Four-point and roof inspections
When Florida insurers can ask about roof age, when Citizens wants a four-point inspection or roof form, and the cap on a separate roof deductible.
4 minutes of reading | Statutes and tables to be re-checked by 2026-11-20
Older Florida homes run into two kinds of paperwork when they are bought, sold or moved to a new insurer: a four-point inspection of the main systems, and proof that the roof has life left in it. Enter the roof's age and type and the year the house was built to see which rules apply.
What state law says about roof age
Section 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes, 2026 text, read November 6, 2026. This is the one place on the site that sets out the roof-age rule; other pages link here:
| Roof age | Rule |
|---|---|
| Under 15 years | An insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy solely because of the roof's age |
| 15 years or more | Before requiring a new roof, the insurer must let you have it inspected by an authorized inspector, at your expense. If the inspection shows at least 5 years of useful life left, the insurer can't refuse or non-renew solely because of roof age |
"Solely" matters: an insurer can still decline a roof that is damaged or failing, at any age. The law protects a sound roof from being judged by its date alone. If the roof does need replacing, the roof replacement cost page prices the job for Florida and shows what a storm claim would pay toward it.
What Citizens asks for
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state-created insurer of last resort, publishes its inspection requirements (Citizens inspections page, read October 30, 2026):
| Inspection | When Citizens requires it | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Four-point | Homes older than 20 years | Four-Point Inspection Form, by a Florida-licensed inspector |
| Roof condition | Soft roofs (shingle) older than 25 years; hard roofs (tile, metal) older than 50 years | Roof Inspection Form showing at least 5 years of remaining life; otherwise proof of full replacement before a policy is written |
| Wind mitigation | Optional; it earns discounts | Uniform mitigation verification form |
Private insurers set their own thresholds, and many are stricter than Citizens. Ask before you book an inspection which form the insurer wants, so you pay for one visit, not two.
What a four-point inspection covers
The name says it: four systems.
- Roof: covering type, age, remaining life, visible damage or leaks.
- Electrical: panel type and age, wiring type, visible hazards. Some insurers won't accept certain older panels or aluminum branch wiring; ask yours before the visit.
- Plumbing: pipe materials, water heater age and location, leaks.
- Heating and air conditioning: system type, age and condition.
Citizens asks that serious hazards be repaired before the application goes in.
The roof deductible cap
Some Florida policies carry a separate roof deductible for claims settled at replacement cost. State law caps it at the lesser of 2% of Coverage A or 50% of the cost to replace the roof, and the policy must give a credit for it in the premium (s. 627.701(10), F.S., 2026 text). It can't be applied to:
- a total loss of the house that the valued policy law (s. 627.702) makes the insurer pay in full,
- a hurricane loss to the roof,
- a tree or other object that punctures the roof deck,
- a loss needing repair of less than half the roof.
When the roof deductible does apply, no other deductible in the policy is charged on that loss. The insurer can add it at a first policy or at renewal with notice, and you can turn it down by signing the opt-out form the regulator approves.
| Coverage A | Roof replacement cost | 2% of A | Half the roof cost | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $350,000 | $18,000 | $7,000 | $9,000 | $7,000 |
| $500,000 | $30,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 |
| $250,000 | $9,000 | $5,000 | $4,500 | $4,500 |
Worked example
A house built in 1994 with a 16-year-old shingle roof, checked in 2026:
- Roof 16 years old: the insurer may ask for a roof inspection before requiring replacement; with 5 or more years of useful life left, it can't refuse on age alone.
- Shingle roof under 25 years: Citizens' roof-documentation trigger doesn't apply yet.
- House 32 years old: Citizens requires a four-point inspection.
So the owner should expect to pay for a four-point inspection, and possibly a roof inspection if a private insurer asks. Many inspectors do a four-point, roof and wind mitigation inspection in one visit; ask for a combined price.
If the roof is near the end
A new roof built to the current code also improves the roof covering and roof deck attachment credits on a wind mitigation form, and secondary water resistance can be added at the same time. Price the wind mitigation saving before you choose materials, and check whether the work qualifies for a My Safe Florida Home grant: since the 2026 text, the list covers roof-deck attachment and, together, secondary water resistance and a new roof covering.
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