In Florida, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew your homeowners policy solely because your roof is less than 15 years old. Once a roof reaches 15 years, the insurer must let you get an inspection, at your expense, from an authorized inspector. If that inspection shows at least five years of remaining useful life, the insurer cannot refuse coverage based on roof age alone. The rule is in s. 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes, and roof age is measured from the last time 100 percent of the roof was replaced.
This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Read your own policy and letters, and ask your agent or an attorney about your situation.
What Florida's 15-Year Roof Rule Actually Says
The Legislature passed this protection in SB 2-D during the May 2022 special session, and it applies to policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022. The statute has been amended since, so check the current text if you are relying on a specific detail.
| Roof age | What the insurer cannot do | What still matters |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 years | Refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age | Visible damage, wear or other underwriting reasons |
| 15 years or older | Refuse solely on age if an authorized inspection shows 5+ years of useful life left | The inspection result and the roof's actual condition |
Two words do a lot of work here. Solely means an insurer can still act on condition: missing shingles, active leaks or a sagging deck are fair game at any age. 100 percent means repairs do not reset the clock. Patching a slope after a storm or replacing half the roof leaves the roof's age where it was. Only a full replacement starts it over.
Reading a Non-Renewal Letter
Florida law requires insurers to give advance written notice before they non-renew a homeowners policy, and the notice generally must give the reason. Read it closely before you call anyone.
- Find the stated reason. Is it roof age, roof condition, or something unrelated to the roof?
- Note the effective date and any deadline to submit documents.
- If the reason is age and the roof is 15 or older, ask the insurer or your agent whether a passing roof inspection would change the decision, and which form they accept.
- If the reason is condition, ask exactly what they observed. A specific repair may resolve it.
- Start shopping for other coverage early either way. Waiting until the last week leaves few choices.
Roofs put on during the rebuild after Ivan and Dennis are now past 20 years, which puts many Santa Rosa County homes squarely in this situation. Our post on whether your Santa Rosa County roof is due after Ivan and Dennis covers how to confirm when yours went on.
Roof Certification Forms and Who Can Sign Them
Insurers that want proof of remaining life usually send their own form, often called a roof certification or roof condition form. It typically asks for the roof covering type, its approximate age, estimated remaining useful life, and any visible damage or leaks, with photos. Each form lists who may sign it, and that list varies by company. Many accept a licensed roofing contractor; some also accept licensed home inspectors or other professionals.
A roof inspection for this purpose has to be honest to be worth anything. The roofer reports what the roof shows, including problems, and cannot promise a particular number of years before going up. The homeowner pays for the inspection. Every roofer we send is licensed and insured in Florida, and you can check any contractor's license with the DBPR license search.
Wind Mitigation Inspections and Premium Discounts
A wind mitigation inspection is a different document with a different goal. It is recorded on form OIR-B1-1802 and can earn premium discounts for features that help a house resist hurricane winds:
- Roof-deck attachment (how the plywood or OSB is nailed down)
- Roof-to-wall connections (clips, straps or toe-nails)
- Secondary water resistance (a sealed roof deck under the covering)
- Roof shape (hip roofs score better than gables)
The form must be signed by someone the form authorizes: licensed home inspectors with the required training, building code inspectors, general, building or residential contractors, engineers and architects. A roofing contractor's roof inspection is not a substitute. A 4-point inspection, which covers the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC and is often requested on older homes, is another separate form. After a reroof that re-nails the deck and adds a secondary water barrier, an updated wind mitigation report may document features the old one could not.
Policy Fine Print That Matters for Older Roofs
The 15-year rule decides whether you can keep a policy. The fine print decides what that policy pays if the roof is damaged. Three things are worth reading for, especially on a roof past 15 years:
- A separate roof deductible. The 2022 reforms allowed insurers to offer policies with a separate deductible for roof claims, usually in exchange for a lower premium. Know whether yours has one and how large it is before a storm, not after.
