At the minimum level of implementing these standards, homeowners average about $300 a year in savings and can reduce their wind insurance rates as much as $2,000 per year with the higher levels of FORTIFIED. “Through these town hall meetings, we want to facilitate getting information to the consumer,” notes Warren Hopper, who has organized the programs for Leadership Baldwin. “They may be eligible for 30 to 60 percent savings on their insurance rates, depending on what they do to fortify their homes.” Other town hall meetings are scheduled from 6‐7:30 p.m. for the following dates: March 13, South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce at Foley Civic Center; March 25, Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, Loxley Civic Center; April 22, Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, Baldwin County EMC Training Facility, Orange Beach; and May 1, Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, Daphne High School’s Trojan Hall. ________________________________________________________________________ For more information, contact Wiley Blankenship at 251‐436‐8822 or [email protected].
