The Fear We Hear on Almost Every Call
"My roof looks fine — can my insurance company really drop me over its age?" It's the single most common question we get from Palm Beach County homeowners, and the honest answer is: it depends on exactly how old the roof is, and which carrier you're with. Age-based non-renewal is real, it's legal under current Florida law, and it happens on roofs that look completely intact from the ground.
The Age Thresholds That Actually Matter
| Roof Age | What Typically Happens |
|---|---|
| Under 15 years | Age alone is not grounds for non-renewal or cancellation, regardless of carrier. |
| 15–20 years | Carriers commonly require a certified roof inspection before renewal. Coverage can still be issued, often with conditions. |
| 20+ years (shingle) | Many carriers decline renewal unless a certified inspection confirms at least 5 years of remaining useful life. |
| 25+ years (shingle) — Citizens | Generally ineligible for Citizens Property Insurance coverage. |
| 50+ years (tile, metal, concrete, slate) — Citizens | Generally ineligible for Citizens Property Insurance coverage. |
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation — Florida's insurer of last resort and a major carrier in Palm Beach County — draws its line at 25 years for shingle and other "soft" roofing, and 50 years for tile, slate, concrete, or metal. Private carriers often set stricter internal thresholds, commonly flagging roofs for mandatory inspection starting at 15 years.
Myth vs. Fact
Myth
"My roof doesn't leak, so it's fine as far as insurance is concerned."
Fact
Insurers underwrite on age and inspection findings, not just current performance. A 22-year-old shingle roof with zero leaks can still trigger non-renewal simply by crossing the carrier's age threshold.
Myth
"There's nothing I can do once I get a non-renewal notice."
Fact
A certified roof inspection showing sufficient remaining life can sometimes reverse a non-renewal decision, or at minimum buys you a defined runway to plan a replacement instead of scrambling.
Legislative Change on the Horizon
Two bills moving through the Florida Legislature in 2026 — Senate Bill 808 and House Bill 815 — aim to prohibit insurers from refusing to issue or renew a policy based on roof age alone, with a proposed effective date of July 1, 2026. As of this writing these are proposed changes, not yet settled law statewide — we track this closely and will update this guide as it moves, but homeowners should plan around current rules, not pending ones.
What to Do Before Your Next Renewal
If your roof is approaching or past 15 years, get ahead of it: schedule a certified inspection before your renewal notice arrives, not after a non-renewal letter shows up. An inspection that documents remaining useful life gives your agent something concrete to work with, and if replacement is genuinely the right call, you control the timeline instead of being forced into a rushed decision.
"The homeowners who come to us in a panic are almost always the ones who waited for the non-renewal letter. The ones who come out ahead are the ones who call at year 13 or 14 and ask 'where do I stand?' A roof inspection costs a fraction of what a forced, rushed replacement costs — and it gives you leverage with your insurer instead of a deadline they set for you."
Get a Straight Answer on Your Roof
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