5 Signs Your Roof Will Fail a Florida Insurance Inspection
Florida insurers are inspecting roofs harder than ever — and non-renewing the ones that don’t pass. Here’s what they look for, and how to get ahead of it.
Why Florida Insurers Are Scrutinizing Roofs
Over the last few years, Florida’s insurance market has tightened dramatically. Carriers now routinely order roof inspections at renewal, and a roof they consider too old or too worn can mean a rate hike — or a non-renewal letter. The good news: most of what they flag is visible and fixable if you catch it early.
Here at Leeward Roofing, we inspect Vero Beach roofs for free and tell you honestly where you stand before your insurer does. Below are the five issues that most often cause a roof to fail.
The 5 Red Flags Insurers Look For
1. Age. Many carriers balk at roofs over 15 years (shingle) or 25 (tile/metal), regardless of condition.
2. Missing, curling or cracked shingles/tiles that signal wear or wind damage.
3. Active or past leaks — interior stains and soft decking are immediate flags.
4. Poor prior repairs — mismatched patches and exposed fasteners.
5. Under 3–5 years of useful life left, the most common non-renewal trigger.
Roofing Services in Vero Beach
Roof replacement in metal, tile, asphalt shingle & flat systems.
Roof repair for leaks, storm damage & aging roofs.
Free roof inspections & honest, itemized estimates.
Storm & insurance-claim inspections and documentation.
Why Vero Beach Homeowners Choose Leeward Roofing
Family-owned & operated on the Treasure Coast — you deal with owners, not a call center.
Florida-certified & fully insured (License CCC1337211) with trained in-house crews.
We handle all permitting and insurance paperwork so you don’t have to.
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Vero Beach Roofing FAQs
Can my roof fail an insurance inspection even if it is not leaking?
It can — many insurers judge on age and remaining life, not just leaks. A free inspection tells you your real standing.
Can you help me keep my insurance coverage?
Yes — we assess honestly and, if needed, repair or replace so you can keep or regain coverage.
What does an inspection cost?
Our roof condition inspection is free. Call 772-589-2400.
Free Estimate in Vero Beach
Worried about your insurance inspection? Get a free, honest roof assessment before your carrier does.
Roof opened up in the storm? Tarp first, argue later.
Insurers can and do exclude damage that got worse because nothing was done. Getting a tarp on within a day or two protects the roof and protects the claim at the same time.
- Stay off the roof. Assess from the ground and from inside the attic.
- Photograph everything — wide shots and close-ups — before any cleanup.
- Call for emergency tarping to stop water getting further in.
- Verify any contractor's Florida licence before you sign anything.
Recent Leeward jobs
Real Treasure Coast roofs installed by our own crews — not stock photography.
What the inspector is actually looking at
Insurance roof inspections check a short, predictable list. Knowing it lets you fix the cheap things before they cost you a policy.
Roof age, before anything else
Florida carriers broadly begin restricting shingle roofs around 15 years and tile or metal around 25. Age is a proxy rather than a condition assessment, and it is the most common single reason for non-renewal. Under Florida Statute 627.7011 an insurer generally cannot refuse solely on age if an inspection certifies at least five years of useful life remaining — which is the lever most homeowners never learn about. See roof age and Florida insurance.
Curling, cupping and lifted edges
Shingle edges turning up or corners lifting. It signals the mat has lost flexibility and the seal strips have failed, and it is one of the most visible failure indicators from the ground.
Granule loss and bald patches
Granules are the UV shield. Once they are gone the asphalt underneath degrades quickly in Florida sun. Inspectors look for bald areas and for granule accumulation in gutters and at downspout discharge.
Exposed or backed-out fasteners
Especially on exposed-fastener metal. Every backed-out screw is a hole with a hardened washer over it. Straightforward to remedy and an easy failure item.
Damaged, lifted or sealant-patched flashing
Chimneys, skylights, walls and valleys. Caulk smeared over failed flashing is a finding, not a fix, and inspectors recognise it immediately.
Slipped, cracked or missing tile
On tile roofs this exposes the underlayment doing the actual waterproofing. Inspectors count and photograph it.
