Mississippi insurance officials may fund stronger roofs for eligible homes

The Mississippi Department of Insurance administers a program that may award grants for home retrofits. The program considers eligible owner-occupied, single-family homes built on site. The program does not guarantee a grant or require the state to fund inspections or retrofits. Grants depend on legislative appropriations. A grant may not exceed $10,000 per recipient. The home must be insured against wind damage and, if it is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, against floods. The home must be a single-family, site-built primary residence occupied by its owner, be in good repair apart from its roof, and not have previously met the required roof standard. The applicant must follow program rules and be selected under the funding source’s allocation process. The homeowner must complete program requirements and receive an IBHS certificate before the grant amount is set for payment to the certified contractor. Grants depend on annual legislative appropriations. The act takes effect upon passage.

The Mississippi Department of Insurance consults an advisory council and reports program results to state leaders and the public. The council advises the Mississippi Department of Insurance about the Strengthen Mississippi Homes Program. The council advises the department on the program’s performance, efficiency, and operations. It includes state lawmakers and the head of the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association. The annual report must cover grants, homes retrofitted, certificates issued, estimated premium discounts, and awards by location and county. The department must call council meetings in January, June, and October and publish its report by December 1 each year.

Insurance agents pay a $50 fee to file and process a certificate of authority, with $25 deposited in the Strengthen Mississippi Homes Fund. The fee applies to agents filing and processing a certificate of authority. The fee and fund deposit apply from and after July 1, 2026.