Andrew Engler, CEO of RockRose Risk, said that insurers in Florida are rewarding property hardening with lower premiums and faster underwriting to sustain coverage in higher-risk areas. The statement was made on X.
"Modern insurance companies use sophisticated risk models," said Engler. "They're incentivizing hardening because the data supports it: 35% premium reductions for comprehensive hardening. Smart carriers reward risk reduction."
Florida's insurance market continues to face high rates and reduced capacity, prompting new resilience-focused incentives. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, average homeowners' premiums reached about $3,600 in 2024. Property-hardening programs like My Safe Florida Home have been expanded to fund roof, window, and door upgrades. Lawmakers have tied these efforts to underwriting reforms and mandatory mitigation credits under statute §627.0629.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida homeowners participating in the My Safe Florida Home program have seen measurable savings from mitigation upgrades. Nearly half of participants received premium discounts averaging about $981 per year in 2024. Funding was prioritized for seniors and low-income applicants under the latest expansion, demonstrating the value of roof and window hardening.
Mitigated structures have shown significantly lower claim severity after major storms. Following Hurricane Ian, FEMA’s Mitigation Assessment Team found that 67% of National Flood Insurance Program claims came from non-elevated homes versus 33% for elevated ones. Average building-claim losses dropped from $164,891 for pre-1980 homes to $48,091 for post-2010 code-compliant structures, according to the International Code Council’s summary of FEMA’s report.
Engler is CEO and founder of RockRose Risk, an insurance and risk-management firm specializing in property mitigation. He previously co-founded Kettle, an insurtech reinsurer, and served as head of digital products at Argo Group. His career background and policy involvement are documented by the OECD.
RockRose Risk is an insurance and captive-management firm providing coverage, analytics, and self-insurance solutions for catastrophe-exposed property owners. Founded in Florida, it integrates AI-driven risk models with property-hardening and reinsurance strategies to reduce long-term costs. Its operations and mission are detailed on the company’s official site.