In Florida, insurance is part of the price of a home. It goes into your monthly payment, your lender won't fund the loan without it, and the age of a roof or the year a house was built can change what you'll pay. That's why I tell buyers to think about Florida homeowners insurance for buyers as a step in the offer, not a chore for the week before closing.
I'm a REALTORĀ® with Keller Williams Coastal Living II, working with buyers across Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota, Parrish and Palmetto. I'm not an insurance agent, and this guide doesn't replace one. What it does is walk you through the 2026 numbers, the rules and the inspections that come up most often, with links to the original sources so you can check them yourself.
The 2026 Market Snapshot: Rates Are Easing
After several hard years, the Florida market has turned. A few data points, all from the state regulator and Citizens:
Rate filings are trending down. In its September 22, 2026 release, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) said the 30-day average homeowners rate request was ā4.8%, compared with ā1.1% a year earlier and +5.2% five years earlier. It also noted that the average approved rate in July 2022 was +15.33% (OIR, Sept. 22, 2026).
More decreases are getting approved. The same release announced approved decreases for four companies affecting more than 62,000 policies, and said that since January 2024, 48 companies had filed for decreases and 53 had filed for no change (OIR, Sept. 22, 2026).
New companies are entering. OIR reported in May that 20 new property and casualty insurers had entered Florida since the legislative reforms, bringing more than $850 million in new capital (OIR, May 20, 2026).
Citizens is shrinking. Citizens Property Insurance, the state-created insurer of last resort, reported 216,577 policies in force as of October 23, 2026, down from a peak of 1,407,805 on September 30, 2023 (Citizens, policies in force).
Easing rates don't mean every house will be cheap to insure. Your premium depends on the house, its roof, its location, the coverage and deductibles you choose, and the company. OIR itself encourages consumers to shop around (OIR, May 20, 2026). For week-to-week updates, see my rate-watch posts: Fed week and insurance cuts (Oct. 26), Citizens reopens (Oct. 12) and mortgage and insurance (Oct. 9).
What Citizens Costs in Manatee and Sarasota
Citizens publishes its approved rate changes by county, which gives buyers a useful public benchmark. Here are the 2026 averages for Citizens policies (Citizens, 2026 Approved Rate Changes by County, PDF):
Manatee County, homeowners (HO-3): 6,415 policies; average premium from $2,888 to $2,748 (ā4.8%).
Sarasota County, homeowners (HO-3): 9,090 policies; average premium from $3,134 to $2,901 (ā7.4%).
Statewide, homeowners (HO-3): average premium from $3,506 to $3,202 (ā8.7%).
All personal lines: Manatee from $2,596 to $2,516 (ā3.1%), Sarasota from $2,614 to $2,470 (ā5.5%), statewide from $2,943 to $2,768 (ā5.9%).
Citizens says its 2026 rates apply to new and renewal policies effective on or after July 1, 2026, with an average 8.8% decrease for homeowners multiperil policies and 5.1% for wind-only policies, and that the change varies by line, product and territory (Citizens, Apr. 30, 2026). These are averages for Citizens policies only. A private company's quote on the house you want could be higher or lower, so use these numbers as a starting point, not a budget.
How Citizens Eligibility Works
Citizens isn't a company you can simply pick because it's cheaper. For a primary residence, a new applicant isn't eligible for Citizens if an authorized private insurer offers coverage at its approved rate, unless that private premium is more than 20% higher than Citizens' premium for comparable coverage. The same 20% test applies at renewal (s. 627.351(6)(c)5.a., F.S.). For homes that aren't a primary residence, offers from approved surplus lines take-out insurers can count too (s. 627.351(6)(c)5.b.).
In practice, Citizens homeowners policies are placed through its clearinghouse, which presents offers from private carriers. A recent change matters for buyers: effective June 26, 2026, a private quote for an HO-3 or DP-3 policy is classified as "not comparable" if it doesn't offer replacement cost for roof loss settlement or doesn't provide at least $10,000 in non-weather water damage coverage. A quote that isn't comparable can't make a risk ineligible for Citizens based on price (Citizens, June 11, 2026).
Two more Citizens points to know:
Rewrites for a lower rate aren't allowed. Citizens says policies can't be canceled and rewritten to get around upcoming rate changes, and rewrites submitted only to get a lower rate will be canceled (Citizens, Apr. 30, 2026).
