FORTIFIED Homes: An Innovation That Protects What Matters Most

When it comes to your home, one of the most impactful innovations is the FORTIFIED Home construction method, developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to help homes better withstand severe weather.

Building codes are sets of rules and standards established by state or local governments that exist to keep people safe. They establish the minimum standards for how homes are designed and built so structures don’t pose an immediate risk to occupants. But when it comes to severe weather, meeting code doesn’t always mean a home is prepared to withstand the forces of nature or recover quickly after a storm.

That’s where FORTIFIED comes in. Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), FORTIFIED Home™ was developed through decades of research and provides voluntary building standards that go beyond basic code requirements to strengthen homes against severe weather.

The goal isn’t just compliance—it’s to reduce damage, shorten recovery time, and help homeowners build with resilience in mind.

What is FORTIFIED? 

FORTIFIED is a voluntary building standard that uses science-backed construction to reduce structural damage and strengthen a home against severe weather by reinforcing the components most likely to fail during a storm—like the roof.

These guidelines are designed to help homes better withstand high winds, hail, hurricanes, and even tornadoes. They reinforce the areas most vulnerable during storms, including roof-to-wall connections, anchor points, and gables and chimneys.

To understand how different construction techniques perform in storm conditions, IBHS built a state-of-the-art research facility where it recreates severe weather. There, researchers can replicate hurricane-force winds up to 130 mph and test the effect on full-scale residential and commercial buildings.

FORTIFIED offers three levels of protection.

What Is a FORTIFIED Roof?

FORTIFIED Roof™ is a designation within the FORTIFIED Home program that focuses on strengthening the roof—the part of a home most vulnerable to wind and water damage.

FORTIFIED Roof™ is the first of three protection levels available to homeowners.

FORTIFIED Roof

FORTIFIED Roof™ requirements provide a stronger roof built for wind protection that includes:

• A sealed roof deck that can reduce water intrusion by 90%.
• A roof-deck attachment with double the strength.
• Optional impact-resistant shingles that can withstand hail up to two inches in diameter.

FORTIFIED Silver

FORTIFIED Silver provides all the benefits of FORTIFIED Roof, plus:

• Strong anchors for chimneys and attached structures.
• Optional impact protection for windows and exterior doors.
• Pressure-rated garage doors to keep high winds and pressure out.

FORTIFIED GOLD

FORTIFIED Gold offers the highest protection and provides all the benefits of FORITIFIED Roof and Silver, along with:

• Reinforced vulnerable areas, like carports, porches, and chimneys.
• Stronger exterior sheathing, plus pressure-rated windows and doors.
• Whole-home connections engineered to redistribute outside pressure.

A FORTIFIED home can reduce damage from severe weather, giving you greater peace of mind during hurricane and storm season. It may also lead to savings on your homeowners insurance premiums.

Earn Premium Discounts Based on Your Level of Protection

Premium discounts for FORTIFIED roofs typically range between 20% and 60%, depending on geographic location and level of certification. Once a FORTIFIED evaluator confirms construction standards are met and issues a FORTIFIED certificate, your insurer can apply the premium discount.

SageSure offers market-leading premium discounts for FORTIFIED homes. Be sure to ask your insurance specialist about FORTIFIED discounts and what you need to do to qualify. Homeowners in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina may also qualify for grants to meet FORTIFIED Roof™ standards.

What Is the Louisiana FORTIFY Home Program?

The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP)—often called the Louisiana roof program—is a state-sponsored grant initiative run by the Louisiana Department of Insurance that helps homeowners strengthen their roofs to better withstand hurricanes, high winds, hail, and other severe weather. Eligible homeowners can receive grants of up to $10,000 to upgrade their roofs to the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof™ standard.

South Carolina and Alabama also have programs to help homeowners upgrade to FORTIFIED. You can get more information on the South Carolina Safe Home Grand Program and the Strengthen Alabama Home Program on their websites.

When is the Best Time to Upgrade to FORTIFIED?

For many homeowners, it makes the most sense to upgrade existing construction to FORTIFIED when work is already planned or needed, such as replacing an aging roof, or completing roof replacement/repairs after a claim.

Estimates suggest the additional cost of materials and labor to upgrade to a FORTIFIED roof ranges between $1,000 and $3,000 for a 2,000-square-foot home.

New construction offers the most flexibility as FORTIFIED standards can be integrated from the start, making it easier to achieve FORTIFIED Gold, the highest level of certification.

If you’re not planning any upgrades right now, you may still have options. Adding an endorsement to your policy can allow you to rebuild or repair to FORTIFIED standards after a covered loss. In some states, SageSure offers a FORTIFIED Upgrade Endorsement giving you the opportunity to strengthen your home during repairs without waiting for a planned renovation.

When it comes to protecting your home, FORTIFIED provides proven protection for what matters most.