Roof age questions usually start with a renewal letter. The insurer wants a new roof, or an inspection, or a higher premium, and the homeowner wants to know if that is even allowed. Florida law answers part of it. Each insurer's underwriting rules answer the rest.
| Roof age | What the statute says | What Citizens asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Younger than 15 | Age cannot be the only reason to refuse or nonrenew | Nothing about roof age |
| 15 or older | You get to inspect first, and five or more useful years left takes age off the table | Nothing about roof age until the limits below |
| Shingle past 25, or tile, slate, concrete, clay or metal past 50 | The same 15-year rule | A form crediting five or more useful years, or proof of a full replacement |
We install and inspect roofs. We are not insurance agents, adjusters or lawyers. This page explains the statute and the rules Citizens publishes. Your agent and your insurer's guidelines decide your policy.
What does section 627.7011 say about roof age?
The rule is subsection (5) of Florida Statutes section 627.7011. It came from SB 2-D, signed in May 2022. It covers homeowners policies written or renewed from July 1, 2022 on.
It works in two steps:
- Under 15 years. A roof younger than 15 cannot be the only reason an insurer declines to issue or renew your homeowners policy.
- 15 years and up. Before an insurer can make replacement a condition of coverage, it has to let you hire an authorized inspector, at your own cost. If that inspector finds five or more years of useful life, age by itself can no longer be the reason to refuse or nonrenew.
Notice the word "solely." The statute keeps every other lawful reason to decline. A 10-year-old roof with lifted shingles and a ceiling stain can still be turned down. The problem there is condition.
What changes when my roof turns 15?
Nothing happens on the birthday itself. At the next renewal, your insurer can ask for an inspection or a replacement.
If it asks for a replacement, you can get the inspection first. A report finding five or more useful years gives your insurer a document it has to weigh. A report finding less usually means a new roof or a new insurer.
Who is allowed to do the inspection?
Your insurer must approve the inspector, and the inspector must be one of these:
- A licensed home inspector
- A certified building code inspector
- A licensed general, building or residential contractor, or a roofing contractor
- A licensed professional engineer or architect
- Anyone else your insurer accepts as qualified
HB 1611 added roofing contractors to that list starting July 1, 2024, according to the Department of Financial Services summary of property insurance changes. Ask your agent which inspectors and which form your insurer takes before you book. A report it will not accept wastes your money.
How old is my roof, legally?
The statute starts the clock on the most recent date the entire roof surface was installed or replaced under the code in force then. If the roof was replaced in pieces over several years, the clock starts on the date the first piece began, once the pieces cover the whole roof.
So a patch, or one new slope, does not reset an old roof. The best proof is the permit for your last full reroof. Our Orlando and Orange County roof permits guide explains how to look one up.
What roof ages does Citizens accept?
Citizens Property Insurance is the state-created insurer of last resort, and it publishes its roof rules. Its March 31, 2023 roof rule bulletin sets two triggers. Shingle and other soft roofs need documentation after 25 years. Tile, slate, concrete, clay and metal roofs need it after 50.
Past those ages, Citizens takes a 4-Point Inspection Form or a Roof Inspection Form that credits the roof with five or more years of life. Five is the most Citizens will credit, no matter what the report says. On a roof replaced in stages, Citizens goes by the oldest section. When the report finds fewer than five years, Citizens wants proof of a full replacement first, such as a finalized permit or a roofing contract marked paid in full. Citizens explains its inspection requirements on its inspections page.
Private insurers write their own limits. Ask your agent what yours uses for your roof type.
Can my insurer pay less on an older roof?
The roof age law covers whether you can get or keep coverage. It does not set how a roof claim gets paid. Some policies settle older roofs on a schedule through an endorsement. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac let borrowers carry actual cash value coverage on the roof alone, with replacement cost still on the rest of the house.
Read your declarations page and each roof endorsement at every renewal. Our guide to roof payment schedules and actual cash value coverage shows what those terms mean when you file.
My insurer wants a new roof. What now?
- Get the reason in writing. Is it age, condition or both? What document would satisfy them?
- Check the permit date. Your last full reroof may be newer than the insurer's file says.
- Use an approved inspector. Book someone your insurer accepts, on the form it names.
- Call an independent agent. Another insurer may write the home as it is.
- Ask the state. Florida's Department of Financial Services takes consumer calls at 1-877-693-5236, Monday through Friday during business hours.
If the report says the roof has little life left, read how long a roof lasts in Florida and check the Orlando roof replacement cost page. A new roof also scores better on a wind mitigation inspection.
Want to know where your roof stands before the renewal letter comes? We will inspect it for free and look up its permit history. Book a free roof inspection.
