Before making an offer on an Orlando home, check whether the property is realistically insurable and what that insurance may cost. Roof age, older electrical or plumbing systems, flood exposure, previous claims, and missing inspection reports can all change the price of coverage, or make coverage harder to obtain.
Key Takeaways
- Get a preliminary homeowners insurance quote before making an offer when possible, or immediately after going under contract.
- Verify the roof age, condition, and permit history. In Florida, an older roof can have a major impact on insurance eligibility and pricing.
- Older electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and water-heater systems may trigger extra inspections, repairs, or higher premiums.
- A four-point inspection is commonly used by insurers for older homes, while a wind mitigation inspection can document features that may qualify the home for discounts.
- Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding from rising water. Check flood exposure separately even if the property is outside a high-risk FEMA flood zone.
- Compare the hurricane deductible as well as the annual premium. A lower premium can come with a much larger out-of-pocket deductible.
- Do not assume the seller’s current premium will be your premium. New buyers can receive very different quotes for the same property.
Why Insurance Should Be Checked Before You Make an Offer
Homeowners insurance in Orlando is not just something to arrange a few days before closing. The property itself can affect whether coverage is available, how much it costs, and how much home you can comfortably afford.
A home with an aging roof, outdated electrical panel, older plumbing, or limited wind-mitigation features can cost substantially more to insure than a newer home at the same purchase price. That higher premium becomes part of the monthly housing expense and can even affect mortgage qualification for buyers already close to their lending limits. The practical approach is simple: treat insurance as part of your pre-offer and due-diligence research, just like taxes, HOA fees, and the condition of the home.
Start With the Roof
For Florida insurers, the roof is one of the most important parts of the home. Before you make an offer, find out when it was installed, what material it uses, whether it was properly permitted, and whether there are signs of damage or deferred maintenance.
Under Florida Statute 627.7011, an insurer generally cannot refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old. For a roof that is 15 years or older, the law requires the insurer to allow an inspection by an authorized inspector at the homeowner’s expense, and if that inspection shows at least five years of remaining useful life, the insurer cannot refuse coverage based on age alone.
That said, the legal floor is not always the same as current market practice. Many carriers writing business in Florida have quietly tightened their own internal standards, and it is increasingly common to see asphalt shingle roofs flagged for closer scrutiny at 15 years even when the statute would still protect an inspected roof with useful life remaining. Tile and metal roofs are generally treated more favorably and can remain acceptable to insurers for considerably longer. The key word here is still verified. Do not rely only on a listing that says “newer roof” or on a seller’s memory of when it was replaced. Check the permit history through the applicable Orange County or municipal permitting system. A closed roof permit with a final inspection gives an insurance agent much better information to work with.
Check the Home’s Major Systems
Insurers also care about the systems most likely to cause a fire, water loss, or major property claim. In an older Orlando home, pay attention to the electrical panel and wiring, the plumbing supply and drain lines, the age and condition of the water heater, the HVAC system, and major additions, conversions, or renovations that may not have been permitted.
You do not need to become an expert in electrical panels or plumbing materials before buying a home. You do need to know whether an insurer is likely to flag something that will require repair or replacement before coverage can be issued.
Will the Home Need a Four-Point Inspection?
If you are considering an older home, a four-point inspection may be one of the most useful insurance checks you can order. Insurers commonly use it to evaluate the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.
This is different from a normal home inspection. A general inspection is designed to help you understand the property as a whole. A four-point inspection is specifically used by insurers to evaluate major systems that could affect eligibility for coverage. If the home has an aging roof, an outdated electrical panel, active plumbing leaks, or a non-functioning HVAC system, the insurer may require repairs before issuing the policy. Finding that out early gives you time to evaluate the cost and discuss repairs or other options before your due-diligence period ends.
Ask Whether There Is a Wind Mitigation Report
A wind mitigation inspection documents features that help a home resist wind damage. In Florida, verified wind-resistant features can qualify a property for insurance discounts.
The inspection can look at features such as roof shape, roof-to-wall connections, roof deck attachment, secondary water resistance, and protection for windows and other openings. You do not need to understand the construction details yourself, the important question is whether the property already has a valid report and what credits the insurer can apply. Ask the seller or listing agent whether a wind mitigation report is available. If it is current and the home has not undergone structural changes, it may help an insurance agent produce a more accurate quote quickly.
Check Flood Risk Separately
One of the most important distinctions for an Orlando buyer is that standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flooding caused by rising surface water. Flood insurance is separate.
Before making an offer, check the property’s FEMA flood zone and ask whether the home has experienced flooding or rising-water damage in the past. Florida sellers are also required to provide certain flood-related disclosures in residential transactions. Do not stop at the flood-zone label. A property in a lower-risk Zone X can still experience flooding from intense rainfall, overwhelmed drainage, nearby lakes or waterways, or retention areas. Orlando is inland, but inland does not mean flood-free.
If a lender requires flood insurance, or if you want it for additional protection, include that premium in your true monthly housing cost.
Look at the Hurricane Deductible, Not Just the Premium
Florida homeowners policies can have a separate hurricane deductible, often expressed as a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount.
For example, if the home is insured for $450,000 and the hurricane deductible is 2%, the deductible would be $9,000. A 5% deductible on the same dwelling amount would be $22,500. That is why the cheapest annual premium is not automatically the best deal. When comparing quotes, ask what you would actually have to pay out of pocket after covered hurricane damage.
