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Reviewed by Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO, Licensed Insurance Advisor
Published: October 22, 2026 · Updated: October 23, 2026
- In July 2026 the Connecticut Insurance Department publicly backed the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof standard for builders, remodelers and roofers.
- A FORTIFIED Roof adds a sealed deck, ring-shank nails and locked-down edges, all documented by an independent evaluator.
- Connecticut doesn’t require a FORTIFIED insurance discount. Credits, where they exist, vary by carrier.
- Decide before the old shingles come off. A FORTIFIED Roof can’t be documented after the deck is covered.
If you’re planning a reroof in Milford, Stratford or Branford, you’ve probably heard the word FORTIFIED lately. Here’s the short version, as of October 21, 2026: FORTIFIED Roof is a stronger way to build a roof, set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), and the Connecticut Insurance Department promoted it in July 2026. It isn’t a state mandate, and Connecticut doesn’t require insurers to discount it. Whether it lowers your premium depends on your carrier. Whether it keeps water out of your attic in the next nor’easter depends on how it’s built.
What did Connecticut actually do about FORTIFIED roofs in 2026?
On July 17, 2026, Insurance Commissioner Josh Hershman joined builders, remodelers and insurance professionals at an event run by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of the Connecticut River Region. The goal was to introduce local contractors to the FORTIFIED Roof program and how certification works. “FORTIFIED standards provide a framework that helps homeowners, builders, and communities strengthen properties,” Hershman said in the department’s release.
That event grew out of earlier work. The department’s Severe Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council, in its June 2025 final report, recommended small pilot programs to reinforce roofs to the FORTIFIED standard in high-risk parts of the state. The report suggested starting with grants, foundations and private partners while larger state funding is sorted out.
So what changed for you? Mostly awareness. More Connecticut roofers will hear about the standard, and some will train for it. What didn’t change is the law on discounts, which we’ll get to below.
What makes a roof FORTIFIED?
According to IBHS, a FORTIFIED Roof comes down to three things that a typical reroof often skips:
- A sealed roof deck. The seams in the plywood or OSB are taped or otherwise sealed, so if wind peels shingles off, rain doesn’t pour through the gaps. IBHS says sealing the deck can cut water intrusion by up to 95%.
- Better attachment. Ring-shank nails in a tighter pattern instead of smooth nails. IBHS testing found this nearly doubles the roof deck’s resistance to wind uplift.
- Stronger edges. A wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip, because roof failures often start where wind gets under the edge.
The roof cover itself has to meet top wind ratings. For asphalt shingles, that’s ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H. Metal, tile and low-slope systems have their own tests. There’s also an optional hail supplement with tougher impact ratings.
Who signs off on it?
You can’t just tell your insurer your roof is FORTIFIED. The work has to be done by a FORTIFIED-trained roofing contractor, and a certified FORTIFIED evaluator collects photos and paperwork during the job. IBHS reviews it and issues a certificate to the property address. IBHS says each certificate lasts five years and transfers with the house if you sell. A current certificate is generally what a carrier would ask to see.
| Roof feature | Typical reroof | FORTIFIED Roof |
|---|---|---|
| Roof deck seams | Often left open under underlayment | Sealed to keep water out if the cover blows off |
| Deck fasteners | Often smooth-shank nails | Ring-shank nails in an enhanced pattern |
| Roof edges | Standard drip edge and starter course | Wider drip edge and fully adhered starter strip |
| Shingle wind rating | Varies by product | ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H |
| Who checks the work | Your roofer and the town building inspector | A FORTIFIED-trained roofer, plus a certified evaluator and IBHS review |
| Proof for your insurer | Invoice and permit | IBHS designation certificate, valid five years |
Will a FORTIFIED Roof lower my Connecticut home insurance?
Maybe, but nobody can promise it. As of October 21, 2026, we couldn’t find a Connecticut law that requires insurers to discount a FORTIFIED Roof. The state’s one mandatory mitigation discount, C.G.S. § 38a-316b, applies to permanent storm shutters and impact-resistant glass. Some carriers may offer their own credit for a FORTIFIED designation and some may not, and the size of any credit is set by the carrier.
Here’s the honest way to look at it. Ask whether your carrier offers a credit before you sign the roofing contract, and get the answer in writing. If there’s a credit, that’s a bonus. The bigger reason to consider FORTIFIED is fewer leaks, less interior damage and a roof underwriters will like when it’s time to renew or switch.
That last part matters more than most people think. Roof age and condition already decide whether some carriers will write a home at all. If you’ve been non-renewed over an older roof, our guide to getting covered again after a roof-related cancellation walks through your options.
