Florida Roof Age and Home Insurance: The 15-Year Rule in 2026

Ask a Florida agent what trips up renewals most often and you'll probably hear one word: roof. Rates are falling for a lot of homeowners this fall, but roof age still decides whether many policies get written or renewed, and how much a roof claim pays. Here's what the rules actually say in 2026 and what to check before your next renewal.

What Florida law says

The roof-age rule is in Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes, and the state's Insurance Consumer Advocate sums it up this way:

• An insurer can't refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old.
• If the roof is 15 years or older, the insurer must let you get an inspection by an authorized inspector, at your own expense, before it requires a replacement as a condition of coverage.
• If that inspection shows 5 years or more of useful life remaining, the insurer can't refuse or nonrenew solely because of the roof's age.

The statute lists who counts as an authorized inspector, as long as the insurer approves them: licensed home inspectors, certified building code inspectors, licensed general, building or residential contractors, roofing contractors, engineers and architects. Roof age is measured from the last time 100% of the roof was built or replaced to code. The rule applies to homeowners policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.

Note the word "solely." An insurer can still act on a roof's condition, like active leaks or damage, and the law doesn't stop an insurer from pricing an older roof differently.

No new roof law this year

You may have seen claims that a 2026 bill created new roof rights. It didn't. HB 815, its Senate companion SB 808, and SB 128 (which proposed reimbursing some inspection costs) all died in committee on March 13, 2026, according to a roofing contractor's review of the bills. The Senate's analysis of SB 808 shows what was proposed, including new rules for low-slope roofs. Section 627.7011 as written above is still the law.

Citizens has its own roof limits

If you're applying to Citizens, its eligibility rules are separate. Citizens says it requires proof of a full roof replacement for shingle and similar roofs more than 25 years old, and for tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roofs more than 50 years old, with some exceptions if you document at least five years of remaining useful life.

Citizens' inspections page also says it requires a four-point inspection (roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC) for applications on properties more than 20 years old, and that serious hazards like active leaks should be fixed before you apply. Citizens says four-point inspections apply to new business, not renewals, unless underwriting decides one is needed.

Your insurer's roof age might be wrong

A Live Insurance News report this month cited research from analytics firm ZestyAI finding that 67% of homeowner-reported roof ages differ from verified ages by at least three years, and in 43% of cases the roof is older than what's on file. The same report notes that insurers don't automatically update roof age when you replace a roof; you have to tell them.

It also flags a quieter issue: some policies pay for older roofs at actual cash value (replacement cost minus depreciation) instead of full replacement cost, often through a roof payment schedule endorsement. That can make a big difference at claim time.

A new roof doesn't always mean a lower bill

A new roof can lower your risk and unlock discounts, but your premium can still go up. WFLX reported on a Delray Beach homeowner whose renewal rose about $300 a year after she replaced her roof through My Safe Florida Home. Her insurer, Universal, told the station her old roof had been insured at only 25% of its value because of its age, and the new roof came with fuller coverage. If you're getting a roof through the state grant program, our My Safe Florida Home guide covers the wind mitigation side.

What to check now

• Find the roof age on file. Check your declarations page or ask your agent. If it's wrong, correct it in writing.
• Pull your permit history. Your county building department's permit search can show when the roof was last fully replaced.
• Book an inspection early if you're near 15 years. Don't wait for a nonrenewal notice. Ask your insurer which inspectors it accepts first.
• Ask how your roof is covered. Get your agent to confirm in writing whether it's replacement cost or actual cash value.
• Report a new roof right away, along with a fresh wind mitigation inspection, so any credits are applied.
• If you get a nonrenewal, our guide to nonrenewal notice rights explains the timelines.

This post is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Confirm your situation with your agent, your insurer, Citizens, or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

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Not insurance, legal or financial advice. Confirm details with your insurer, a licensed agent or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.