- Actual cash value on the roof. Some policies pay for roof damage at actual cash value, meaning the depreciated value of an old roof, rather than the cost of replacing it. On a 20-year-old roof, that difference can be most of the bill.
- Insurer-specific roof rules. Citizens Property Insurance and private carriers set their own underwriting rules on roof age and condition, which can differ by roofing material. Your agent can tell you which apply to you.
From the roofing side, the practical lesson is the same every time: keep records. The permit, final inspection and invoice from the last full replacement, plus photos of the roof in good condition, settle most arguments about age and pre-existing wear.
Claim Deadlines When Storm Damage Is Involved
If a storm damaged your roof, Florida's notice deadlines are short. Under s. 627.70132, Florida Statutes, as changed by SB 2-A in December 2022, a new or reopened property claim must be reported to your insurer within one year of the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. Check your policy for its own terms.
Know what a roofer can and cannot do here. A roofer can document roof conditions with photos and write a repair or replacement estimate. A roofer cannot interpret your policy's coverage or negotiate your claim; in Florida that takes a public adjuster license. You deal with your insurer directly. Our storm damage roof repair page explains the repair side.
When a New Roof Is the Simpler Answer
If an honest inspection finds less than five years of useful life, the roof will not pass the insurer's test, and repairs will not change its age. That is when roof replacement becomes the practical path. A new roof starts the age clock over, and keeping the permit, the final inspection record and the contractor's invoice gives you clean proof of the replacement date for every future renewal.
In Gulf Breeze, homes sit close to Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, and insurers tend to look hard at roof covering and wind features there. Inside Gulf Breeze city limits, check with the City of Gulf Breeze about permits before work begins. Call (773) 207-0769 to have a roofer inspect your roof and put any repair or replacement price in writing.
The Bottom Line
Under Florida law, roof age alone cannot cost you your policy before 15 years, and after 15 years an honest inspection showing five or more years of life keeps age off the table. Know your roof's real replacement date, read every letter for the stated reason and the deadline, and get an inspection early enough to fix or replace before the renewal date.
If you need that inspection, call (773) 207-0769. The roofer we send documents the roof with photos and tells you plainly whether it has the life your insurer is asking about.
Frequently asked questions
Does a roof repair reset my roof's age for insurance?
No. Under s. 627.7011(5), roof age runs from the last time 100 percent of the roof was replaced. Repairs, patches and partial replacements keep the original age. A well-documented repair can still help, because it may resolve a condition problem the insurer flagged, but it will not make a 17-year-old roof count as new.
Who pays for the roof inspection my insurer wants?
The homeowner does. For roofs 15 years and older, the statute requires the insurer to allow an inspection by an authorized inspector at the homeowner's expense. Ask your insurer which form to use and who may sign it before you schedule, so the inspection you pay for is one they will accept.
Is a wind mitigation inspection the same as a 4-point inspection?
No. A wind mitigation inspection on form OIR-B1-1802 documents hurricane-resistance features such as roof-deck attachment and roof-to-wall connections, and it can lower premiums. A 4-point inspection checks the condition of the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and insurers often require it on older homes. They use different forms and serve different purposes.
Can my insurer drop me just because my roof is 15 years old?
Not on age alone, if you act. Once a roof turns 15, the insurer must let you get an inspection at your own expense, and if it shows at least five years of remaining useful life, roof age by itself cannot be the reason for refusing to renew. The insurer can still act on the roof's actual condition or on other underwriting reasons.
Does Citizens insure homes with older roofs?
Citizens Property Insurance has its own roof eligibility rules, and they depend on the roofing material and the roof's condition, often shown through an inspection. The rules change from time to time, so ask a Citizens agent for the current requirements before assuming an older roof will or will not qualify, and have the roof inspected early.
Every roofer we send is licensed and insured in Florida. Zana Roofers connects you with independent licensed roofing contractors who perform the work.
