Hurricane Resistant Building Code Helps Protect Alabama

Coastal Alabama has seen rapid growth over the past decade, but it also happens to be the area most vulnerable to hurricanes and other natural hazards in the state. Since 1995, six major hurricanes have hit the region and left devastating damage in its wake. Following Hurricane Ivan in 2004, private insurers stopped writing wind insurance policies due to repetitive loss claims. This made it much more difficult and expensive for residents to obtain wind insurance and forced many to drop their coverage altogether.

In 1995, the “FORTIFIED” program was developed by the Insurance Institute for Building & Home Safety (IBHS). Roofs designed or retrofitted to meet the FORTIFIED Roof level of the program are designed to withstand at least 130 mph winds and are now required by fifteen local zoning boards in Alabama for new or reconstructed homes. The FORTIFIED Roof requirements include criteria such as the inclusion of impact-resistant shingles and wind-driven rain-resistant attic vents, the roof deck must be attached using properly embedded ring-shank nails, seams between roof deck panels must be sealed before shingles are installed, and roof eaves and soffits must be designed and built to reduce wind uplift loads. Levels beyond FORTIFIED Roof include FORTIFIED Silver and FORTIFIED Gold, which require additional criteria beyond strengthening the roof. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) refers to this program as the FORTIFIED Home Program in Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings (FEMA P-804), and to meet one of the levels of the program would allow a home to achieve a FORTIFIED Home Hurricane designation.

In 2012, an initiative from the Alabama State Legislature and several insurance companies created the “Strengthen Alabama Homes” program to help homeowners build back stronger and safer. The Alabama Department of Insurance manages the program. About 1,000 grants worth $10 million are distributed annually to eligible existing homeowners to help cover roof retrofitting costs. As a result, insurers are writing more policies in the area and are discounting premiums on wind policies for homes designed or retrofitted to the FORTIFIED Roof level.

1. There is a coastal vulnerability to hurricanes. Coastal Alabama faces significant vulnerability to hurricanes and natural hazards, with six major hurricanes striking the region since 1995. This susceptibility has led to challenges in obtaining wind insurance for residents, particularly after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, when private insurers ceased writing wind insurance policies due to repetitive loss claims.
2. The FORTIFIED program, developed by the Insurance Institute for Building & Home Safety (IBHS), offers a solution to enhance resilience against hurricanes.  Mandated by fifteen local zoning boards in Alabama, the FORTIFIED Roof level of the program requires specific criteria such as impact-resistant shingles, wind-driven rain-resistant attic vents, and properly embedded nails for roof deck attachment. Levels beyond FORTIFIED Roof, such as FORTIFIED Silver and FORTIFIED Gold, provide additional criteria for strengthening homes. FEMA P-804 provides mitigation measures to allow homes to achieve a FORTIFIED Home Hurricane designation.
3. The “Strengthen Alabama Homes” program aims to assist homeowners in building stronger and safer homes. Managed by the Alabama Department of Insurance, the program provides grants to cover roof retrofitting costs for existing homeowners. As a result, insurers are incentivized to write more policies in the area and offer premium discounts for homes meeting FORTIFIED Roof level standards, contributing to increased resilience and insurance coverage in Coastal Alabama.