You’ve probably heard the sales pitch before: Upgrade to a stronger roof, and your insurance company might cut you a break. And if you’re already considering a roof replacement, that sounds like a pretty nice bonus.
The catch is that insurance discounts aren’t quite as simple as nabbing a shingle with a Class 4 rating and waiting for your premium to plummet.
South Carolina insurers may offer credits for roofing and other improvements that help a home stand up to high winds and storms, but what qualifies can depend on your carrier, your policy, and the way your roof was built.
Can an Impact-Resistant Roof Reduce Your Homeowners Insurance in South Carolina?
An impact-resistant roof can reduce your premiums in some cases, but the shingles themselves aren’t necessarily what earns you the discount. South Carolina insurers offer mitigation credits for certain features that make homes better able to withstand wind damage.
For a roof, that can include stronger roof deck attachment, a secondary water barrier, high wind-rated roof coverings, and stronger roof-to-wall connections.
That’s where the term “impact-resistant roof” can get a little confusing. A Class 4 shingle rating tells you how well that particular roofing product performed during impact testing. It doesn’t tell you that the entire roof meets South Carolina’s requirements for a wind mitigation credit.
Ultimately, your insurance company gets the final say on what improvements qualify under your policy and how much they’re worth.
If insurance savings are part of the reason you’re considering upgrading your roof, it’s a good idea to ask your carrier about what they recognize before settling on a roofing system.
How FORTIFIED Roof Certification Can Affect Insurance Savings
A FORTIFIED Roof gives your insurance company something an ordinary roof replacement may not: independent verification that specific storm-resistant construction standards were followed.
Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the FORTIFIED Roof standard includes details such as:
- Stronger roof deck attachment
- A sealed roof deck
- Reinforced roof edges
- Roofing materials and installation methods that meet FORTIFIED requirements
The finished roof also has to be inspected and documented by a certified FORTIFIED evaluator before it can receive a designation. That’s an important designation when you’re looking for insurance savings.
South Carolina recognizes FORTIFIED construction as a wind-mitigation measure, and qualifying homeowners may be eligible for credits or discounts through their insurance carrier.
The actual savings still depend on the company and policy, so be sure to ask your insurer what that designation would mean for your premium.
How Much Can an Impact-Resistant Roof Reduce Your Homeowners’ Insurance Premiums?
This is probably the number you came here for, but there isn’t one consistent discount that applies across South Carolina. How much you could save depends on your insurance company, your policy, where your home is, and what improvements are included in your roof.
So, while it would be nice if we could give you a specific number, that’s something you’ll have to get from your insurer. Ask what your current annual premium would look like with the proposed roof upgrades, and find out which documents they’ll need once the work is complete.
If you’re deciding whether a more storm-resistant roof is worth the added upfront cost, having that number on hand makes the comparison much easier.
Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company Before Replacing Your Roof
You don’t need to become an insurance expert before picking out shingles. A short call to your carrier can clear up most of the hard-hitting questions. Just be sure to ask:
- Which roof improvements qualify for discounts under my policy?
- Do you offer a discount for a FORTIFIED Roof designation?
- Does installing Class 4 impact-resistant shingles affect my premium?
- What documentation or inspections will you need?
- How much would the qualifying upgrades change my annual premium?
If your agent gives you specific requirements, hang onto those. You can share those details with your roofer before work begins. That way, you’ll both be on the same page and won’t find out after the new roof is installed that a particular feature or piece of documentation was necessary.
SC Safe Home Grants Can Help Cover the Upfront Cost
Insurance savings are nice once the new roof is on your house. Paying for that roof in the first place is usually the less-fun part of the equation.
The SC Safe Home Program can help eligible South Carolina homeowners cover some of the cost of improvements that make their homes more resistant to hurricanes and high winds.
Its Resilient Mitigation Award is specifically geared toward projects that meet both SC Safe Home and IBHS FORTIFIED Roof requirements.
Eligible homeowners might qualify for:
- Up to $7,500 through a non-matching Resilient Mitigation Award
- Up to $6,000 through a matching Resilient Mitigation Award
Funding and eligibility requirements apply, so this isn’t money you can automatically knock off the price of a new roof. Homeowners need to go through the program’s application and approval process, and the work has to meet its requirements.
