Insurance
Homeowners Insurance in Alabama
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 1, 2026
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FORTIFIED roofs: the discount Alabama requires
FORTIFIED is a set of building standards from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). A FORTIFIED Roof is sealed and fastened to stand up better to high wind, hail, and wind-driven rain.
Since 2009, Alabama law has required home insurers to give a discount or rate reduction when your home meets a FORTIFIED standard. Here's how it works:
- A certified evaluator has to inspect and certify the work. You get a FORTIFIED certificate.
- The discount applies to the wind part of your premium. If your insurer doesn't split out wind, it can apply to the whole premium.
- Some insurers also lower your wind deductible.
- Give your insurer the certificate. The discount starts once they have proof.
Ask your agent what your discount would be. Since it comes off the wind part of your premium, it may matter most where wind coverage costs the most.
If your roof needs replacing after a claim
Alabama insurers must offer a FORTIFIED roof endorsement. If a covered loss, like a storm, means your roof has to be replaced, this add-on pays to upgrade it to the FORTIFIED standard instead of just putting back what was there.
It's offered when you buy a new policy and at your first renewal. It adds some cost, but it can turn one bad storm into a stronger roof and, with a FORTIFIED certificate, a lower premium. Ask if yours has it.
Strengthen Alabama Homes: up to $10,000 toward a FORTIFIED roof
Strengthen Alabama Homes (SAH) is a program of the Alabama Department of Insurance. It gives grants to help homeowners upgrade to a FORTIFIED Roof.
- Grants pay 100% of the work, up to $10,000. If the job costs more, you pay the rest.
- You pay the FORTIFIED evaluation fee. Fees vary by evaluator, so ask first.
- Who qualifies: existing, owner-occupied, single-family homes. Rentals, townhomes, condos, and mobile homes don't qualify, and the home can't be listed for sale.
- How it works: you apply online, pass an evaluation, get bids from three SAH-approved contractors, and the grant is paid to the contractor once your home is certified.
- Where: in 2026, applications open each quarter for Mobile County and Baldwin County. They're first come, first served and close once funds run out.
The program is paid for by the insurance industry, not state taxes or federal money. Contact SAH at 1-800-433-3966.
A bonus: a University of Alabama study found FORTIFIED homes sell for nearly 7% more than similar homes without it.
See roof replacement to compare roofers.
On the coast: the AIUA
If you can't get coverage from a private insurer in Baldwin or Mobile County, the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association (AIUA) is the market of last resort.
- It offers several deductible options.
- It gives discounts for FORTIFIED homes and for wind features like roof straps, impact-resistant windows and doors, and shutters.
- If your home is in a flood zone, the AIUA requires you to carry flood insurance equal to your fire and wind coverage.
- It doesn't cover flood itself.
Most people apply through an insurance agent.
Hurricane and wind deductibles
Many Alabama policies, especially near the coast, have a separate deductible for hurricanes or named storms. It's often a percentage of your dwelling coverage, not a flat dollar amount.
Example: a 5% hurricane deductible on a home insured for $300,000 means you pay the first $15,000.
Before you buy, ask:
- What sets off the hurricane deductible?
- What is it in dollars?
- Would a FORTIFIED certificate lower it?
Flood isn't covered
Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding, including storm surge from a hurricane. You need a separate flood policy. See flood insurance.
What changes your price in Alabama
- Distance to the Gulf. Coastal homes pay much more for wind.
- Your roof. Age, material, and FORTIFIED status.
- Your deductibles. Especially the hurricane or wind deductible.
- Your home's rebuild cost.
- Your claims history.
Not a quote or an offer. Your price comes from the insurance company.
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Condo Insurance
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Flood Insurance
Explore flood coverage, which standard home policies usually exclude.
Sources
- NAIC homeowners report (2022 data), via Insurance Information Institute
- Code of Alabama § 27-31D-2 (FORTIFIED premium discount)
- Code of Alabama § 27-31D-2.1 (FORTIFIED roof endorsement offer)
- Strengthen Alabama Homes (Alabama Department of Insurance)
- Strengthen Alabama Homes, Grant award schedule
- Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association, About AIUA