By Mike McGilvary, Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, CCC1331721
Florida property-insurance headlines are finally beginning to include a phrase homeowners have waited years to see: rate decrease.
Edison Insurance Company announced on July 30, 2026, that it had filed for a statewide average rate decrease of 9.8% for many of its Florida home and condominium-unit owner policyholders. Edison said the decreases began affecting policies renewing July 15, 2026, and would continue to appear on subsequent renewals.
That is meaningful news.
But it does not mean every Edison policy will decrease by exactly 9.8%. It does not mean every Florida carrier is reducing every policy. And it does not mean that an older, damaged or poorly documented roof will suddenly become irrelevant to insurance underwriting.
In fact, Edison’s own announcement specifically identifies roof age, construction and wind-mitigation features among the factors that can affect an individual policyholder’s premium. Other variables include location, claims history, replacement-cost updates, coverage selections, deductibles and applicable discounts.
For Florida homeowners, the correct takeaway is therefore not:
“Insurance rates are coming down, so my roof no longer matters.”
It is:
“Florida’s insurance market may be becoming more competitive, but my actual premium and coverage options will still depend on the facts of my property—including the documented condition of my roof.”
Key takeaways for Florida homeowners
- Edison’s 9.8% figure is a statewide average, not a guaranteed reduction for every customer.
- A lower filed rate does not necessarily equal the same percentage reduction on the final renewal bill.
- Roof age, roof condition, wind mitigation, replacement cost, location, deductibles and coverage choices can still influence the result.
- Florida law provides an inspection pathway when roof age is being used as the reason for requiring replacement.
- For qualifying homeowners policies, a roof inspection documenting at least five years of useful life can prevent the insurer from refusing to issue or renew solely because of roof age.
- The inspector must be approved by the insurer and meet the statute’s professional requirements.
- A Five-Year Roof Certification does not guarantee coverage, renewal or a premium decrease.
- A Roof Condition or Remaining Useful Life report is different from a Four-Point Inspection and a Wind Mitigation Inspection.
- SB 808 and HB 815 did not become law in 2026. Florida’s existing roof-age statute remains in effect without the proposed expansion.
- Repairing a roof can improve its condition, but a partial repair does not normally reset the roof’s statutory age.
What did Edison Insurance Company announce?
Edison announced that it had filed for an average statewide rate reduction of 9.8% and expected the majority of its Florida home and condominium-unit owner policyholders to receive meaningful savings. The filing was first reported in the trade press in early August 2026.
The insurer said the new rates began affecting policies renewing July 15, 2026, and later. Edison also cautioned that individual premium changes would vary according to the characteristics of each policy and property.
That distinction matters.
A statewide average rate decrease describes the average effect of a carrier’s rating change across a larger group of policies. It does not promise that every homeowner’s final invoice will be reduced by the same percentage.
One customer may receive a decrease larger than 9.8%. Another may receive a smaller decrease. Another may see little change—or potentially an increase—if other components of the policy change at renewal.
For example, even when the underlying rate decreases, the final premium can still be affected by:
- An increase in the dwelling’s insured replacement cost
- Changes to deductibles
- Changes to selected limits or endorsements
- A prior claim
- A change in wind-mitigation credits
- A different roof-age classification
- Changes in the home’s underwriting information
- Location-specific rating considerations
The practical lesson is simple: read the entire renewal package, not just the percentage in the headline.
Compare the prior and renewal declarations pages. Review the Coverage A replacement-cost amount, deductibles, endorsements, credits and any notices requesting inspections, repairs or updated documentation. A licensed insurance agent should explain how the final premium was calculated and whether other options are available.
Are Florida home insurance rates actually going down in 2026?
There is now credible evidence of a broader downward rate trend, although the results are not uniform across every carrier, policy type, property or county.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation announced an average 8.8% decrease for homeowners multiperil policies and an average 5.5% decrease for homeowners wind-only policies for 2026. Those rates took effect July 1, 2026, for new policies and apply to existing policies as they renew.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported in May 2026 that:
- Twenty new property and casualty insurers had entered Florida’s market since the referenced legislative reforms.
