$10K Tax Credit May Be on the Way for Louisiana Homeowners Who Stormproof Their Roofs

A new bill could help Louisiana homeowners fortify their homes against hurricane damage and combat the state’s insurance crisis.

Cassie Sheets
Written byCassie Sheets
Cassie Sheets
Cassie SheetsData Journalist
  • 9 years writing data-driven content

  • Lifestyle contributor to 30+ local news sites

Cassie Sheets has a background in home and garden and real estate content. At Insurify, she translates industry jargon into insights that empower insurance buyers.

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Chris Schafer
Edited byChris Schafer
Chris Schafer
Chris SchaferDeputy Managing Editor, News and Marketing Content
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  • 7+ years in business and financial services content

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John Leach
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John LeachSenior Insurance Copy Editor
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John leads Insurify’s copy desk, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.

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Published | Reading time: 2 minutes

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The Louisiana Senate has unanimously advanced a bill that would provide a state income tax credit of up to $10,000 for homeowners who install a fortified roof.

Senate Bill 28, sponsored by Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, is the latest in a series of insurance reforms and resiliency programs designed to mitigate Louisiana’s insurance crisis and slow rising rates.

The bill would complement the Louisiana Department of Insurance’s Fortify Homes Program, which began offering homeowner grants of up to $10,000 for fortified roof upgrades in 2023. Upgrading to a fortified roof that’s resistant to high winds and hail costs an average of $16,229 in Louisiana, according to an audit of the program.

If the bill passes, homeowners could combine the new tax credit with a Fortify Homes grant to cover the remaining construction costs of upgrading their roofs.

Resiliency measures may combat Louisiana’s insurance crisis

Louisiana home insurance rates have rapidly increased in recent years as destructive weather events become more frequent and severe.

Insurers have reported $1.6 billion in underwriting losses in Louisiana over the past decade. The active 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons, combined with rising repair costs due to supply chain issues, tipped the state into an insurance crisis.

A dozen insurance companies became insolvent after Hurricanes Laura and Ida, and remaining insurers rapidly raised rates. The average cost of home insurance in Louisiana surged by 38% in 2024, surpassing $10,000 per year for a $300,000 single-family home, according to Insurify data.

Insurify’s data science team projects home insurance premiums will rise by an additional 27% in 2025.

Resiliency programs, like the proposed fortified roof tax credit, could help stabilize insurance rates by reducing weather-related damage and insured losses.

“[Fortified roofs] protect the home much better, should there be high winds,” said Buddy Parkhurst, licensed insurance agent at Insurify. “The fortifications help prevent major damage, therefore reducing the amount of claims and the cost of repairs.”

Installing a fortified roof reduces water intrusion from destructive storms by up to 95%, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a building safety research nonprofit. The Fortify Homes audit found that Louisiana homeowners save an average of 22% on their premiums by upgrading to a fortified roof.

“At the end of 2022, there were just over 300 [IBHS] Fortified-designated homes in the state. Yet, thanks in large part to the actions of the Louisiana Department of Insurance, the number of designations may reach 10,000 by the end of the year,” said Michael Newman, general counsel for the IBHS. “Additional incentives will only further encourage homeowners to take action, bolstering Louisiana’s ability to withstand future hurricanes.”

What’s next? Moving on to the Louisiana House

SB-28 still needs to clear the Louisiana House. If both chambers pass SB-28, the bill will move to Gov. Jeff Landry, who can sign it into law or veto it. The Louisiana Senate’s unanimous approval of the new tax credit bodes well for the bipartisan bill.

Louisiana homeowners who want to upgrade to a fortified roof should track the bill as it moves through the state Legislature. The current proposal caps the amount of fortified roof tax credits at $10 million in a single fiscal year, and the state will issue credits on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cassie Sheets
Cassie SheetsData Journalist

Cassie Sheets has more than nine years of experience creating compelling content for clients, brands, and local news sites. She started her career at Movoto Real Estate, where she transformed dry data into interesting insights for potential homebuyers. She’s since covered a wide range of topics, from pop culture news to home and garden trends.

Before joining Insurify, Cassie wrote engaging landing pages and blog posts for medical practices at MyAdvice. Now, she uses her knack for diving into the latest data and pulling out key details to empower insurance buyers.

Cassie holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. In her free time, you can find her exploring the city with her dog, trying not to fall over in yoga classes, and petting cats at the shelter.

Chris Schafer
Edited byChris SchaferDeputy Managing Editor, News and Marketing Content
Chris Schafer
Chris SchaferDeputy Managing Editor, News and Marketing Content
  • 15+ years in content creation

  • 7+ years in business and financial services content

Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.

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John Leach
Reviewed byJohn LeachSenior Insurance Copy Editor
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John LeachSenior Insurance Copy Editor
  • Licensed property and casualty insurance agent

  • 8+ years editing experience

  • NPN: 20461358

John leads Insurify’s copy desk, helping ensure the accuracy and readability of Insurify’s content. He’s a licensed agent specializing in home and car insurance topics.

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