Florida Senate - 2026 SB 808
By Senator Simon
3-01561-26 2026808__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to roofing requirements for property
3 insurance; amending s. 627.7011, F.S.; revising the
4 definition of the term “authorized inspector” to
5 include certain roof consultants and roof observers;
6 prohibiting an insurer from refusing to issue or renew
7 a property insurance policy, rather than a homeowner’s
8 policy, insuring a residential structure that has a
9 roof less than a specified age solely because of the
10 roof’s age; requiring the insurer to differentiate
11 between low-slope and steep-slope roofs in its offer
12 for coverage under certain circumstances; requiring
13 the insurer to allow a property owner to have a roof
14 inspection performed on a steep-slope roof by an
15 authorized inspector before requiring that the roof be
16 replaced; prohibiting an insurer from refusing to
17 issue or renew a property insurance policy under
18 certain circumstances; revising applicability;
19 providing an effective date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Subsection (5) and paragraph (a) of subsection
24 (6) of section 627.7011, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
25 627.7011 Homeowners’ policies; property insurance policies;
26 offer of replacement cost coverage and law and ordinance
27 coverage.—
28 (5)(a) As used in this subsection, the term “authorized
29 inspector” means an inspector who is approved by the insurer and
30 who is:
31 1. A home inspector licensed under s. 468.8314;
32 2. A building code inspector certified under s. 468.607;
33 3. A general, building, or residential contractor licensed
34 under s. 489.111 or a roofing contractor;
35 4. A professional engineer licensed under s. 471.015;
36 5. A professional architect licensed under s. 481.213; or
37 6. A Registered Roof Consultant certified by the
38 International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants;
39 7. A Registered Roof Observer certified by the
40 International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants; or
41 8.6. Any other individual or entity recognized by the
42 insurer as possessing the necessary qualifications to properly
43 complete a general inspection of a residential structure insured
44 with a homeowner’s insurance policy.
45 (b) An insurer may not refuse to issue or refuse to renew a
46 property insurance homeowner’s policy insuring a residential
47 structure with a roof that is less than 15 years old solely
48 because of the age of the roof.
49 (c)1. For a roof that is at least 15 years old, an insurer
50 must differentiate between a low-slope roof with a 2-inch pitch
51 or less and a steep-slope roof with a pitch of more than 2
52 inches in its offer for coverage under a policy.
53 2. Before requiring the replacement of a steep-slope roof
54 as a condition of issuing or renewing a property insurance
55 policy, the insurer must allow a property owner homeowner to
56 have a roof inspection performed by an authorized inspector at
57 the property owner’s homeowner’s expense before requiring the
58 replacement of the roof of a residential structure as a
59 condition of issuing or renewing a homeowner’s insurance policy.
60 3. If the roof is a steep-slope roof, the insurer may not
61 refuse to issue or refuse to renew a property homeowner’s
62 insurance policy solely because of roof age if an inspection of
63 the roof of the residential structure performed by an authorized
64 inspector indicates that the roof has 5 years or more of useful
65 life remaining.
66 4. If the roof is a low-slope roof, the insurer may not
67 refuse to issue or refuse to renew a property insurance policy
68 solely because of roof age if an authorized inspector determines
69 that the roof may be restored by having a roof coating system
70 applied which will result in the roof having 5 years or more of
71 useful life remaining.
72 (d) For purposes of this subsection, a roof’s age shall be
73 calculated using the last date on which 100 percent of the
74 roof’s surface area was built or replaced in accordance with the
75 building code in effect at that time or the initial date of a
76 partial roof replacement when subsequent partial roof builds or
77 replacements were completed that resulted in 100 percent of the
78 roof’s surface area being built or replaced.
79 (e) This subsection applies to property homeowners’
80 insurance policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2026
81 2022.
82 (6) This section does not:
83 (a) Except as provided in subsection (5), apply to policies
84 not considered to be “homeowners’ policies,” as that term is
85 commonly understood in the insurance industry.
86 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.