Roof Age and Home Insurance in Florida: The 15-Year Rule Explained

Under Florida law, a homeowners insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because of the age of a roof that is less than 15 years old. For a roof that is 15 years old or older, the insurer must let you have the roof inspected, at your expense, before it requires a replacement, and it may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age if the inspection shows the roof has 5 years or more of useful life remaining (s. 627.7011(5), Fla. Stat.). The rule covers policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022, and it does not stop an insurer from declining a home for other lawful underwriting reasons.

Last updated November 4, 2026. Facts checked November 2, 2026 against the sources at the end of this page.

At a glance

Every row above comes from s. 627.7011, Fla. Stat.

What the rule does not do

It is a protection against an age-only decision, not a promise that every roof will be accepted.

• It is not a rule that a roof must be under 15 years old. The law forbids a refusal based solely on age in the cases above. Insurers can still decide on other grounds, including the roof's condition, materials, permit history or the home's other features.
• It is not a rule for every kind of policy. Condo, renters, landlord and other non-homeowners' policies and mobile home policies are outside it.
• Insurers have their own practices. The state's consumer guidance says an insurer may ask for an inspection of the roof's life expectancy, and that the applicant pays for it (Florida CFO, homeowners insurance overview). A 4-point report also covers the roof (see our guide to the 4-point inspection).

How a roof's age is counted

The statute counts from the last date on which 100 percent of the roof's surface area was built or replaced in line with the building code then in effect. If the roof was replaced in stages, it counts from the date the first stage began, once later stages bring the total to 100 percent (s. 627.7011(5)(d), Fla. Stat.).

Worked examples

These are made-up roofs to show the counting. Today's date for the examples is November 2026.

The statute counts a staged replacement from the date of the first stage once the later stages bring the total to 100 percent. A roofer's invoice, the permit and photos help show the dates, so keep them. Your agent can check how a company reads your roof's paperwork.

What the inspection route looks like

1. The insurer says the roof is the issue. Ask for the reason in writing.
2. You choose an authorized inspector from the list above and pay for the inspection. The insurer must allow it before requiring replacement.
3. If the report indicates 5 years or more of useful life, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of the roof's age.

The inspector must be one the insurer approves, so ask the insurer which inspectors it accepts before you book. Since 2024, licensed roofing contractors are on the statute's list of authorized inspectors for homeowners' policies (chapter 2024-182, Laws of Florida).

Replacement cost and actual cash value on a roof

Insurers must offer replacement cost coverage for the dwelling before issuing a homeowner's policy, and the policyholder chooses (s. 627.7011(1), Fla. Stat.). The state's consumer guidance explains the difference: actual cash value (ACV) pays an item's value at the time of loss with depreciation deducted, while replacement cost is the cost to replace it (Florida CFO). Three points matter for roofs:

• On a replacement cost policy, payment comes in steps. For a dwelling, the insurer must initially pay at least the actual cash value of the loss, less the deductible, and then pay the remaining amount as repair work is performed and expenses are incurred. If the dwelling is a total loss, the insurer must pay replacement cost without holding back depreciation (s. 627.7011(3)(a)).
• A separate roof deductible is allowed, with limits. A policy may include one if the premium reflects a credit for it. It may not exceed the lesser of 2 percent of the Coverage A limit or 50 percent of the cost to replace the roof, it applies only to claims adjusted on a replacement cost basis, and it does not apply to a hurricane roof loss, a total loss, a roof loss from a tree fall that punctures the roof deck, or a loss that needs repair of less than 50 percent of the roof (s. 627.701(10)).
• If a roof deductible applies, the roof can be paid at ACV first. The insurer may limit the roof payment to its actual cash value until it receives reasonable proof that you paid the roof deductible, such as a canceled check or a credit card statement (s. 627.7011(3)(a)).

Beyond the statute, policies can differ on how roofs are paid. The coverage worksheet that comes with a takeout offer from Citizens includes rows asking, for example, whether the company settles roof losses at actual cash value because of the roof's age or type (example Citizens worksheet). Ask your agent to read the roof section of any policy you are comparing.

Worked example: a roof claim on a replacement cost policy

Made-up numbers. A storm that is not a hurricane tears off part of a roof and the covered loss to the roof is $12,000 at replacement cost, with depreciation of $4,000, so the actual cash value is $8,000. The policy has a $1,000 all-other-perils deductible and no separate roof deductible. The insurer must initially pay at least $8,000 less the $1,000 deductible, which is $7,000, and then pays the remaining amount needed for the repairs as the work is done and the costs are incurred, up to what the policy covers. The final check depends on the policy's terms and the repair costs, which is why the policy itself controls.

What changed in 2022 and 2024

• May 2022. Chapter 2022-268 (CS/SB 2-D, approved May 26, 2022) amended s. 627.7011 to add the roof-age protections and the authorized-inspector definition, and amended s. 627.701 to allow separate roof deductibles (chapter 2022-268, Laws of Florida).
• December 2022. Chapter 2022-271 (SB 2-A, approved December 16, 2022) is a different property-insurance law. It touched s. 627.7011 only to revise the flood-insurance disclosure that goes on a homeowner's declarations page (chapter 2022-271).
• May 2024. Chapter 2024-182 (CS/CS/HB 1611, approved May 10, 2024) added licensed roofing contractors to the authorized-inspector list for homeowners' policies (chapter 2024-182).

Roof age questions

Talk to an agent

Your agent can check your policy, look at the roof year and permit you have on file, and compare how several insurers treat an older roof.

More Florida homeowner guides

• All Florida insurance guides
• 4-point inspection
• Wind mitigation inspection
• Hurricane deductibles
• Home insurance non-renewal in Florida
• Water damage and home insurance
• Buying a home in Florida: insurance checklist
• Homeowners insurance in Florida

Local pages that cover roof paperwork and older homes: Weston, Hialeah, Kendall, Pembroke Pines and all areas we serve.

Sources