State insurance commissioner is focusing insurance discounts for fortified roofs

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to establish a targeted discount rate for homeowners who install a fortified roof.

The benchmarks will be minimum discounts on homeowner policies that insurance providers are required to meet unless they can provide evidence that offering those rates is financially impossible or would be harmful to the company.

In an earlier interview with the LSU Manship School News Service, Temple had said the department would ask companies to "begin the discounts between a 20 percent to 30 percent range."

More recently, he said the department is still determining the discount target. He said initial studies would be completed by the end of this week.

"Based on those studies, we will then set the benchmarks," he said.

"The rule will work as a benchmark that can be avoided through actuarial justification, but it is not a mandate," he added. Actuarial rates are justified based on expected future revenues and costs.

Temple, who generally favors free-market solutions, had been opposed to enforcing discount targets until last November, when Louisiana surpassed 10,000 total fortified roofs. He said that had provided enough financial and performance data for the department to move forward.

If a company fails to meet those rates, the insurance department will require it to revise the rates or provide justification for lower discounts.

Fortified roofs and structures are sturdier and more expensive than regular ones and are meant to withstand hurricane winds. The state has held lotteries to provide homeowners in south Louisiana with $10,000 grants to cover part of the extra costs.

House Speaker Phillip DeVillier told the Baton Rouge Press Club Monday that the Legislature's decision to double the state's original annual investment in fortified roofs from $15 million to $30 million this year will help lower property insurance costs.

"I think the best thing that we can do – and continue to move – when it comes to property insurance is push really hard on the fortified roof program," DeVillier said.

Most of the state's largest insurance providers reported in mid-2025 that they already offer substantial premium discounts for fortified roofs on the wind portion of homeowners' insurance premiums.

The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety's 2025 report to the Legislature indicated that State Farm, Louisiana's largest provider, offers fortified roof discounts ranging from 19 percent to 35 percent. It said Allstate offers discounts from 26 percent to 30 percent; USAA Insurance Group, 19 percent to 37 percent; Liberty Mutual, 40 percent; and Louisiana Farm Bureau, 25 percent.

Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, a government-created insurer of last resort, said it offers discounts ranging from 7 percent to 20 percent. Progressive's listed discounts are comparatively lower, ranging from 6 percent to 10 percent.

Details about the premium discounts that various insurers say they offer can be found at https://ldi.la.gov/docs/default-source/ documents/propertycasualty /act-533-fortified-discount -report-2025.pdf

But it is not clear that every homeowner is quoted these rates, and until the new rule is enacted, the rates are subject to change at any time.

The Insurance Department encourages any homeowners who are not offered the listed discounts to call 1-800-259-5300 and make a complaint.

Temple believes insurance companies will be motivated to compete on pricing as more fortified roofs are installed.

"It's always important for a consumer, for a homeowner, to shop their insurance, reach out to their insurance agents and have them explain all the variables, all the options, everything that goes into getting that premium calculated," Temple said. "People should always make the decision to do business with the company that has earned their business."

Alabama leads the nation with 56,000 fortified roofs. Insurance companies there have offered discounted premiums to homeowners because the new construction better protects the home and its contents in high-wind events.

According to FortifiedHome.org, Alabama's benchmark discounts on the wind portion of homeowners' premiums range from 25 percent to 35 percent for a "Fortified" roof; 35 percent to 45 percent for a sturdier "Fortified Silver" roof and house structure; and 45 percent to 55 percent for a "Fortified Gold" roof, the sturdiest type. Discounts also vary based on how close homeowners are to the coast.

Since the launch of Louisiana's fortified roof program in 2021, more than 4,100 Louisiana residents have installed certified roofs using the $10,000 grants supplied through the state and lottery system, to defray the total. Another 7,000 fortified roofs have been installed outside of the lottery system.

Temple said he anticipated the Louisiana discounts would be "similar" to those available in Alabama. But he added it was important to look closely at Louisiana's exposure to hurricanes given the state's wider coastal footprint.

"I didn't want to copy what Alabama did because their coast is certainly much different than ours," Temple said. "I wanted to make sure we did a very thoughtful analysis of what those benchmarks are so that we can bring the most discount available to the consumer while at the same time not setting some arbitrary numbers that might drive insurance companies away from wanting to offer fortified roofs."

Demand for the grants has skyrocketed in Louisiana. More than 10,400 homeowners applied for 1,000 grants in the last grant cycle.

Due to the state's hurricane exposure, Temple said the fortified roof program is essential to keep Louisiana's property insurance market available and affordable.

"Anytime the Legislature or the state has excess money, I think a portion of that should go to create even more fortified roofs," Temple said. "We've got to maintain focus on it and continue to build as many fortified roofs as we can afford."

In a search for more dollars for the fortified roof program, Gov. Jeff Landry has asked the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corp. to consider using some of its reserves to help expand the program. His letter did not specify how much money he would like the entity to provide.

"The governor has been very supportive," Temple said. "The grant program has been funded through the Legislature. I do believe the governor realizes how vital the fortified roof program is to creating an affordable marketplace for property owners in south Louisiana. I think this is just thinking outside the box, perhaps."

The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety has established the levels of certification within the fortified roof program. In every state, an independent third party must certify that the roof meets those standards.

The "Fortified" Roof certification focuses only on the integrated roof system, which closely tracks standard building codes already in place in many Louisiana jurisdictions.

The "Fortified Silver" designation is a step up, placing further emphasis on openings such as windows, doors and garage doors as well as the attached structures such as porches, carports, pool screens, sunrooms and even gutter guards.

The "Fortified Gold," the highest designation, provides a continuous load path from the foundation through the roof and must be designed by a certified engineer.

Further information on the levels is available at https://fortifiedhome.org/solutions/.