Ask About Previous Insurance Claims
Previous claims tied to the property can affect underwriting, especially when they involve water damage, the roof, wind damage, or an unresolved repair.
Ask the seller about prior claims and, when a major loss occurred, request documentation showing that the damage was properly repaired. Roof work, structural repairs, and major system replacements should also be checked against permit records where permits were required. An open or unresolved claim can create problems for a new policy, so this is another issue that is better discovered during due diligence than during the final days before closing.
Do Not Rely on the Seller’s Current Insurance Premium
The seller may tell you that the home costs $2,000 or $3,000 a year to insure. Treat that as background information, not your budget.
The seller may have an older policy, grandfathered pricing, different coverage limits, or a carrier that is no longer offering the same terms to new customers. A new policy may also use a different replacement-cost estimate for the home. Two homes with the same $450,000 asking price can therefore have very different insurance costs. One may have a newer roof, modern wind-resistant construction, and updated systems. The other may have an older roof and major systems that create underwriting concerns. The purchase price alone will not show you that difference.
What If Citizens Are the Main Insurance Option?
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is Florida’s state-backed insurer of last resort. Some properties that are difficult to place with private insurers may qualify for Citizens, but the program has its own eligibility rules and requirements.
Under Citizens’ phased-in flood insurance requirement, as of January 1, 2026, personal residential policyholders with wind coverage and a dwelling value (Coverage A) of $400,000 or more must carry a flood insurance policy, regardless of the property’s flood zone, including lower-risk Zone X. That threshold started at $500,000 in 2025, and the requirement is scheduled to expand to every Citizens policy, regardless of value, by January 1, 2027. If preliminary quotes suggest Citizens may be the realistic option for the home, ask the insurance agent to explain the total cost of both homeowners and any required flood coverage before you commit to the purchase.
Questions to Ask Before Making an Offer
You do not need a full insurance investigation before every offer. Start with the questions most likely to reveal a problem: How old is the roof, and can that be confirmed through permit history rather than the seller’s estimate? Are there existing four-point or wind mitigation reports? How old are the major systems, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and the water heater? Has the property ever flooded, based on both the seller’s disclosure and FEMA flood-zone information? Has the home had major insurance claims, particularly involving roof, water, wind, or flood damage? Are additions and major renovations permitted? Is the property currently insured through a private carrier or Citizens? And can I get a preliminary quote now, rather than relying on the seller’s existing premium?
Get an Insurance Quote Early
A preliminary quote does not require you to own the property. An insurance agent or broker can often start with the address, year built, square footage, roof information, permit history, and any available wind mitigation or four-point reports.
When possible, get that estimate before submitting the offer. If timing does not allow it, make insurance one of the first items you investigate after the contract is accepted and while your inspection or due-diligence rights are still active. Remember that a preliminary quote can change after an inspection or underwriting review. The goal is not to predict the premium perfectly. It is to catch obvious insurance problems before they become closing problems.
Pre-Offer Insurance Checklist for Orlando Buyers
Verify the roof age and permit history, check the FEMA flood zone and ask about past flooding, and request any existing wind mitigation and four-point reports. Identify the age and condition of the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and water heater, ask about previous insurance claims and major repairs, and confirm that major additions and renovations were properly permitted. Get a preliminary homeowners insurance quote, review the hurricane deductible as well as the annual premium, and add homeowners insurance and any needed flood insurance to your monthly housing budget. Finally, discuss appropriate due-diligence and contract protections with your real estate professional or attorney when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an insurer deny coverage just because a roof is old in Florida?
Not solely based on age if the roof is under 15 years old. For roofs 15 years or older, the law requires the insurer to allow an inspection, and coverage cannot be refused solely on age if that inspection shows at least five years of remaining useful life. In practice, many carriers have tightened their own internal standards around that same 15-year mark, especially for asphalt shingle roofs.
Does Orlando need flood insurance if it’s not in a high-risk flood zone?
It’s worth checking regardless. Zone X is lower risk, not flood-free, and Orlando has experienced inland flooding from intense rainfall and overwhelmed drainage. If the home is insured through Citizens with $400,000 or more in dwelling coverage, flood insurance is now required as of January 1, 2026, regardless of flood zone.
What’s the difference between a four-point inspection and a regular home inspection?
A general home inspection evaluates the property as a whole. A four-point inspection specifically evaluates the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, the areas insurers most commonly use to determine eligibility for coverage on an older home.
Why does the hurricane deductible matter as much as the premium?
Because it’s often a percentage of dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount. On a $450,000 home, a 5% hurricane deductible works out to $22,500 out of pocket, so a lower annual premium can still mean a much larger bill after storm damage.
Should I trust the seller’s current insurance premium as my likely cost?
No. The seller may have older, grandfathered pricing, different coverage limits, or a carrier no longer offering the same terms to new customers. Get a property-specific preliminary quote instead of budgeting around what the seller currently pays.
Making Insurance Part of Your Orlando Home Search With Fannie Hillman
A home can look affordable based on its price and mortgage payment but become much more expensive once insurance is factored in. In Orlando, the roof, major systems, wind protection, flood exposure, and claims history can all influence the final cost of coverage.
You do not need to solve every insurance question before making an offer. You do need enough information to spot a property that may be unusually expensive or difficult to insure. Since 1981, Fannie Hillman + Associates has helped Orlando buyers verify these property-specific costs early, before they become a surprise at closing. Connect with our team to talk through the insurance-related risks and costs of a specific property before you make an offer.
