NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana has reached a milestone of 10,000 homes upgraded with FORTIFIED roofs, the construction standard designed to reduce storm damage and strengthen property insurance stability statewide. During a visit to New Orleans on Nov. 10, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple called the achievement a major step toward building long-term resilience and lowering homeowners’ insurance costs.
“Achieving 10,000 FORTIFIED roofs in Louisiana is a massive win for the people of our state,” Temple said. “Louisiana is the fastest-growing state in the nation when it comes to embracing FORTIFIED roofs.”
A Growing Statewide Initiative
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, launched two years ago, provides grants of up to $10,000 to help homeowners replace or upgrade roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).
Since its launch, the program itself has funded about 4,000 FORTIFIED roof installations across southern Louisiana. Those state-funded projects are part of a larger statewide total of 10,000 FORTIFIED roofs — a figure that also includes privately funded, insurance-driven, and nonprofit installations built to the same resilience standard. According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, the 10,000 certified roofs represent the highest per-capita participation rate of any state currently implementing the IBHS standard.
At a press conference hosted by Parish Construction & Roofing, Temple announced the new benchmark and confirmed that registration for the next round of LFHP grants will open at 8 a.m. on Nov. 12 and close at 5 p.m. on Nov. 19. This round will include 1,000 grants available to residents of Louisiana’s Coastal Zone and the cities of Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake.
“Every home built to FORTIFIED standards makes Louisiana more resilient,” Temple said. “It’s a path forward for affordable insurance.”
Temple was joined by Louisiana Office of Community Development Executive Director Gina Campo, IBHS Director of FORTIFIED Market Development Alex Cary, Parish Construction & Roofing partner and former LSU Baseball National Champion Ryan Theriot, and LFHP participant Steve Curtis.
The program operates through a lottery system and partnerships with construction and nonprofit organizations that help bridge costs for qualifying homeowners. The Louisiana Department of Insurance oversees eligibility and funding, with grants of up to $10,000 paid directly to contractors for approved roof upgrades.
Linking Resilience and Insurance Reform
Louisiana’s progress with the Fortify Homes Program parallels a series of insurance reforms and legislative measures aimed at stabilizing the state’s property insurance market. Under Temple’s direction, lawmakers have advanced several initiatives to strengthen the program — including new tax incentives, expanded homeowner deductions, and Act 79, which creates what officials describe as a permanent funding source for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP).
“We tackled property reform during the 2024 session that stopped bad actors and closed some loopholes. Now the industry feels more confident in the state,” Temple said. “The FORTIFIED roof program is a big benefit. We’re starting to see results—our rate is 1.6%, dramatically less than the 6% the year before.”
Approved homeowners insurance rate increases averaged 6.6% in 2024, down from 14% in 2023 and 16.2% in 2022, according to the department. Through mid-2025, the statewide average increase has fallen further to 1.6%, and the department reports that eight residential insurers have already implemented rate decreases this year.
“We’re telling insurers that Louisiana welcomes competition, but we expect accountability,” Temple said. “We actively monitor and work with consumers to ensure fairness.”
National Recognition
While in New Orleans, Temple met with Roy Wright, president and CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety and former FEMA official, who praised Louisiana’s approach.
“In response to a challenging insurance market, the state – led by the Louisiana Department of Insurance – is stepping up its investment in resilience measures that can change outcomes,” Wright said. “By championing incentives and launching a groundbreaking grant program, the Department has fueled unprecedented adoption of FORTIFIED construction – strengthening communities against future storms and laying the foundation for a more stable insurance market.”
Insurance experts say Louisiana’s initiative joins a growing number of coastal‐state programs focused on resilience and mitigation. With 10,000 FORTIFIED roofs completed and additional grants underway, the program has moved from pilot phase to proof of concept showing measurable returns in both community protection and insurance market confidence.
