FORTIFIED (Home Standard)
FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing standard designed to help a home stand up to severe wind, rain, and hail. It was developed by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a building-safety research organization. A home built or re-roofed to the standard is inspected and certified at one of three levels: FORTIFIED Roof, FORTIFIED Silver, and FORTIFIED Gold. The most common and lowest-cost level is FORTIFIED Roof.
How does a home become FORTIFIED?
FORTIFIED focuses on the parts of a home that fail first in a storm, starting with the roof. A FORTIFIED Roof adds a sealed roof deck (a water barrier under the shingles), stronger edge fastening, and better attachment so the roof is less likely to peel off in high wind or leak once shingles are gone. Certification is done by an independent evaluator, and the home receives a designation that many insurers recognize.
Does FORTIFIED save money on insurance?
A stronger roof means fewer and smaller storm claims. Beyond that, many insurers in wind-exposed states offer a premium credit or a reduced wind deductible for a certified FORTIFIED home, because the mitigation lowers their risk. Whether a credit applies, and how much, depends on the insurer and the state. Research also indicates FORTIFIED homes sell for nearly 7% more than non-FORTIFIED homes.
Is there help paying for a FORTIFIED upgrade in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama runs a state grant program, Strengthen Alabama Homes, that pays up to $10,000 to retrofit an owner-occupied single-family home to the FORTIFIED Roof standard. A homeowner in Baldwin County who uses the grant to get a FORTIFIED Roof may both reduce future storm damage and qualify for a wind premium or deductible credit with insurers that recognize the designation. A coverage review can confirm whether a specific insurer offers a FORTIFIED credit.
Sources
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), FORTIFIED standard; Alabama Department of Insurance, Strengthen Alabama Homes program page.