Organic growth
Moss and heavy algae, particularly on tile, because it holds moisture against the underlayment. On shingle it is largely cosmetic but it still reads badly in a report.
Prior repairs done badly
Mismatched patchwork, roofing cement smears, tarps left in place. They suggest deferred maintenance, which is what an underwriter is really assessing.
Ponding on low-slope sections
Standing water more than 48 hours after rain on a lanai, addition or flat section. It voids many manufacturer warranties and reads as a defect.
Soffit, fascia and drainage damage
Not strictly the roof, but it is on the report and it indicates water has been going somewhere it should not for a while.
Fix these before the inspection, not after
Most of this list is cheap. The expensive item is the one you cannot fix, which is why knowing the difference matters.
Replace failed pipe boots
$300 to $650 each and the most common defect on a Florida roof past ten years. Also the leading leak source, so it pays twice.
Clear valleys and gutters
Debris in valleys reads as deferred maintenance and causes the rot that turns a cheap finding into an expensive one.
Re-secure lifted shingles and ridge cap
Small, localised, and it removes the most visible ground-level failure indicator.
Rebuild sealant-patched flashing
Properly, with new step and counterflashing woven into the courses. Inspectors know what caulk over a failed flashing means.
Replace slipped and cracked tile
Cheap per tile and it protects the underlayment, which is the component whose remaining life the inspection is really assessing.
Treat organic growth
Gently — high-pressure washing cracks tile and drives water underneath. There are appropriate chemical methods.
Then get the wind mitigation done
Form OIR-B1-1802 was rewritten effective 1 April 2026. Credits are capped by statute at 88% of the windstorm portion of your premium. See our wind mitigation guide.
Get a free inspection first
So you know which list you are on — the cheap one or the replacement one — before you spend anything.
Insurance roof inspection FAQs
What makes a roof fail an insurance inspection?
Most commonly age. Florida carriers broadly restrict shingle roofs past 15 years and tile or metal past 25 regardless of condition. Beyond that: curling or lifted shingles, granule loss and bald patches, exposed or backed-out fasteners, damaged or sealant-patched flashing, slipped or cracked tile, organic growth, ponding on low-slope sections and evidence of poor prior repairs.
My roof failed because of age. Can I do anything?
Possibly. Under Florida Statute 627.7011 an insurer generally cannot refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age if an inspection certifies the roof has at least five years of useful life remaining. Ask your agent about it - many homeowners never learn the provision exists.
Will repairs satisfy the carrier?
If the letter cites specific defects, frequently yes and for far less than a replacement. If it cites age alone, repairs generally will not change the outcome - what does is a certified remaining-life inspection or a new roof plus a current wind mitigation report.
What is the cheapest thing I can fix before an inspection?
Pipe boots, at roughly $300 to $650 each. They are the most common defect on any Florida roof past ten years and simultaneously the leading leak source, so the money works twice.
Does algae or moss fail an inspection?
On shingle it is largely cosmetic but reads badly in a report. On tile it matters more, because organic growth holds moisture against the underlayment - which is the component whose remaining life is actually being assessed.
Should I pressure wash my roof before the inspection?
Not at high pressure, and on tile not at all. It cracks tile and drives water underneath, and the foot traffic causes its own damage. There are gentler chemical treatments appropriate for growth.
What is a four-point inspection?
A carrier-required inspection of roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, typically $100 to $200, usually required on older homes before a policy is written or renewed. The roof section gets a few minutes of a general inspector’s time, which is why a failed roof section deserves a proper roofing assessment afterwards.
Is a wind mitigation inspection the same thing?
No. A four-point assesses condition; wind mitigation documents construction features for premium credits on state form OIR-B1-1802. They are different inspections at different prices and you likely want both.
Can you do my insurance inspection?
We provide a free roofing condition inspection with photographs and a written remaining-life estimate, which many homeowners use with their agent. Formal four-point and wind mitigation forms are completed by licensed inspectors - and we will tell you plainly when that is what your carrier needs.
My policy was cancelled. What now?
Get the letter itemised first, then a free inspection so you know the real condition. An independent agent writing with multiple carriers may find one that will take your roof as it is. Replace because the roof needs it or the numbers work - not simply because a letter arrived.
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