Insurance commish urges stronger roofs as hurricane season peak nears

With the peak of hurricane season about two weeks away, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is urging homeowners to apply for fortified roof grants.

Homeowners can get up to $10,000 from the states fortified roof program.

But for homeowners not keen on filling out paperwork or waiting to see if they land one of the coveted grants, there are also tax incentives.

"Put on a fortified roof, make sure its fortified, certified fortified roofer, but also, if you pay for that yourself you can get a tax deduction up to $5,000 for that expense," said Temple.

And Temple says homeowners insurance companies are offering discounts to customers who get the wind-resistant roofs, leading to additional savings.

"They recognize that when you have these types of additional construction features that your home is more resilient," he said.

Temple says the more homeowners who do this, the more insurance companies will feel confident about covering homeowners in the state.

"We can't stop the wind from blowing," said Temple, "but we can do all the things before that."

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