Roof inspections in Bartow, FL

Under Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), an insurer cannot refuse to write or renew a homeowner's policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old. After that mark, you may hire an authorized inspector to examine the roof, paying for it yourself, before any replacement is required. Bartow's 65-and-older residents, 16.5 percent of the town, often meet this rule at renewal time.

A report showing 5 or more years of useful life protects you from a refusal or non-renewal based only on roof age. The statute covers homeowner policies issued or renewed from July 1, 2022 forward. Senate staff note it does not reach mobile home policies, so owners of Bartow's mobile homes should ask their agent how their policy handles roof age.

The roof portion of the 4-point form records covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, last permit date, any partial replacement, overall condition and a list of damage items. Citizens requires the 4-point inspection for homes more than 20 years old, and by our arithmetic, a house built in 1979 is already past that line.

• Shingle cracking, curling, granule loss, exposed felt and missing tabs or tiles
• Soft decking and attic leaks you cannot see from the ground
• Permit history and what share of the roof was replaced in the past

Order one when you buy or sell, when your insurer asks about roof age, and after a storm. Hurricane Ian put a 78 mph gust on Bartow in 2022, and Polk County recorded 192 structures with major damage. A roof can leak long before a stain shows indoors.

Florida bars a roofer from offering anything of value for an inspection or a claim under Fla. Stat. 489.147, and from advising on what your policy covers. Your insurer or agent is the right place for any coverage question. Also note the deadline: a new claim must reach the insurer within 1 year of the date of loss.