The 15-year roof rule in Florida prohibits insurers from denying coverage or nonrenewing policies solely because of the age of a property’s roof. According to Florida Statute 627.7011(5), if your roof is:
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Less than 15 years old, insurers can’t refuse to issue or renew your policy.
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More than 15 years old, then you have the right to hire and pay for an authorized inspector to evaluate your roof.
If the inspector determines your roof as at least 5 more years of viability, then you may be eligible for coverage.
Who is affected by the 15-year roof rule in Florida?
This new rule affects homeowners and insurance providers with homeowners policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.
The 15-year rule does not apply to mobile home insurance, nor does it apply to any homeowners policies that aren’t consistent with how the insurance industry defines home insurance. Moreover, Florida law does not limit an insurance company’s ability to reject or nonrenew a policy based on other underwriting criteria.
How to determine the age of your roof
There are two ways to determine your roof’s age for the 15-year rule in Florida. For the first, you use the last date 100% of your roof’s surface area was either built or replaced in agreement with the building codes in effect at that time.
The second lets you use the initial date of a partial roof replacement if subsequent repairs resulted in 100% of your roof’s surface area being built or replaced over time. This date is based on when the first portion of the repairs or replacement were completed.
An evolving environment for homeowners insurance in Florida
The 15-year roof rule is part of an evolving landscape for home insurance in Florida that also includes changes in litigation rules, regulations regarding roof deductibles, and more. Over time, these initiatives will hopefully give Florida homeowners some relief from rising home insurance costs.
