Disaster Safety Blog

Richburg, S.C., February 16, 2023 – La Niña is affecting the United States for a third consecutive year. With it comes an increased threat of severe weather, especially across the Southeast, reinforcing the need to prepare early to reduce the impact on homes and businesses.

Birmingham, AL, February 2, 2023 – An innovative public-private partnership is helping revitalize Birmingham’s historic Northside neighborhoods with home improvements that will mean homeowners will be safe, dry and better prepared for severe weather. Today, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Alabama Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler, Protective Life Corporation President & CEO Rich Bielen and other community leaders were joined by Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) CEO Roy Wright to meet with residents and tour homes recently re-roofed to the FORTIFIED standard for resilient construction.

Richburg, S.C., January 10, 2023 – The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is offering new Winter Weather Ready resources to help home and business owners prepare their properties to prevent costly damage and lengthy repairs from the next winter storm.

As the coldest part of winter approaches, during what has already been an active season for many parts of the country, IBHS’s free Winter Weather Ready guide provides easy-to-follow actions to take now, as well as critical steps for during and after a severe winter weather event. New downloadable Winter Weather Ready checklists for both residential and commercial properties are now available to help property owners prioritize actions and ensure important steps aren’t overlooked.

Richburg, S.C., December 8, 2022 – Ahead of holiday guests’ arrival, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) encourages homeowners to take simple actions to get Winter Weather Ready to reduce the possibility of costly damage and lengthy repairs during the most wonderful – and busiest – time of the year.

Tuscaloosa, AL, October 12, 2022 – The Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research (ACIIR) at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business today released a report analyzing the return on investment for resilient construction of multifamily properties. The study, which measured the economic value of using FORTIFIED Multifamily™, a voluntary beyond-code construction and re-roofing method developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), found the return can be as high as 72 percent.

RICHBURG, S.C., Oct. 5, 2022 – Disaster Discussions, a new podcast from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), launched today providing a platform to explore the intersection of severe weather and the built environment. Monthly episodes will connect audiences to science, insurance and resilient construction experts to share their insights on the latest severe weather and wildfire research.

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 22, 2022 – In invited testimony to the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) President and CEO Roy Wright urged lawmakers toward a comprehensive approach for wildfire mitigation, including actions to retrofit homes to limit the impact of wildfire, strongly enforced codes for buildings and defensible space, and consistent public communications about the mitigation actions that matter most.