- More than 190 residential filing requests had been made for rate decreases or zero-percent increases.
- The 180-day average homeowners rate request was negative 2.9%, compared with positive 0.7% one year earlier and positive 6.6% three years earlier.
Those figures point toward a more competitive and financially stable market than Florida experienced during the worst years of the recent insurance crisis.
They do not mean the insurance problem has disappeared.
A statewide market can improve while individual homeowners still face:
- Roof-inspection requests
- Four-Point Inspection requirements
- Wind-mitigation documentation requests
- Replacement-cost changes
- High hurricane deductibles
- Roof-age questions
- Repair requirements
- Nonrenewal for lawful underwriting reasons
- Limited carrier availability for a particular property
Rates and underwriting are related, but they are not the same thing. A carrier may lower its overall rates while continuing to evaluate the age, condition and construction of each roof.
Why your roof still matters when rates are falling
The roof is one of the largest and most storm-exposed components of a Florida home. It affects both the likelihood of damage and the potential cost of a future claim.
That is why a carrier may want to know:
- When was the roof installed?
- Was 100% of the roof replaced?
- Is the installation supported by permits or other records?
- What roofing material is present?
- Is there evidence of active leakage?
- Are tiles, shingles, flashings and penetrations in serviceable condition?
- Is the roof deck sound?
- Are valleys and other high-water-flow areas functioning correctly?
- Does the roof have at least five years of estimated useful life?
- Which wind-mitigation features are documented?
- Have previous repairs been completed professionally?
- Does the property meet the carrier’s current underwriting guidelines?
Edison’s announcement confirms that roof age and wind mitigation remain part of its individualized premium analysis. Therefore, the arrival of a lower-rate environment should not encourage homeowners to ignore maintenance or delay an inspection after receiving an underwriting notice.
It creates a better opportunity to do the opposite:
- Understand the roof’s actual condition.
- Correct legitimate deficiencies.
- Organize the supporting documentation.
- Ask a licensed insurance agent to compare available coverage.
- Avoid replacing a serviceable roof solely because of an unsupported assumption about its age.
What Florida’s current Roof Age Law actually says
Florida’s roof-age protections are found in Florida Statute §627.7011. The law is important, but it is frequently overstated online. It should be understood according to its exact scope. Our full explainer on Florida’s Roof Age Law covers this in more depth.
Roofs less than 15 years old
For a qualifying homeowners policy, an insurer may not refuse to issue or refuse to renew the policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old.
This does not mean that every roof under 15 years old is automatically acceptable. The carrier may still consider damage, active leakage, defective installation, failure to satisfy replacement-cost requirements or another lawful underwriting issue. The protection is against an age-only decision.
Roofs 15 years old or older
When a roof is at least 15 years old, the insurer must allow the homeowner to obtain a roof inspection at the homeowner’s expense before requiring replacement as a condition of issuing or renewing the homeowners policy.
When an authorized inspection indicates that the roof has at least five years of useful life remaining, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew the policy solely because of the roof’s age.
That five-year finding can be extremely important—but the words “solely because of roof age” remain essential. The carrier may still evaluate:
- Existing damage
- Active leaks
- Deteriorated materials
- Unresolved inspection findings
- Replacement-cost requirements
- Law-and-ordinance considerations
- Incomplete or unacceptable documentation
- The qualifications or approval of the inspector
- Other lawful underwriting criteria
Who may perform the inspection?
The statute defines an authorized inspector as a person approved by the insurer who falls into an authorized professional category, including:
- A licensed home inspector
- A certified building-code inspector
- A licensed general, building or residential contractor
- A roofing contractor
- A professional engineer
- A professional architect
- Another qualified individual or entity recognized by the insurer
The words “approved by the insurer” are important. A Florida roofing license can satisfy one part of the professional requirement, but homeowners should still ask their agent or carrier:
- Does the carrier accept a report from a licensed roofing contractor?
