Why We Exist
Severe weather disrupts lives, displaces families, and drives financial loss. IBHS delivers top-tier science and translates it into action so we can prevent avoidable suffering, strengthen our homes and businesses, inform the insurance industry, and support thriving communities.
Who We Are
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit scientific research and communications organization supported by property insurers, reinsurers, and affiliated companies. Our work produces real-world solutions that improve the resilience of residential and commercial structures. IBHS studies property vulnerabilities across wind, wind-driven rain, hail, and wildfire hazards to identify where improvements are needed and how future losses can be reduced.
Our Research Facility
Located on 90 acres in Chester County, South Carolina, ), the IBHS Research Center is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing building science and reducing losses from severe weather and wildfire.
This one-of-a-kind campus enables full-scale, controlled, and repeatable testing of residential and commercial construction materials and systems under realistic recreations of severe weather hazards. These capabilities allow IBHS to generate data that informs building codes, product standards, and construction practices– while translating complex science into clear, actionable guidance for homeowners, business owners, insurers, and the media to support more resilient decisions.
Learn more about the IBHS Research Center
Turning Research into Action
The Research Center also reflects the property insurance industry’s commitment to reducing losses and protecting communities. Through full-scale demonstrations, IBHS validates its guidance and shares findings through media, social platforms, presentations, and public policy engagement—ensuring that research drives real-world impact.