FPL Energy Services, an affiliate of Florida Power & Light Company, today announced the availability of UtilityGard to all FPL customers who own single-family or mobile homes. The program is marketed for FPL Energy Services by Voyager Service Warranties, Inc. a member of Assurant Group.

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UtilityGard covers the cost of repairing damage to customers' electric lines inside the home as well as water lines located inside and outside the home should they become damaged as a result of normal wear and tear. For example, normal wear and tear of water lines may take place when they begin to leak as a result of natural expansion and contraction of the pipe material.

"Many homeowners share the thought that electric and water lines inside and outside their homes are owned and maintained by the utility company. However, internal electric lines, and internal and external water lines, are the property and responsibility of the homeowner," said Bob Graessel, senior product development manager, for FPLES. "When there's damage, these costly repair bills may not be covered by homeowner's insurance. Or, the standard homeowner's insurance policy may have a high deductible," Graessel said.

Ron Smith, vice president of utility and wireless distribution channels for Assurant Group, said, "UtilityGard pays to repair many of the problems that naturally occur as a home ages. With water lines, natural deterioration is caused by normal expansion and contraction of the pipes which causes them to leak and break both inside and outside a home. It costs an average of $1,450 to replace an outside water service line. Replacement occurs in 75 percent of all reported water leaks."

Participants may choose from three basic UtilityGard plans which feature no deductibles or co-payments:

  * ElectricLineGard handles repairs up to $500 per calendar year for the
    repair or replacement of inside electric lines due to normal wear and
    tear.  It also pays for repairs or replacement of all covered surfaces
    to a basic finish, as well as openings in walls, ceilings or floors
    related to the repairs.
  * Outside WaterLineGard provides up to $3,000 per occurrence for
    restoration or replacement of outside water lines due to normal wear and
    tear.  The plan includes basic site restoration, such as filling-in,
    raking and reseeding of property.  Outside WaterLineGard also covers the
    repair or replacement of sidewalks in a public easement, when required,
    up to $500.
  * Inside WaterLineGard covers the repair or replacement of inside water
    lines due to normal wear and tear.  This plan pays up to $1,000 per
    occurrence.

All three UtilityGard options include emergency response service by qualified contractors, 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. The inside and outside water lines must be free of leaks and in working order prior to enrollment.

The cost for any single UtilityGard plan is $4.99 per month with each additional program $2 more. This means that for $8.99 each month, customers are fully covered with all three plans. For customer convenience, the monthly fee is applied to the FPL electric bill.

Customers interested in enrollment information should call 1-866-782-9162, toll free.

About FPL Energy Services:

FPL Energy Services, an affiliate of Florida Power & Light Company, is an integrated energy services company which develops, designs, installs and invests in cost-effective energy conservation projects for institutional, commercial, and industrial organizations. FPLES is also one of the largest marketers of natural gas in Florida. The company offers energy-related products and services for residential customers such as the UtilityGard and Power Surge insurance products.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. , one of the nation's largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $8 billion. The company serves approximately 3.9 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's energy-generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.fpl.com.

About Voyager Service Warranties, Inc.

Voyager Service Warranties, Inc. is a member company of Assurant Group, specializing in extended service contracts. Voyager Service Warranties has been in business since 1986.

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SOURCE: FPL Energy Services