- Does it require a carrier-specific form?
- Does the inspector need prior approval?
- What photographs and supporting documentation are required?
- How should remaining useful life be expressed?
- Where and by what deadline must the package be submitted?
A homeowner should obtain these answers before assuming that any particular certificate or inspection form will automatically be accepted.
How is roof age calculated?
For purposes of this statutory section, roof age is generally calculated from the last date on which 100% of the roof surface was built or replaced in accordance with the code in effect at that time.
When partial roof replacements are performed over time and eventually result in 100% of the roof surface being replaced, the statute uses the initial date in that series of partial replacements.
That means a valley repair, leak repair, replaced section of underlayment or targeted roof rebuild does not normally make the entire roof “new.” Those improvements may materially improve the roof’s condition. They may correct a genuine failure and extend service life. They may support a later remaining-useful-life evaluation. But homeowners, contractors and insurance professionals should not misrepresent a repaired roof as having received a full replacement.
What the law does not guarantee
Florida’s current roof-age statute does not guarantee:
- A particular premium
- A 9.8% Edison reduction
- Approval by any specific carrier
- Acceptance of every contractor’s certification
- Renewal for a roof with unresolved deficiencies
- A wind-mitigation discount
- Payment for roof repairs
- Payment for roof replacement
- Coverage under every property-insurance policy
- Application to a mobile home policy
- Application to every condominium association or commercial master policy
The statute expressly preserves an insurer’s ability to reject or nonrenew for other lawful reasons, including applicable underwriting standards concerning replacement cost and law-and-ordinance coverage.
What did not change in 2026: SB 808 and HB 815 died
Florida Senate Bill 808 and its identical House companion, HB 815, generated considerable discussion because they proposed expanding the existing roof-age framework. Among other things, the proposals would have:
- Broadened certain protections from homeowners policies to a wider category of property-insurance policies covering residential structures
- Added certain roof consultants and roof observers to the authorized-inspector definition
- Distinguished between steep-slope and low-slope roofs
- Created a proposed pathway involving roof-coating systems for some low-slope roofs
Neither bill became law. SB 808 died in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on March 13, 2026. HB 815 died in the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee on the same date. Therefore:
- The proposed low-slope roof-coating pathway is not current Florida law.
- The proposed expansion to all residential property policies did not take effect.
- The existing language of §627.7011 remains the controlling roof-age statute.
This distinction is particularly important for condominium associations, apartment buildings and other properties insured under commercial or association master policies. The current statute expressly excludes policies that are not considered homeowners policies. A condominium association should not assume that the homeowner roof-age provision automatically controls its commercial master-policy renewal. The association, its insurance professional and its legal counsel should examine the actual policy, carrier requirements and property type.
Read our complete explanation of why HB 815 and SB 808 did not become law for a detailed comparison between the proposal and current law.
Roof age, roof condition and wind mitigation are different questions
Homeowners are often told that they need a “roof inspection,” but that phrase can refer to several very different documents. Confusing them can cost valuable time during an insurance renewal or real-estate transaction.
1. Proof of roof age
This typically establishes when the roof was installed or fully replaced. Possible supporting records can include:
- Permit information
- Final inspection records
- Paid roofing contracts
- Contractor documentation
- Closing documents
- Prior insurance records
- Photographs and other credible historical evidence
Proof of age answers: “When was the roof installed or replaced?” It does not necessarily answer: “What condition is it in today?”
