Florida law bars insurers from refusing to issue or renew a homeowner’s policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old. Once a roof reaches 15, the owner can have it inspected before the insurer requires replacement, and a roof with at least five years of useful life left cannot be refused or non-renewed on age alone.
The rule sits in Florida Statute 627.7011. The inspection is done at the homeowner’s expense, and the inspector must be one the insurer approves. The statute lists licensed home inspectors, certified building code inspectors, licensed contractors including roofing contractors, licensed engineers and licensed architects among those who can qualify. The inspection needs to indicate five or more years of useful life remaining.
A roof’s age is counted from the last date the entire roof was built or replaced. If a roof was replaced in stages, the clock starts at the first stage once the stages together cover the whole roof. Two bills filed for the 2026 session would have widened these protections, including a separate standard for low-slope roofs. Both died in committee on March 13, so the existing rule stands.
How are Florida insurers treating older roofs?
One Palm Beach County insurance agency owner says many Florida carriers now treat 15 years as the working limit for asphalt shingle roofs. He ties the scrutiny to claims data showing problems become more common as shingle roofs age, helped along by Florida’s sun, rain and storms. Tile roofs are typically accepted for about 25 to 30 years and metal roofs for around 40.
Practice varies by carrier. Some will insure an older roof if an inspection finds it in good condition with enough useful life left. Others may require a new roof or a satisfactory inspection before renewal, and some still accept an older, well-maintained roof. A new roof can open up more coverage options and may qualify for wind mitigation discounts, depending on the home.
The cost of getting it wrong is real. One West Palm Beach homeowner, whose roof went on around 2006 with shingles sold as lifetime shingles, is replacing it after his insurer said it was too old, and he is paying with retirement savings even though he believes it could last five to ten more years.
How does roof maintenance help at the 15-year mark?
An inspection is a judgment on condition and remaining life, so a roof’s upkeep counts. Keeping surfaces free of lifted, cracked or missing shingles, flashing intact, and gutters and valleys cleared of debris stops small defects from turning into inspection findings.
Records help too. Dated photos, repair invoices and past inspection reports give an owner something to hand an inspector or an agent. They also show when partial repairs or replacements were done, which matters because the statute counts roof age from those dates.
For a roof approaching 15 years, the practical order is to confirm when it was installed or last replaced, ask the carrier whether an inspection will be required before renewal, and fix visible defects first.
East West Maintenance coordinates inspections, securing, lawn care, and winterization for property managers and asset holders with vacant homes across Florida and the Carolinas.