Can You Weather the Cost of The Next Storm? 

Disaster preparedness is not a choice but necessary to protect what you value most.  

The cost of severe weather has increased over the past few decades. According to NOAA, there have been $2.6 trillion in damages from 1980 to today. In 2023 alone, twenty-eight severe weather disasters in the U.S. caused over $93.1 billion in losses. Homeowners need to act now to prepare for storms and avoid becoming a statistic. Science-backed solutions can help you get there. 

But what are the actual costs beyond the dollar signs to you or your family? Here are some of the ways storms can impact you: 

• Lost Wages: time off from work to manage damage to your home or business 

• Displacement: relocation to temporary housing due to structure damage 

• Damaged Valuables: loss of irreplaceable items, such as family photos and important documents 

How you recover from a natural disaster determines your true cost. Disaster preparedness helps you better protect yourself and your assets before the next storm. IBHS has developed science-backed guidance to help you prep for severe weather, including tips before the storm, such as packing emergenccy kits/bags to securing interiors and exteriors, and after the storm, including documenting damages and coordinating repairs if you do need to file a claim. 

But what if you strengthened the vulnerable areas of your home – like your roof or garage door – before the peak of hurricane season? FORTIFIED provides that solution so you can prevent damage and reduce potential recovery costs. FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction method developed based on decades of research from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to strengthen properties against high wind events like hurricanes, severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes.

Why FORTIFIED? 

The roof is a structure’s first line of defense against high wind, and traditional building codes often leave it vulnerable. FORTIFIED Roof™ goes beyond code to protect against wind and rain, preventing damage that can destroy your home and belongings inside.  

A FORTIFIED Roof provides: 

• Stronger Edges that prevent wind from pushing underneath the roof covering 

• Sealed Roof Deck providing a water barrier if the roof covering is lost exposing the roof deck, which prevents water damage 

• Better Attachments to reinforce roof sheathing against forceful winds using ring-shank nails, keeping it in place 

There are also financial benefits to achieving a FORTIFIED designation. Insurers in over a dozen states offer homeowners discounts, which can be as high as 55%, and tax credits up to $5,000 for this risk mitigation. 

States Investing in Resilience 

With the growth of the FORTIFIED program, several states have committed to helping residents strengthen their homes. In addition to insurance incentives and tax credits, some states offer grants to assist with mitigation upgrade costs.  

Below are state program overviews with links for eligibility requirements and application submissions: 

Strengthen Alabama Homes: pays up to $10,000 to upgrade to the FORTIFIED Roof or FORTIFIED Silver standard. 

Strengthen Your Roof (North Carolina): offers grants of up to $8,000 for eligible policyholders who install a FORTIFIED Roof through the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA). 

Strengthen Minnesota Homes: will provide eligible homeowners with $10,000 for roof upgrades on insured homes. 

Strengthen Kentucky Homes: insurers to offer policy provisions for upgrading single-family dwellings to the FORTIFIED Home standard. 

Louisiana Fortify Homes: grants homeowners up to $10,000 for hurricane-wind roof upgrades. 

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB): provides up to $15,000 to homeowners with low to moderate income to upgrade an existing roof or up to $7,500 for new roof installation that levels up to FORTIFIED. 

Whether you’re enhancing your disaster prep planning or upgrading to a FORTIFIED home, we’re here to help with the next steps. 

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Read more of our tips and ideas in the Homeowner Resources section.