2. Roof condition or remaining useful life evaluation
A condition evaluation examines the roof as it exists now and may document:
- Roof covering
- Underlayment-related observations
- Flashings
- Valleys
- Penetrations
- Drainage
- Visible deterioration
- Evidence of active or prior leakage
- Previous repairs
- Damaged or displaced materials
- Deck-related observations where accessible
- Recommended corrective work
- Estimated remaining useful life
A Five-Year Roof Certification is a condition-based document stating that, in the inspector’s professional opinion and subject to the report’s limitations, the roof has at least five years of remaining useful life. It is evidence for review—not an insurance contract and not a promise that every carrier will issue or renew coverage.
3. Four-Point Inspection
A Four-Point Inspection generally evaluates four major systems:
- Roof
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Heating and air conditioning
It is broader than a roof-only report but generally less detailed about the roof than a comprehensive roofing evaluation. Carrier requirements differ. As one carrier-specific example, Citizens currently requires a Four-Point Inspection for applications involving properties more than 20 years old. That is a Citizens underwriting requirement, not a universal statewide age rule for every insurer.
4. Wind Mitigation Inspection
A Wind Mitigation Inspection documents eligible construction and wind-resistance features used by the carrier to evaluate applicable wind-insurance credits or discounts. Florida law requires insurers to notify qualifying residential policyholders about available hurricane-loss-mitigation discounts, credits and other rate differentials and establishes a uniform mitigation verification process.
A wind mitigation report answers: “Which qualifying wind-resistance features are documented?” A roof-condition report answers: “What is the present condition and estimated useful life of the roof?” Those are not interchangeable. A roof can be in good physical condition without receiving every available wind-mitigation credit. A roof may also contain documented wind-mitigation features while still having condition problems that require repair.
Citizens’ roof requirements: a useful carrier-specific example
Citizens’ published inspection guidance illustrates why homeowners need to distinguish statewide law from carrier-specific underwriting rules. Citizens currently states that:
- A Four-Point Inspection is required for applicable property-owner, dwelling and mobile-home applications on properties more than 20 years old.
- Roofs older than 25 years for “soft” roof types, such as shingles, or 50 years for “hard” roof types, including tile, slate, clay, concrete and metal, require documentation showing at least five years of remaining useful life.
- When the roof has less than five years of remaining useful life, proof of full roof replacement is required before the policy is written.
Those are Citizens requirements. They should not be presented as the universal Florida Roof Age Law. Private carriers can use different forms, age thresholds, inspection procedures and underwriting criteria, subject to applicable law. Before ordering an inspection, ask the agent or carrier for the exact current requirements.
What a targeted tile roof rebuild can—and cannot—accomplish
A Florida tile roof should be evaluated as a system. The visible concrete or clay tiles are only part of that system. The roof also depends on underlayment, flashings, valleys, penetrations, fasteners, drainage details, roof decking and correctly constructed transitions. That is why a tile roof can experience a localized failure even when much of the visible tile remains serviceable.
Certain sections receive substantially more concentrated water than others, including:
- Valleys
- Roof-to-wall transitions
- Areas below intersecting roof planes
- Chimney and penetration transitions
- Drainage collection points
- Low sections
- Areas affected by flashing deficiencies
When deterioration is truly isolated, the responsible solution may be a targeted rebuild rather than a full roof replacement. Industry guidance recognizes that properly installed tile roofs are often repairable, depending on the damage and condition of the system. This is the heart of our approach to tile roof preservation.
A correctly scoped targeted rebuild may involve:
- Carefully removing and preserving reusable tile.
- Opening the identified failure area.
- Inspecting the exposed underlayment and roof deck.
- Replacing compromised decking where necessary.
- Rebuilding the underlayment and flashing details.
- Sealing penetrations and transitions.
- Reinstalling the original tile where serviceable.
- Replacing damaged tiles.
- Completing fastening, adhesive or mortar work as appropriate.
- Photographing the work before, during and after completion.
