In Florida, the roof is where many home policies are changing. If yours has a few years on it, your policy may not pay what you’d expect to replace it after a storm. Here’s what to look for.
Replacement Cost vs. a Roof Payment Schedule
Most homeowners policies pay to repair or replace your home at replacement cost: what it costs today, with no deduction for wear and tear. Florida law requires insurers to offer replacement cost coverage on the dwelling (s. 627.7011, F.S.).
More and more policies, however, now treat the roof differently through a roof surfacing payment schedule (sometimes called a roof settlement or roof limitation endorsement). Instead of full replacement cost, the roof covering (shingles, tile, metal) is paid on a sliding scale based on its age and material. The older the roof, the smaller the share the policy pays. The rest of your home is usually still covered at replacement cost.
This is close to actual cash value (ACV) coverage for the roof. ACV pays the cost to replace minus depreciation. Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now allow ACV roof coverage as long as the rest of the home is insured at replacement cost, according to the Florida CFO’s Insurance Consumer Advocate.
What it means at claim time: Say a windstorm ruins an older shingle roof. With replacement cost, the policy pays for a new roof minus your deductible. With a payment schedule, it might pay only a portion of that, and you cover the gap. Every company’s schedule is different, so check your own policy.
Example: One Florida Insurer’s Roof Payment Schedule
Roof payment schedules vary from insurer to insurer and policy to policy, and they’re becoming more common in Florida. To show how one works, here are some rows from one Florida insurer’s endorsement. Your own schedule may look different, so check your declarations page and endorsements.
| Roof age | Composition shingle | Metal | Concrete or clay tile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 5 to under 6 years | 80% | 95% | 90% |
| 10 to under 11 years | 60% | 90% | 80% |
| 15 to under 16 years | 40% | 85% | 70% |
| 20 to under 21 years | 25% | 80% | 60% |
| 30 years or older | 25% | 70% | 40% |
The percentage is the share of the roof repair or replacement amount this endorsement pays. On this schedule, a composition shingle roof drops 4 percentage points a year until it reaches 25% at 19 years old. A metal roof drops 1 point a year, down to 70% at 30 years or older. A tile roof drops 2 points a year, down to 40% at 30 years or older. Wood shake and wood shingle roofs follow the tile column, and tar and gravel and other roof types follow the composition shingle column.
A worked example (an illustration, not a real claim): Say wind damages a 12-year-old composition shingle roof, and replacing it would cost $20,000. On this schedule, a composition shingle roof that’s 12 to under 13 years old is paid at 52%, so the schedule amount is $10,400. Your deductible also applies, so the amount paid would be less than $10,400.
What else this endorsement says:
- It applies only when wind or hail damages the roof, and on this form that includes wind damage from a hurricane. That’s different from the separate roof deductible explained below, which doesn’t apply to hurricane damage.
- “Roof surfacing” means more than the shingles, tiles or metal panels. It also includes the underlayment, decking, felt and membranes, flashing, drip edges, vents, turbines and skylight components.
- The percentage applies to the whole job, including labor, overhead, profit, taxes and fees.
- It won’t pay to match undamaged parts of the roof.
- It doesn’t trigger Ordinance or Law coverage, and it doesn’t pay added costs from building codes.
- The endorsement says it’s added “for a reduction in premium.” It doesn’t say how much, and any premium difference depends on the insurer and your policy.
Tell your insurer about a new roof. This endorsement uses the roof age and material shown on your declarations, and under it you agree to tell the insurer promptly each time the roof is replaced. If you don’t report it within 90 days of the replacement or before the end of the policy period it happened in (the form gives you whichever window is longer), the schedule keeps using the old roof information. Keep your permit and invoice, and check that your next declarations page shows the new roof.
The Separate Roof Deductible (SB 2-D)
In 2022, Florida’s Senate Bill 2-D allowed insurers to offer an optional separate roof deductible. Here’s how it works, per s. 627.701(10), F.S. and the Insurance Consumer Advocate’s summary:
- It can be up to 2% of your dwelling limit (Coverage A) or 50% of the roof’s replacement cost, whichever is lower.
- It’s opt-out. If your insurer includes it, you must be given the chance to reject it by signing an OIR-approved form. If it’s added at renewal, you must get a notice of change in policy terms and the same chance to reject it.
- It applies only to claims adjusted on a replacement cost basis.
- The company must give you a premium credit if you take it.
- It does not apply to a total loss, hurricane damage, a tree or other hazard that punctures the roof deck, or damage requiring repair of less than 50% of the roof.
- When the roof deductible applies, no other deductible under the policy is applied on top of it.
- The dollar amount must appear on your declarations page or premium renewal notice, and the policy must include a bold-type warning page about the roof deductible right behind the declarations page (s. 627.701(4)(e), F.S.).
There’s one more wrinkle: if a roof deductible applies, the insurer may limit the roof payment to actual cash value until you show proof that you’ve paid the deductible, such as a canceled check or a financing agreement (s. 627.7011(3)(a), F.S.).
Why You’re Hearing More About This in 2026 and 2027
Insurers file new coverage forms with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, and OIR’s public filing records show a clear trend: Florida home insurers keep filing roof payment schedules and separate roof deductible options. These tools let companies price older roofs instead of turning them down.
The upside can be a lower premium, or coverage on a home that might otherwise be hard to place. The trade-off is more out-of-pocket risk when the roof is damaged. It’s a decision to make on purpose, not one to discover after a storm.