Unfortunately, the program only accepts applications during certain funding periods. So, be sure to check for the latest availability before making plans around a grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roofing upgrades, insurance discounts, grants, tax credits…there are quite a few rules hiding behind what sounds like a simple way to save some money. Here are answers to a few questions we get pretty frequently from homeowners.
Are there any South Carolina tax credits for upgrading my roof?
Yep, there sure are.
South Carolina also offers tax credits through its Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Reform Act, separate from the SC Safe Home grant program. It can offer up to 25% of retrofit costs, up to $1,000, plus a separate credit of up to $1,500 for state sales and use taxes paid on qualifying fortification materials.
Do all South Carolina insurance companies offer discounts for impact-resistant roofs?
Not necessarily. Insurance discounts depend on your carrier, policy, and the specific improvements made to your home.
South Carolina recognizes certain wind-mitigation measures, but a Class 4 impact-resistant shingle on its own doesn’t automatically qualify you for a discount. Ask your insurer which roofing features it recognizes and how they could affect your premium.
How do I prove my new roof qualities for an insurance discount?
Your insurer may ask for documentation showing exactly what was installed and how the work was completed. This could include invoices, product information, inspection records, photos, or documentation of a FORTIFIED Roof designation.
Ask what your carrier requires before work begins so you know what you need to hang on to.
Does a FORTIFIED Roof lower homeowners insurance in South Carolina?
A FORTIFIED Roof may qualify you for insurance savings in South Carolina, but the amount varies by insurer and policy.
A FORTIFIED designation provides third-party verification that your roof meets specific storm-resistance standards, which can help document qualifying mitigation improvements for your carrier.
Can I get an SC Safe Home grant and an insurance discount?
Possibly. SC Safe Home grants can help pay for qualifying wind-mitigation improvements, and they’re separate from insurance discounts, so it’s possible to get both.
But getting grant assistance doesn’t automatically guarantee a lower premium, so you’ll still need to check with your insurer about available credits.
Does a FORTIFIED Roof cost more than a standard roof?
Yes, FORTIFIED Roofs usually cost more than standard roof replacements. That’s because they require additional materials, installation steps, and third-party evaluation.
Exactly how big that difference in cost will be depends on your existing roof and what upgrades you’ll need to meet the FORTIFIED standard.
Should I call my insurance company before replacing my roof?
Yes, especially if insurance savings are influencing which roof you choose. Ask which mitigation improvements qualify, what documentation you’ll need, and how much each qualifying upgrade could change your premium.
See What a Stronger Roof Could Do For Your Home
A roof replacement is a big enough investment without wondering if you missed an opportunity to make your home better prepared for the next South Carolina storm.
If you’re interested in an impact-resistant shingle, a FORTIFIED Roof, or SC Safe Home funding, we can help you sort through the roofing side of those decisions.
We’ll start by looking at your current roof and what you want out of the replacement. If stronger storm protection is high on your list, we can explain which upgrades make sense for your home and what they would add to the project.
You can then check those details with your insurance carrier to see if any savings apply to your policy.
Contact Willow Ash Roofing today to schedule your roof inspection and get an estimate.
Sources & References
- GAF – “What Are Class 4 Shingles?”
Explains Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, how roofing materials earn a Class 4 rating, and what the designation means for homeowners considering impact-resistant roofing.
https://www.gaf.com/en-us/roofing-materials/residential-roofing-materials/shingles/class-4-shingles - Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) – “FORTIFIED Roof”
Outlines the FORTIFIED Roof standard, including the construction practices and verification process designed to strengthen roofs against severe weather.
https://fortifiedhome.org/roof/ - South Carolina Department of Insurance – “SC Safe Home”
Provides information about South Carolina’s Safe Home mitigation grant program, including eligibility, qualifying improvements, grant options, and requirements for resilient mitigation projects.
https://doi.sc.gov/605/SC-Safe-Home - South Carolina Department of Insurance – “State Income Tax Credit for Fortification Measures”
Explains South Carolina tax credits available for qualifying residential fortification projects, including eligible retrofit expenses and credits for sales and use taxes paid on qualifying materials.
https://www.doi.sc.gov/593/State-Income-Tax-Credit-for-Fortificatio