This type of repair may:
- Correct an active failure
- Improve the roof’s present condition
- Preserve sound portions of the existing roofing system
- Reduce unnecessary demolition
- Extend service life
- Create a documented repair history
- Potentially allow the roof to qualify for a later condition or remaining-useful-life evaluation
It does not:
- Guarantee a Five-Year Roof Certification
- Guarantee insurance renewal
- Guarantee a premium reduction
- Automatically make the entire roof code-new
- Automatically change the statutory age of the entire roof
- Make replacement inappropriate when the overall system has reached the end of its useful life
A responsible repair-first contractor should be willing to say both: “This roof can be preserved.” and, when the evidence requires it: “This roof has reached the point where replacement is the responsible recommendation.” You can see how we weigh that decision on our roof repair vs. replacement page, and in the Delray Beach oceanfront estate we inspected, preserved and documented.
Watch: what a targeted tile roof rebuild looks like
This active South Florida project shows the difference between replacing an entire tile roof and rebuilding the roof sections that receive the highest concentration of water. The tiles are carefully removed, the compromised components are exposed and corrected, and the original tiles are reinstalled where appropriate.
Read the video transcript
Does roof age mean roof replacement? Mike McGilvary, with Mike McGilvary Roofing. What you’re looking at here is a tile roof where we’re performing a targeted rebuild, not a full replacement. On tile roofs, certain sections take on significantly more water than the rest of the system. These are what we call high-water-flow areas, and they are the first sections to fail.
As you can see in these sections, we’ve opened up the high-water-flow areas where active wear and deterioration were occurring. These areas receive a concentrated volume of water over time, which causes them to age at a faster rate than the surrounding roof. This is where leaks typically begin, and where proper repairs need to be focused.
This is the next phase of the process. These high-water-flow areas have been fully rebuilt. We’ve opened the system, inspected the sheathing plywood, and removed and replaced any compromised plywood as needed. We install new roof tile underlayment paper to code, seal the roof deck and all flashings, and prepare for tile reinstallation.
Once complete, all tiles are reinstalled back to their original placement, so the roof maintains its original and uniform appearance. This process brings the roof back to a structurally sound state without unnecessary full replacement.
Mike McGilvary, Mike McGilvary Roofing — Florida’s roof age law and tile roof preservation experts.
What Florida homeowners should do before their next renewal
Homeowners should begin organizing roof information well before an insurance deadline whenever possible.
Step 1: Read the carrier’s request carefully
Determine exactly what is being requested:
- Proof of roof age
- A Roof Condition Inspection
- Remaining Useful Life
- A Four-Point Inspection
- A Wind Mitigation Inspection
- Proof of completed repairs
- Proof of full replacement
- A carrier-specific form
Do not assume that one report satisfies every request.
Step 2: Ask the agent or carrier specific questions
Ask in writing:
- What exact form is required?
- Who is authorized to complete it?
- Does the inspector require carrier approval?
- Is a licensed roofing contractor acceptable?
- How much remaining useful life is required?
- Are photographs required?
- Are permit records required?
- Can identified deficiencies be repaired?
- What is the submission deadline?
- Where should the report be sent?
Written answers reduce the likelihood of completing the wrong inspection.
Step 3: Verify the roof’s installation history
Gather available documentation showing:
- Original installation date
- Replacement date
- Permit information
- Scope of previous work
- Whether the entire roof or only part was replaced
- Prior inspection reports
- Previous repair invoices
- Before-and-after photographs
Do not represent a partial repair as a complete roof replacement.
