Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program to Hold Second Pilot Launch

The Oklahoma Insurance Department is preparing for a second pilot launch of the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program, which provides up to $10,000 to residents to upgrade their homes to the IBHS Fortified standard.

Applicants who are eligible and live in one of nine zip codes can apply online when the application portal opens at noon on Monday, May 5.

The OID said the zip codes were selected using several criteria, including storm data, paid loss ratios and the number of active policies in the selected zip codes. The OID reviewed all zip codes in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) based on contractor and evaluator availability.

The ODI said the final selection looked at the top zip codes that had factors including paid loss ratios, more than 500 policies in force, average claim frequency, strong wind and hail loss index scores as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Related: More SE States Pushing Funding, Discounts for Stronger Roofs as Storms Increase

The goal of each pilot period is to make sure staff can process full applications, address any technology issues and confirm that external partners can handle the grant demand in a new market. The OID will launch several additional pilots through 2025 with the goal of providing a thousand grants by year-end.

Selected zip codes for the May 5, 2025, pilot launch include:

Oklahoma lawmakers last year passed the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act to establish a grant program that helps residents retrofit their roofs with impact-resistant materials that meet the Fortified standard established by the IBHS. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready has said that insurance companies could offer discounts of up to 42% on the wind portion of a homeowner’s insurance premium for homes with a Fortified designation.

The Oklahoma program is modeled after programs in Alabama and Louisiana.

Source: OID

Topics Oklahoma