Roof Certification for Florida Insurance

A roof certification, often called a roof inspection form, is a signed report on a roof's covering, age, condition and remaining useful life. Insurers use it to decide whether to write or renew a policy on a home with an older roof.

What Florida law says

• An insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old.
• For a roof at least 15 years old, the insurer must let you have it inspected by an authorized inspector, at your expense, before requiring replacement.
• If that inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age.

Source: Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes. These rules cover homeowner's policies, not mobile home policies.

When Citizens asks for one

Citizens asks for documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life on shingle and similar roofs older than 25 years, and on tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roofs older than 50 years. Source: Citizens Property Insurance: Inspections.

Who may sign it

Florida law lists a licensed home inspector, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building, residential or roofing contractor, a licensed engineer or architect, or anyone else the insurer recognizes as qualified. Source: Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes.