Be Prepared for the Next Storm
If you live in one of the millions of Florida homes built before the state adopted the strongest building codes in the country, adding a FORTIFIED Roof and impact protection for windows will significantly reduce the risk of damage from the future hurricanes.
Insurers Reward Resilience
Based on decades of research by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), FORTIFIED is a proven method of strengthening homes against the high winds and heavy rain that come with hurricanes. In many ways, the Florida Building Code mirrors FORTIFIED, but the IBHS program includes a unique verification process confirming a home was built or re-roofed to better withstand severe weather. Because of its demonstrated effectiveness, a FORTIFIED designation from IBHS may make your home more attractive to insurance companies.
Financial Incentives for Building Stronger
Upgrading to FORTIFIED is cost effective. Insurers offer discounts for homes built or re-roofed to better withstand storms, and the State of Florida offers programs to help offset the costs of the additional protection provided by FORTIFIED.
Insurance Discounts
Insurers in Florida provide discounts for materials or installation techniques that reduce the risk of storm damage. Use the Florida Wind Insurance Savings Calculator to estimate the insurance savings for various home features, upgrades and mitigation measures, including those required by FORTIFIED.
Florida PACE Funding Agency
Florida’s PACE program provides financing for up to 100% of the cost of making homes more resilient to storms, including upgrading to the FORTIFIED standard. Homeowners repay the financing for PACE improvements through a special assessment, which is added to the property tax bill each year of an agreed-upon term.
Mitigation Grants
The Florida Department of Financial Services will soon relaunch the My Safe Florida Homes Program. Once opened, the program will provide eligible homeowners with matching grants up to $10,000 for the actual cost of qualifying home hurricane mitigation projects, including those required by FORTIFIED. The program will provide $2 in grant funds for every $1 the homeowner provides.
The US Small Business Association (SBA) offers disaster assistance in the form of low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and business owners in regions affected by declared disasters. Loans are given to cover repairs and replacement of physical assets damaged in a declared disaster. To protect homes and businesses from future storm damage, SBA will loan an additional 20% to property owners choosing to upgrade to the FORTIFIED standard. For more information about the SBA disaster loan program, visit sba.gov/disaster.
Hire Quality Contractors
After a storm, demand for contractors is unusually high. After protecting your home from further damage, take your time to hire a company you trust. Consider selecting a contractor or roofing contractor listed in the FORTIFIED Directory. Each of them is licensed and insured. Even better, when they repair your home or roof, they can build back stronger by following the FORTIFIED construction method, making this the last time you go through this process.
For Additional Recovery Information Visit: https://www.floridadisaster.org/info/Ian/
Stay In The Know
Do you want to keep up with the latest resiliency research? Would you like timely tips and reminders to keep your home safe from Mother Nature? Are you interested in the science behind the FORTIFIED standard? Then sign up for the FORTIFIED Update, today!