Step 4: Have the roof professionally evaluated
A proper roofing evaluation should do more than take several distant photographs. It should identify:
- Active defects
- Deterioration
- Leakage evidence
- Drainage issues
- High-water-flow areas
- Damaged materials
- Flashing problems
- Prior repairs
- Maintenance needs
- Whether a repair-first option is technically responsible
- Whether the overall system appears to have sufficient remaining useful life
Step 5: Correct legitimate deficiencies
When the inspection finds repairable deficiencies, address them professionally and document the completed work. The file should include:
- Written scope
- Before photographs
- In-progress photographs
- After photographs
- Paid invoice
- Applicable permit records
- Warranty information
- Updated inspection or certification, when appropriate
Step 6: Submit a complete package
A complete package is stronger than an unsupported verbal statement that “the roof is fine.” Depending on the carrier’s requirements, the package may include:
- Required inspection form
- Roof-condition report
- Remaining-useful-life statement
- Contractor license information
- Photographs
- Repair documentation
- Permit records
- Wind mitigation report
- Four-Point Inspection
- Supporting correspondence
Step 7: Review the renewal with a licensed insurance agent
Ask the agent to compare:
- Old and new premiums
- Coverage limits
- Deductibles
- Replacement-cost values
- Roof provisions
- Wind credits
- Exclusions
- Available carriers
- Financial-strength information
- Required inspections
A lower statewide rate trend may create an opportunity to shop, but the cheapest premium is not automatically the best coverage.
Should you replace an older roof just to obtain a lower premium?
Not without first understanding the roof and obtaining actual insurance information.
A new roof may change an insurer’s evaluation of age, condition, construction and wind-mitigation characteristics. But the financial value of replacement should be assessed using real numbers—not a generalized promise that a new roof will “pay for itself” through insurance savings.
Before replacing a serviceable roof primarily for insurance reasons, determine:
- Whether the carrier is actually requiring replacement.
- Whether the issue is age, condition, mitigation or another underwriting criterion.
- Whether the statutory inspection pathway applies.
- Whether the carrier will accept repairs and updated documentation.
- Whether an authorized inspection supports at least five years of remaining useful life.
- What premium difference a replacement would actually produce.
- How the replacement cost compares with the verified insurance savings.
- Whether the roof has other defects that make replacement independently necessary.
A repair-first evaluation does not mean replacement is never appropriate. It means the recommendation should follow the evidence.
What this means for buyers, sellers and real-estate professionals
A falling-rate environment may improve insurance availability, but roof documentation can still determine whether a Florida closing proceeds smoothly. Before listing or purchasing a home with an older roof, the parties should understand:
- Verified roof age
- Roof type
- Current condition
- Remaining useful life
- Previous repairs
- Active deficiencies
- Permit history
- Insurance inspection requirements
- Whether the buyer’s proposed carrier accepts the available documentation
Sellers can reduce surprises by having the roof evaluated before the property is under contract. Buyers should not assume an old roof requires replacement or that a visually attractive tile roof is free from underlying problems. Real-estate professionals should avoid guaranteeing that a certification will produce coverage. The insurer makes that decision. A professional condition report gives the parties documented facts with which to work.
What this means for condominium associations and property managers
Condominium associations should view the Edison announcement as evidence of improving competition—not as proof that every association master policy will decrease or that the homeowner roof-age statute automatically applies. The current statute excludes policies not considered homeowners policies, and the 2026 effort to broaden the provision to additional property policies did not become law.
Associations should work with their insurance, legal, engineering, reserve and roofing professionals to understand:
- Policy type
- Roof ownership and maintenance responsibility
- Current roof condition
- Remaining useful life
- Existing leaks or deterioration
- Repair and preservation options
- Reserve obligations
- Carrier inspection requirements
- Long-term replacement planning
- Available market alternatives
A documented repair-and-maintenance program can provide a much more reliable basis for budgeting than roof age alone.
The bottom line: rate relief is good news, but roof evidence still matters
Edison’s average 9.8% statewide rate filing is encouraging. Citizens’ 2026 decreases and the growing number of rate-decrease and zero-increase filings reported by Florida regulators reinforce the idea that the state’s property-insurance market is becoming more competitive.
But no statewide average can describe every Florida property. The individual homeowner’s outcome still depends on the policy, property, carrier and supporting documentation. For the roof, that means understanding the difference between:
- Age
- Condition
- Remaining useful life
- Repairability
- Wind mitigation
- Carrier underwriting
- Statutory protections
The correct strategy is neither to ignore an older roof nor automatically replace it. It is to: inspect it, document it, repair what can responsibly be preserved, and replace it when the evidence shows replacement is necessary. That is how homeowners make informed roofing decisions in a changing Florida insurance market.