Florida’s Roof Age Law: Know Your Rights
Florida law gives homeowners some protection on roof age (s. 627.7011(5), F.S.):
- An insurer can’t refuse to write or renew your policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old.
- If your roof is 15 years or older, the insurer must let you get an inspection by an authorized inspector, at your expense, before requiring a replacement. If the inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life left, the company can’t refuse or nonrenew based on age alone.
- Authorized inspectors must be approved by your insurer and include licensed home inspectors, building code inspectors, contractors, engineers, architects, and, since 2024, roofing contractors.
Keep in mind the law protects you from being dropped solely for age. It doesn’t stop a company from using a payment schedule, charging more for an older roof, or declining for other underwriting reasons.
Why Roof Age, Material, and Wind Mitigation Matter
When companies price your roof, they generally look at:
- Age. Florida law measures it from the last time 100% of the roof was built or replaced to code. Your permit date often proves it.
- Material. Shingle, tile, and metal roofs age differently, and many schedules treat them differently.
- Wind mitigation features. A wind mitigation inspection on the state’s Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802, Rev. 04/26, required for inspections on or after April 1, 2026; Florida OIR) documents roof shape, how the roof deck is nailed, roof-to-wall connections (clips or straps), secondary water resistance, and opening protection. These features may qualify for wind premium credits. Insurers are required to reflect wind mitigation in their rates and post available discounts on their websites (Florida CFO). A report done on the older 2012 version is still valid for up to five years as long as nothing material about the home has changed and no inaccuracies are found on the form (Florida DFS). A re-roof can change several answers on the form, like roof covering, deck attachment and secondary water resistance, so a fresh inspection after a new roof usually makes sense.
On older homes, you’ll often need a 4-point inspection too. It covers the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, and is one of the first things a company reviews. Our post on what a Florida 4-point inspection checks explains common reasons a report fails and what to do next.
Thinking of a new roof? The My Safe Florida Home program, run by the Florida Department of Financial Services, offers wind mitigation inspections for eligible homesteaded homes and, while funding lasts, grants of up to $10,000 for eligible upgrades. Check the program’s funding page for current availability. Most grants require a homeowner match, and limits apply to insured value, the year the home was built and household income (s. 215.5586, F.S.). Under state law, installing secondary water resistance and replacing the roof covering can be grant-eligible roof improvements, when the final mitigation inspection identifies them. The program sets its own rules for roof projects, so check with My Safe Florida Home before starting work, and don’t start until you have written grant approval.
Comparing a New Policy Offer?
If you’re weighing a renewal or a new policy offer, check how each one handles your roof. Two similar premiums can pay very differently after a roof claim.
Practical Tips for Gainesville Homeowners
- Ask which roof settlement your policy uses. Replacement cost, a payment schedule, or ACV? Is there a separate roof deductible?
- Check your declarations page for endorsements with “roof” in the title and any roof deductible amount.
- Keep your roof paperwork. Save the permit, the contractor invoice with the completion date, warranties, and recent 4-point and wind mitigation reports.
- Update your wind mitigation report after a re-roof. It’s a good time to add or document clips, straps, and secondary water resistance.
- Compare quotes. Companies treat roofs very differently, so the same home can get very different offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my insurer drop me because my roof is 16 years old?
Not solely for age if an authorized inspection shows at least 5 years of useful life left. Other underwriting reasons may still apply.
Does the separate roof deductible apply to hurricanes?
No. Hurricane damage falls under your hurricane deductible.
Let’s Look at Your Roof Coverage Together
McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent agency in Gainesville since 1983. We can compare how multiple insurance companies handle your roof’s age and material and show you the trade-offs side by side.
Call us at (352) 371-7977, request a quote, or stop by 3501 W University Ave, Gainesville. Bring your declarations page, roof permit or invoice, and any 4-point or wind mitigation reports, and we’ll go through them with you.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 627.701(10) (separate roof deductible) and 627.701(4)(e) (declarations page amount; bold-type warning page): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.701
- Florida Statutes s. 215.5586 (My Safe Florida Home): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/215.5586
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7011, Homeowners’ policies (replacement cost offer, roof deductible proof-of-payment rule, roof age protections): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.7011
- Florida CFO, Insurance Consumer Advocate, Property Insurance Changes (SB 2-D roof deductible and roof age summary, HB 1611 roofing contractor inspectors, HB 799 and SB 7052 wind mitigation, SB 1452 My Safe Florida Home, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac ACV roofs): https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/ica/propertyinsurancechanges
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, I-File public filing search (form and rate filings): https://irfssearch.floir.gov/
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Consumer Resources: https://floir.gov/consumers
- My Safe Florida Home: https://mysafeflhome.com/ ; FAQs (insured value, year built, income, match, subject to appropriation): https://mysafeflhome.com/faqs-2/ ; Is funding currently available? (support page, updated Aug. 17, 2026): https://support.mysafeflhome.com/en/support/solutions/articles/156000024197-is-funding-currently-available-
- Florida CFO, Mitigation notices, inspections and forms: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/storm/mitigation-notices-inspections-and-forms
- Example roof payment schedule: one Florida insurer’s homeowners endorsement (insurer and form number not named), reviewed Oct 29, 2026
This article is general information, not a statement of coverage. Your policy’s terms, conditions, and endorsements control. Coverage options vary by company and are subject to underwriting.
