FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Fort Myers Beach neighbors could be one step closer to saving big on their flood insurance, if the town can check off a few more boxes with FEMA.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent Anvar Ruziev takes you to Estero Island and explains when the town could get its discount back:
The town lost its 25% flood insurance discount last November after FEMA placed it on probation. That decision has had a major financial impact on people trying to rebuild after Hurricane Ian.
“Depending on where you're located on the island, and if it’s a home on the ground, a ranch, or on stilts—with the new codes—it could range anywhere from six thousand to fifteen. I’ve even seen quotes up to twenty thousand, and that’s just the flood,” said longtime local realtor Isabelle Wells.
FEMA sent a letter to town leaders last week explaining exactly what needs to happen for the town to earn the discount back. Two of the five required steps are already complete. However, Fort Myers Beach still needs to:
- Prove that over 1,500 properties have the right permits
- Show they’re actively enforcing building codes
- Remove structures that were never allowed in flood zones
The situation is especially frustrating for people like Susan Hayes, who recently bought a flood insurance policy for a home that’s still under construction.
“It was required—for us to pay the $8,700 to get the insurance for the year. For that. And it’s not even a house right now,” Hayes said.
She added, “How many hoops do we have to go through to continue what we had? They're punishing us because of Ian? It’s how I feel.”
If the town submits all the paperwork by May 4, FEMA could lift the probation by November 18. And if everything checks out, homeowners could see the 25% discount return by April 2026 through FEMA’s Community Rating System.