Important notice. This article provides general educational information concerning roofing, property insurance and Florida’s current roof-age statute. It is not legal advice, insurance advice, a coverage opinion or a guarantee of policy issuance, renewal, premium savings or claim payment. Insurance requirements and decisions depend on the carrier, policy, property, underwriting standards and documentation. Homeowners should consult their licensed insurance agent, carrier and legal counsel regarding their specific circumstances. Reviewed by Mike McGilvary, Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, license CCC1331721.
Frequently asked questions
Does Edison’s announcement mean my premium will decrease by exactly 9.8%?
No. The 9.8% figure is a statewide average. Edison says individual outcomes can vary based on location, roof age, construction, wind mitigation, claims history, replacement-cost updates, coverage selections, deductibles and discounts.
Are Florida homeowners insurance rates going down in 2026?
Some significant rate decreases are occurring. Edison announced an average 9.8% statewide decrease, and Citizens implemented average 2026 decreases of 8.8% for homeowners multiperil and 5.5% for homeowners wind-only policies. Results still vary by carrier, policy and property.
Does a Florida roof have to be replaced when it reaches 15 years old?
Not automatically. For qualifying homeowners policies, Florida law requires the homeowner to be allowed to obtain an authorized inspection before roof replacement is required as a condition of issuing or renewing the policy. If the inspection indicates at least five years of useful life, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age. Other lawful underwriting considerations can still apply.
Can a Florida roofing contractor perform the roof-age inspection?
A roofing contractor is included among the professional categories in the statute. However, the inspector must also be approved by the insurer. Homeowners should verify the carrier’s form, inspector and documentation requirements before ordering the inspection.
Does a Five-Year Roof Certification guarantee insurance renewal?
No. It documents the inspector’s professional opinion concerning condition and remaining useful life. It may support the insurer’s review, but the insurer retains the coverage decision and may consider other lawful underwriting criteria.
Is a Five-Year Roof Certification the same as a Wind Mitigation Inspection?
No. A roof certification addresses condition and estimated remaining useful life. A Wind Mitigation Inspection documents eligible wind-resistance features used to determine applicable wind-insurance credits and discounts.
Does repairing part of my roof reset its age?
Normally, no. Florida’s statute calculates age from the last date 100% of the roof surface was built or replaced, or the initial date of partial replacements that eventually resulted in 100% replacement. A targeted repair may improve condition without changing the entire roof’s statutory age.
What roof documentation does Citizens require?
Citizens currently requires a Four-Point Inspection for applicable applications on properties more than 20 years old. It also requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 25 years for soft materials or 50 years for hard materials such as tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal. These are Citizens requirements and should not be treated as universal rules for every Florida carrier.
Does Florida’s Roof Age Law automatically apply to a condominium association’s master policy?
Not necessarily. The current statute does not apply to policies outside the commonly understood homeowners-policy category. The proposed 2026 expansion to broader property policies died in committee. Condominium associations should have their specific master policy and carrier requirements reviewed by appropriate insurance and legal professionals.
Should I replace my roof just to lower my insurance premium?
Obtain actual information first. Determine whether replacement is required, whether the issue is age or condition, whether repairs and documentation are acceptable, and what verified premium difference a replacement would produce. A new roof may affect underwriting, but homeowners should not make a five-figure decision based solely on a generalized promise of savings.
About the author
Mike McGilvary is the president of Mike McGilvary Roofing, Inc. and a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, CCC1331721. His work focuses on repair-first roof evaluations, tile-roof preservation, targeted roof rebuilds, leak investigation, remaining-useful-life assessments and Five-Year Roof Certifications throughout Palm Beach County and South Florida.