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Impact Windows, FORTIFIED and Your Louisiana Insurance Discount (2027)
Starting no later than January 1, 2027, Louisiana insurers have to give set discounts to homes that earn a FORTIFIED designation. If you're thinking about impact windows, you've probably wondered whether they'll bring your insurance bill down.
Here's the short answer. Impact windows can be an important piece of a FORTIFIED home, but windows by themselves don't earn a FORTIFIED designation, and they don't come close to Gold. Here's how it all fits together, and why you should talk to your insurer before you count on any savings.
What changed: Louisiana Regulation 136
The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) issued Regulation 136, "Fortified Homes Premium Discounts," and told insurers about it in Bulletin 2026-04. The rule requires insurers to give premium discounts to homes with a FORTIFIED designation under the standards of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).
The key details, according to LDI:
Insurers must put the discounts in place no later than January 1, 2027.
The discounts apply to new or renewed residential policies issued on or after that date.
The discounts apply to the hurricane portion of your premium, not your whole policy.
That last point is the one people miss. If you see "up to 49%" in a headline, it doesn't mean 49% off your total homeowners bill.
LDI's benchmark discounts
LDI published these residential hurricane-only discounts by region:
Region | FORTIFIED Roof | FORTIFIED Silver | FORTIFIED Gold |
North | 16% | 20% | 24% |
Central | 27% | 35% | 42% |
South | 29% | 43% | 49% |
LDI says the South region is made up of the parishes in Louisiana's statutory Coastal Zone. That zone includes all or part of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and Ascension, among others. Some parishes are only partly in the Coastal Zone, and some parishes we serve, such as East Baton Rouge and Lafayette, aren't in it at all. Check the benchmark map on LDI's FORTIFIED Benchmarks page to see which region your home falls in.
Roof, Silver and Gold: what each level means
FORTIFIED is a voluntary IBHS construction standard. Each level builds on the one before.
FORTIFIED Roof
This level covers the roof only. According to IBHS, it includes stronger roof deck attachment (ring-shank nails at tighter spacing), a sealed roof deck, locked-down roof edges and wind- and rain-resistant attic vents. Windows aren't part of FORTIFIED Roof.
FORTIFIED Silver
Silver includes everything in FORTIFIED Roof plus protection for the other weak spots in a home. Under IBHS's hurricane standard, that includes:
Opening protection: every window, exterior door and skylight must be impact-rated or covered by a qualified opening protection system. IBHS's technical summary says those systems must pass the ASTM E1996 and E1886 impact tests for the large missile "D."
Garage doors: pressure-rated for the site's wind speed and exposure. A garage door with glass also needs impact protection.
Other pieces: gable end bracing, anchored chimneys, reinforced soffits and anchored porches and carports.
This is where impact windows come in, but notice the word "every." One impact-rated front window doesn't satisfy Silver if the back door, patio door or garage door isn't protected.
FORTIFIED Gold
Gold includes everything in Roof and Silver, plus an engineered continuous load path. That means documented connections from the roof to the walls, the walls to the supporting structure and the structure to the foundation. IBHS also lists pressure-rated windows and doors and minimum wall sheathing. For many existing homes, Gold is a structural project, not a window project.
Bottom line: windows alone don't earn Gold. They don't earn Silver either. Impact windows help you meet one Silver requirement, opening protection, on a home that already has, or is getting, a FORTIFIED Roof.
Where impact windows and doors fit
For opening protection, you generally have two routes:
Impact-rated windows and doors. The protection is built in. Close and lock the windows, and you're set for the storm.
Qualified opening protection systems, like tested shutters or panels, installed over standard windows.
Both routes can work for FORTIFIED purposes when the products carry the right test ratings. Our impact windows vs. storm shutters guide walks through the trade-offs, and our impact ratings guide explains how to read the ratings.
Whichever route you take, keep the paperwork. A FORTIFIED evaluator or wind mitigation surveyor needs documentation showing what was installed. That means product approvals, test ratings, labels and invoices. When we install impact products, ask us for the product documentation for each opening. Our impact options include the Pella Hurricane Shield Series and the NT Window 1800 Series Impact. See our hurricane and impact windows page for details.
The other route: a wind mitigation inspection
FORTIFIED isn't the only way mitigation can show up on your policy. LDI says all admitted insurers in Louisiana must offer actuarially justified premium discounts for wind mitigation. Surplus lines insurers aren't required to.
To apply, you have your home surveyed on the Louisiana Hurricane Loss Mitigation Survey Form. Opening protection is one of the features it records. LDI says the survey must be done by a building code enforcement officer, a registered architect or engineer, or a third-party provider authorized by the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council. LDI's wind mitigation flyer says a surveyor's fee varies but typically runs between $300 and $600.
One caution: under state law, a FORTIFIED discount doesn't have to be added on top of other mitigation discounts and can replace them where they overlap. Don't assume discounts will stack. Ask your insurer how they apply to your policy.
Louisiana Fortify Homes Program grants
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) offers grants of up to $10,000 toward upgrading a roof to the FORTIFIED Roof standard. A few things to know, according to LDI:
The grant covers roof construction costs only. It doesn't pay for windows or doors.
Grants are awarded by lottery when funding is available. The June 2026 registration window (June 1 to 19) has closed, and LDI says future rounds will be announced.
You have to create a profile in the LFHP system to register. Past applicants who weren't selected must register again for each round.
Homeowners pay the FORTIFIED evaluator's fees and any costs beyond the grant.
In 2026, LDI expanded eligibility to more parishes, including Lafayette.
A practical plan before you buy
Call your insurance agent or company first. Ask whether your policy separates out the hurricane premium, what discount they give for Roof, Silver and Gold, whether they accept the wind mitigation form and what documentation they need.
Talk to a FORTIFIED evaluator before work starts. IBHS lists certified professionals at fortifiedhome.org. Some requirements have to be documented before they're covered up.
Plan every opening, including entry, patio and garage doors, not just the front windows.
Keep a folder of product approvals, labels, invoices and photos.
We're window and door installers, not insurance agents or FORTIFIED evaluators. We can't promise any discount, so always confirm with your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Will impact windows alone lower my insurance?
They might, through an insurer's wind mitigation credit for opening protection. That depends on your insurer and the inspection. Windows alone don't earn a FORTIFIED designation. Ask your insurer before you buy.
Does the FORTIFIED discount apply to my whole premium?
No. LDI's benchmark discounts apply to the hurricane portion of the premium only.
Do storm shutters count for FORTIFIED Silver?
They can. IBHS accepts qualified opening protection systems that pass the large missile "D" impact tests, as well as impact-rated windows and doors.
When do the new discounts start?
LDI says insurers must put them in place no later than January 1, 2027, for new or renewed policies issued on or after that date.
Planning impact windows or doors?
If opening protection is part of your FORTIFIED or wind mitigation plans, we can look at every window and door in your home and talk through impact options. You'll get product documentation for what we install. Every install comes with a limited lifetime manufacturer's warranty plus our 5-year workmanship guarantee. Call 504-332-9770, email support@singletonwindows.com or request a free estimate. Financing through Wisetack is available. See our finance page for details.
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