Program Summary

Every area of North America is vulnerable to some type of natural disaster. For that reason, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) created the FORTIFIED for Safer Living^® single family residential construction program. The FORTIFIED program offers a package of "code-plus" upgrades that greatly increase a new home's resistance to natural perils, including hurricane, tornado, wildfire, flood, freezing weather, hail and earthquake, as well as to fire and interior water damage. Specifically, FORTIFIED requirements strengthen a home’s outer envelope---notably roof and wall systems, doors, glazed openings, and the foundation.

Currently, over 200 projects in sixteen states have earned the FORTIFIED for Safer Living® designation or are in various stages of completion. Please note that the FORTIFIED designation process must be initiated before construction begins.

Key participants in the FORTIFIED designation process:
  - Applicant
  - Builder
  - Design Professional
  - IBHS FORTIFIED Staff
  - FORTIFIED Project Manager

Seven Steps to the FORTIFIED for Safer Living^® Designation

If you are interested in applying for a FORTIFIED designation, the process requires completion of many of the following steps prior to construction start:

1. Identify the natural perils that your FORTIFIED project must address.
2. Review the FORTIFIED Standards Guide to confirm design and material requirements for applicable perils.
3. Complete the appropriate self-assessment checklist(s) to verify the project’s readiness to meet Fortified requirements.
4. Send the checklist(s) to the FORTIFIED Program Administrator for review and contact him to discuss the project further.
5. Engage a licensed professional to create a design that meets FORTFIED requirements.
6. Through IBHS, find an approved FORTIFIED Project Manager you can engage to verify the design, approve the project, supervise inspections, and provide IBHS with necessary documentation.
7. Receive a FORTIFIED designation after final approval by IBHS.

For additional information on the program, please contact Rem Brown, at 813-675-1032.