Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Insurance safety group urges 'Fortified' retrofits, grants and code upgrades to reduce storm claims
Summary
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety told lawmakers that targeted grant programs, building‑code updates and voluntary Fortified roof and home standards could cut claims and reduce deductible burdens for Georgia homeowners exposed to wind damage.
Michael Newman, general counsel for the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), told the House Insurance Rate Study Committee that science‑backed retrofits and new‑construction standards can substantially reduce wind and water damage to homes — and therefore lower insurance claims and premium pressure.
What IBHS presented
- Fortified program: a voluntary standard and verification program for roofs, homes and commercial buildings that IBHS says reduces weather damage by improving roof cover attachment, roof‑deck sealing and connections through the structure. - Evidence cited: IBHS laboratory testing and post‑disaster studies show reduced claim frequency and severity where Fortified or comparable measures are used. Newman referenced an Alabama study (Hurricane Sally area) that estimated up to 75% of some claim volumes could have been avoided with Fortified measures and noted fortified designations perform better than unverified builds to a comparable standard. - Grants and local codes: Newman said Alabama’s “Strengthen Alabama Homes” grant plus local code elevation and private‑sector engagement drove large uptake (IBHS cited 55,000 Fortified designations in Alabama); by contrast IBHS tracked roughly 19 Fortified designations in Georgia at the time of his testimony.
Why it matters: Fortified‑style retrofits (for example, sealing roof decks, improved roof attachments and wind‑rated garage doors) are relatively low‑cost compared with the value of avoided claims, IBHS said. Newman argued grant programs, tax incentives or local code supplements can catalyze supply and demand and train contractors in resilient construction. He told the committee that a Fortified reroof typically raises reroofing cost by about 13–16% over a code roof in the Atlanta data cited — but that the lifetime avoided losses and reduced deductibles make the retrofit cost‑effective for many homeowners.
Committee context and next steps
Newman recommended Georgia consider grant programs, tax incentives, expansion of building codes and targeted local incentives tied to premium‑discount programs already on the books. He also recommended the committee coordinate with local governments and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, which has pilot programs elsewhere.
Ending
Newman told lawmakers that “the best claim is the claim that never happens,” urging a policy mix that uses public investment, private incentives and contractor training to scale Fortified retrofits across Georgia.
