Key West The Newspaper

Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe (FIRM) invites all residents of Monroe County to its series of Annual Meetings, to be held in four convenient locations from Key Largo to Key West. During each of the meetings, FIRM President Mel Montagne and Vice President Heather Carruthers will provide an overview of FIRM’s recent successes and activities, its 2015 legislative priorities for ensuring fair flood and windstorm insurance rates for property owners in the Keys, and FIRM’s increasing emphasis on community outreach, research, and actions to enable policyholders to reduce their property insurance rates.

Meetings will take place in:

● Marathon, on February 3 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at BOCC Chambers, Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway
● Lower Keys, on February 11, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at Boondocks Grille and Draft House, MM 27.5
● Key Largo, on February 17, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at BOCC Chambers, Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway
● Key West, on March 3, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at BOCC Chambers, Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue

FIRM was founded nine years ago to combat escalating windstorm insurance premiums in the Florida Keys. Keys residents faced dramatic increases in their windstorm coverage through Citizens Property Insurance, despite few claims having been filed. Analysis of premiums collected versus claims paid demonstrated the increases were not justified.

FIRM succeeded in rolling back a 20% increase that had been implemented in August of 2006, and derailing a proposed 32% increase planned for 2007. Since then, FIRM was successful in slowing the rate of increase on wind insurance costs and in helping to repeal the most onerous aspects of 2012’s federal flood insurance reform. Year after year, FIRM works to hold back more increases and changes in coverage that adversely affect Keys residents.