“FORTIFIED roofs get a lot of attention, but Connecticut homeowners shouldn’t overlook storm shutters and impact-rated glass. Several of the carriers we work with in Connecticut offer a credit on your premium for them. Whenever we quote a shoreline home, we ask about them and make sure that credit actually shows up on the policy. Keep the receipts and product labels, because that paperwork is what gets it applied.” — Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO
Why does this matter on the Connecticut shoreline?
Wind is the shoreline’s everyday storm risk, not just hurricanes. After a late-October 2025 storm, the Connecticut Post reported that two barges ran aground at Woodmont Beach in Milford. Storms like that one, plus summer thunderstorms and winter nor’easters off Long Island Sound, are exactly what lift shingles and drive rain sideways under roof edges.
Your deductible can also change the math. Connecticut lets insurers offer a separate windstorm or hail deductible, and a hurricane deductible can apply only inside a narrow window tied to National Hurricane Center warnings, as the Connecticut Insurance Department explains. If your policy has a percentage wind or hurricane deductible, keeping roof damage small matters more. Our post on coastal home insurance in Connecticut covers how flood, wind and storm deductibles fit together.
If you own an older Cape or colonial near the water in Milford, the reroof is the one chance to fix the deck underneath. Our Milford homeowners insurance page has more on what carriers look at in town.
What should I ask before my reroof?
- Ask your roofer: Are you FORTIFIED-trained and listed in the FORTIFIED directory? Will you work with a certified evaluator?
- Get it in the contract: sealed deck, ring-shank nails, wider drip edge, adhered starter strip, and the shingle’s wind rating.
- Book the evaluator early. They have to photograph the deck before it’s covered.
- Ask your carrier: Do you offer a credit for a FORTIFIED designation? What proof do you need, and does it apply at renewal or mid-term?
- Check your deductibles: Is there a separate wind, hail or hurricane deductible, and is it a percentage of your dwelling limit?
- Keep the paperwork: the IBHS certificate, invoice, permit and photos. You’ll want them at renewal and if you sell.
We’re independent, so we can put the credit question to more than one carrier and compare how each one views your roof. Our Connecticut homeowners insurance page explains how we shop coverage across the state.
Frequently asked questions
What is a FORTIFIED Roof?
FORTIFIED Roof is a construction standard from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). It calls for a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails in a tighter pattern, locked-down roof edges and a roof cover that meets high wind ratings. An independent evaluator documents the work and IBHS issues a designation certificate for the property.
Does Connecticut require insurers to give a discount for a FORTIFIED Roof?
As of October 21, 2026, we couldn’t find any Connecticut law that requires one. The state’s mandatory mitigation discount, C.G.S. § 38a-316b, covers permanent storm shutters and impact-resistant glass. Any FORTIFIED credit is up to each carrier, so ask your carrier whether it offers one.
Did the Connecticut Insurance Department endorse FORTIFIED roofs?
On July 17, 2026, Commissioner Josh Hershman joined builders and roofers at an event introducing the FORTIFIED Roof program and said the standards give homeowners and builders a framework to strengthen properties. The department’s advisory council had earlier recommended pilot programs to reinforce roofs to the FORTIFIED standard in high-risk areas.
How long does a FORTIFIED designation last?
IBHS says each certificate is valid for five years and is issued to the property address, so it transfers if you sell. To renew, a certified evaluator confirms the home still meets the standard, with a focus on the condition of the roof cover.
Can any roofer install a FORTIFIED Roof?
No. Under the 2025 FORTIFIED Home Standard, the roof must be installed by a FORTIFIED-trained roofing contractor listed in the FORTIFIED directory, and the work is documented by a certified FORTIFIED evaluator, with a small exception for contractors IBHS invites to submit directly.
Sources
- Connecticut Insurance Department, “Connecticut Insurance Department Highlights Fortified Roofing Standards as Part of Statewide Resilience Efforts” (July 17, 2026)
- Connecticut Insurance Department, Severe Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council, “Final Report to the Commissioner” (June 2025)
- Connecticut Insurance Department, “Homeowners Storm Claims: Understanding Your Coverage”
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 700, §§ 38a-316a and 38a-316b
- Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, “FORTIFIED Roof”
- Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, “FORTIFIED Redesignation”
- Connecticut Post, “Two barges run aground at Milford’s Woodmont Beach, officials say”, October 30, 2025
Reviewed by Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO, Licensed Insurance Advisor.
Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is the most-reviewed independent insurance agency in New Hampshire, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials.
Related guides: Hurricane Deductibles in Connecticut · Coastal Home Insurance in Connecticut · Home Insurance Cancelled Because of Roof?
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