Florida Roof Age Requirements for Insurance

What the 15-year law actually covers

The statute sets three rules for homeowners policies:

• Under 15 years: the insurer can't refuse to write or renew solely because of roof age.
• 15 years or older: before requiring replacement as a condition of coverage, the insurer must allow an inspection by an authorized inspector, at the homeowner's expense.
• Inspection shows 5+ years of useful life: the insurer can't refuse to issue or renew solely because of the roof's age.

The 5-year finding has to come from an authorized inspector, so ask the insurance agent which inspectors and report formats the carrier accepts before you pay for one. Read the word "solely" carefully. An insurer can still decline a roof under 15 years old for condition: missing shingles, leaks, damage, poor prior repairs. It can still price older roofs higher, apply a different deductible, or offer roof coverage on an actual cash value basis instead of replacement cost. The law limits refusals based on age alone. It does not set premiums, and it doesn't make every roof insurable.

How insurers look at a roof in practice

Underwriting guidelines vary by company and change often, but the same questions come up on nearly every Florida policy:

• Age: based on the permit date for the last full replacement, not the seller's memory. Insurers and inspectors check county or city permit records.
• Covering type: asphalt shingles generally have shorter expected lives than tile or metal, so the same age reads differently on different roofs.
• Condition: from the 4-point inspection on older homes or a separate roof certification.
• Wind features: from the wind mitigation report, including roof covering, deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections, secondary water resistance and roof shape. A hip roof generally rates better than a gable roof.
• Partial replacement: roofs replaced in sections, or with a newer section over part of the house, often cause questions. Get the permit for each section.

When a carrier won't write a home, Citizens Property Insurance is the state-backed insurer of last resort. It also has roof standards, and a Citizens policy for a home with an old roof isn't guaranteed.

Roof age and a purchase: who handles what

The buyer needs insurance to close with a loan, so roof age is the buyer's risk to price during the inspection period. I treat it as the first thing to pin down on any house more than about a decade old:

• Before the offer: look up the roof permit on the city or county permit portal. The listing's "new roof" can mean anything. A permit with no final inspection is a separate problem, since an open permit can hold up closing or insurance.
• First days under contract: order the home inspection, the 4-point if the home is older, the wind mitigation report and, if there's any doubt, a roof certification from a licensed roofer.
• Same week: send those reports to an insurance agent and get actual quotes or a written decline.
• Before the inspection period ends: negotiate a price reduction, a credit or a full replacement by the seller with a permit finalized before closing.

Cash buyers face the same problem later. You can close without insurance, but getting coverage afterward on an old roof is harder and the seller is no longer around to help pay.

The partial replacement rule and storm damage

Many buyers have heard that Florida requires a full roof replacement when more than 25% is damaged. That rule was narrowed in 2022: if the existing roof was built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the damaged portion needs to meet current code when repaired. Older roofs can still trigger full replacement under the 25% rule.

That matters when you buy a home with a roof installed before the 2007 code took effect. A storm that damages part of the roof can lead to a much larger job, and the insurer's payout depends on your coverage type. Check the declarations page for whether the roof is covered at replacement cost or actual cash value, and for the hurricane deductible, which in Florida is a percentage of dwelling coverage (2%, 5% or 10%) applied once per calendar year.

Florida also tightened claim deadlines in recent years. Report storm damage to the insurer promptly and keep photos of the roof's condition from the time you buy.

Replacing the roof: before or after closing

There are three ways a roof issue usually gets resolved:

• Seller replaces before closing. Cleanest for insurance, since you close with a new permitted roof. Get the permit number, the contractor's license, the product approval and the final inspection, and make sure the work is finaled before your closing date.
• Seller credit or price reduction. You replace it yourself after closing. This only works if you can bind insurance at closing with the old roof, sometimes at a higher premium or with ACV roof coverage.
• Walk away. If no carrier will write the house and the seller won't move, your inspection period protects your deposit.

A new roof also changes the wind mitigation report. Modern installs often score better on deck attachment and secondary water resistance, which can reduce premiums on top of the age benefit. Ask for an updated wind mitigation inspection after replacement.

Condos and townhouses

Condo unit owners typically buy an HO-6 policy, and the association insures the roof and structure under the master policy. Roof age still matters to you. An old roof on the building can mean a special assessment for replacement, higher master policy premiums passed through in HOA fees, and questions in the reserve study. For buildings three stories or more, look at the Structural Integrity Reserve Study, which must include the roof.

Townhouses and villas vary. Some associations insure the roofs, some leave them to owners. Read the declaration to see who owns and insures the roof before you assume either way.

This isn't legal or insurance advice; the policy and the insurer's guidelines control. If you want a shortlist filtered for newer roofs from permit records, tell me your price range and area.