• The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety looked at residential building codes and how well they are enforced in the coastal states from Texas east and north to Maine.
• States were rated on code adoption and enforcement, certification and training for code-enforcement officials, and contractor licensing.
• An important factor was whether the state has adopted the 2009 International Residential Code and whether it has amendments. For Mississippi, the Institute said, "Seven counties in Mississippi are required to enforce the wind and flood requirements of the 2003 International Residential Code. Otherwise, here is no statewide code, no mandatory enforcement, no programs or requirements for inspectors, and very few licensing requirements."

From the report:

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) conducted an analysis, evaluation, and comparison of regulations and processes governing residential building construction in the 18 states most vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico. ...