When Hurricane Sally struck coastal Alabama in 2020, many residents saw the roofs torn from their homes or damaged by the high winds.
But not Matt Fetner.
“Every house around had blue tarps on it, except for mine,” said the resident of Orange Beach, a small city on the Gulf Coast.
Just a few years before, Fetner had upgraded his roof with materials designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. The new roof met a standard known as Fortified by using specialized nails and shingles, stronger edges and a sealed roof deck.
Fetner’s roof was paid for by the state of Alabama, which has spent millions of dollars in recent years to help thousands of residents strengthen their homes. The state has invested that money in hopes of staving off a home insurance crisis, as property insurers have pulled out of some regions of the country or dramatically raised premiums in the wake of escalating disasters …