WILMINGTON, N.C. – The North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA) reaffirmed its commitment to bolstering North Carolina’s resilience against storms on March 21, 2025. The event celebrated a significant milestone: over 15,000 homes statewide now hold the FORTIFIED Roof™ designation.
FORTIFIED, developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), is a voluntary program for construction and re-roofing that fortifies homes against high winds and heavy rain. Since adopting FORTIFIED as its resilience standard in 2016, NCIUA has invested more than $100 million to help families upgrade their homes.
“While we can’t control storms, leaders and homeowners are working to lessen their impact,” said Roy Wright, CEO of IBHS. “NCIUA and North Carolina’s financial support to help homeowners reduce storm damage is a forward-thinking investment that will enable communities to recover faster from hurricanes.”
FORTIFIED Roof upgrades involve stronger roof deck attachments, sealed roof decks and locked-down edges. Third-party evaluators document and verify each installation, ensuring quality and consistency. NCIUA was among the first in the nation to offer FORTIFIED grants and policy endorsements.
NCIUA currently operates three initiatives to assist policyholders:
- Strengthen Your Roof: Offers eligible policyholders in the Outer Banks and Barrier Islands grants of up to $10,000 for FORTIFIED Roof installations.
- Strengthen Your Coastal Roof: Provides grants of up to $6,000 for eligible policyholders in 18 coastal counties outside the Outer Banks and Barrier Islands, in partnership with the State of North Carolina.
- Stronger Roof Endorsements: Included at no cost in NCIUA Homeowners and Dwelling policies, offering up to $5,000 in extra coverage for FORTIFIED upgrades when a roof is replaced due to covered damage.
Gina Hardy, CEO of NCIUA, emphasized the organization’s dedication, stating, “We are committed to strengthening North Carolina’s coast and building a stronger, storm-ready North Carolina. The NCIUA has invested over $100 million to help policyholders reduce their risk of storm damage, protecting homes and increasing the likelihood that families can return to their homes as soon as possible after the next storm. Now, with over 15,000 FORTIFIED homes along the coast, we are minimizing the economic impact of storms and empowering communities to recover faster and more fully.”
Research supports the effectiveness of FORTIFIED. An analysis by the Institute for Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State University of storm losses from Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Dorian, and Isaias revealed that homes with FORTIFIED roofs were 34% less likely to file a claim. When claims were filed, the damage was 22% less severe than homes built to standard construction.
At the event held at the Cape Fear Country Club, NCIUA presented awards to individuals and organizations for their contributions to coastal resilience. The honorees included:
- Resilient Community Impact Award: Representative John Bell
- Resilient Trailblazer Award: Dennis Duffy
- First FORTIFIED Roof Recognition: American Values Contracting
- Pinnacle Volume Awards for Roofers: Coastal Roofing & Siding and Gallop Roofing & Remodeling
- Pinnacle Volume Awards for Evaluators: Pilot Catastrophe Services, NC Fortified LLC, and Projust, LTD
NCIUA also acknowledged key partners and leaders in attendance for their ongoing support. These included Mike Causey, NC Insurance Commissioner; Roy Wright, CEO of IBHS; Tim Minton, EVP of the NC Home Builders Association; Senator Jim Perry; Mayor Shannon Phillips of Sunset Beach; Joanna Biliouris, GM of the NC Rate Bureau; and Willo Kelly, CEO of the Outer Banks Association of REALTORS.
For additional information about NCIUA’s programs, including grant applications, visit StrengthenYourRoof.com or StrengthenYourCoastalRoof.com. For more information about the FORTIFIED program, visit FORTIFIEDHome.org.
