Insurance companies seek resilient roofs following hail storms

(FOX 9) - During a summer of more frequent and severe weather across the Midwest, insurance companies are paying out record amounts for roof damage caused by hail, wind and water.

As a result, Fortified -- a South Carolina-based program from the Insurance Institute For Business & Home Safety -- is calling on homeowners in Minnesota and Wisconsin to make their roofs more resilient.

"These improvements are not that expensive either," Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold told FOX 9.
Experts say the roofing reinforcements can help a home to withstand the power of an EF2 tornado for about $750 in extra costs on a 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home.

"$750 to put some more nails in the roof deck, put a better and more durable underlayment down and to put this tape on the seams. The value speaks for itself," Fred Malik with Fortified told FOX 9. There’s also an added hail protection that would increase the cost further.

It should be noted, insurance companies are invested in this movement, because stronger roofs means fewer claims they have to pay out.

In the end, a Fortified roof is intended to earn homeowners a discount on their premiums.

However, as of Tuesday, it is unclear how much that discount would be.

Fortified is also still working to train more Minnesotan roofers on how to do the install.