Binding can be suspended. Citizens suspended policy binding statewide for Tropical Storm Isaias at 11:05 a.m. ET on October 7, 2026, meaning agents couldn't bind new coverage (Citizens, Oct. 7, 2026), and lifted it at 5 a.m. ET on October 10 (Citizens, Oct. 10, 2026). I covered it in my Oct. 12 rate watch. It's one more reason to line up coverage early.
The 4-Point Inspection in Florida
A 4-point inspection is a short report on the four systems insurers worry about most: the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating and air conditioning. It isn't a full home inspection, and it doesn't replace one.
For Citizens, a 4-point inspection is required for property owner (homeowners), dwelling and mobile home applications on properties more than 20 years old, and it covers the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and the roof's age, type and condition. Hazards found must be repaired before you apply (Citizens, Inspections). Citizens' FAQ adds that the inspection must be done by a verifiable Florida-licensed inspector, such as a licensed contractor, building code inspector or home inspector, and that the requirement doesn't apply to tenant or condo unit policies (Citizens FAQ, updated Feb. 18, 2026). The report must be dated within the 12 months before the new-business application (Citizens FAQ, updated May 20, 2026).
Private insurers set their own age thresholds and forms, so ask the agent which reports each company wants. Many home inspectors can do a 4-point and a wind mitigation inspection at the same visit as your general inspection, which saves time inside a short inspection period.
Roof Age: What the Law Says and What Citizens Requires
The roof is often the biggest single factor in whether a Florida home is easy or hard to insure. State law sets a floor (s. 627.7011(5), F.S.):
An insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because of the roof's age if the roof is less than 15 years old.
For a roof that's at least 15 years old, the insurer must allow an inspection by an authorized inspector, at the homeowner's expense, before requiring replacement as a condition of coverage. It may not refuse coverage solely because of roof age if that inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life left.
A roof's age runs from the last date 100% of its surface was built or replaced.
Citizens has its own rule for older roofs. Shingle and other soft roofs over 25 years old, and tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roofs over 50 years old, need documentation from a Florida-licensed inspector showing at least 5 years of remaining useful life, or proof that the roof was fully replaced (Citizens, Inspections).
For a buyer, that means asking early for the roof permit date and any roof certification. If the roof is near the end of its life, you'll want to know before your inspection period ends, when you still have options.
Wind Mitigation Discount: The Report That Can Lower Your Premium
Florida requires insurers to include discounts, credits or deductible reductions for homes with features shown to reduce windstorm losses, such as features that improve roof strength, roof covering performance, roof-to-wall strength and opening protection (s. 627.0629, F.S.). Insurers must tell applicants about these discounts when the policy is issued and at every renewal, and they must accept the state's uniform mitigation verification form when it's signed by an authorized inspector (s. 627.711, F.S.).
What buyers should know about the form:
Ask the seller for an existing report. According to the Florida Department of Financial Services, a completed wind mitigation form is valid for up to 5 years as long as there are no material changes or inaccuracies (Florida DFS).
New inspections use the new form. DFS says inspections done on or after April 1, 2026 must use form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) (Florida DFS).
The report has to be accurate. Insurers may verify the form, and knowingly providing false information on it is a crime (s. 627.711).
The size of any discount depends on the house and the company, so there's no set dollar amount to count on. Ask each agent to quote with and without the report.
After you close: the state's My Safe Florida Home program offers free wind mitigation inspections and grants of up to $10,000 for improvements like roof work, impact windows and doors, garage door reinforcement and secondary water barriers, when funding is available (My Safe Florida Home). Eligibility rules require, among other things, that the home be owner-occupied with a homestead exemption. Grants are limited to homes built before January 1, 2008 with an insured value of $700,000 or less, and most applicants pay $1 for every $2 the state provides (s. 215.5586, F.S.). That makes it a program for after you own the home, not a closing-day solution. See my guide to Florida's homestead exemption.
Flood Insurance Is Separate Coverage
Most homeowners insurance policies don't cover flood damage (FloodSmart). Flood is a separate policy, and in Florida it's worth pricing on every home, not only those in a high-risk zone. My post on Florida's flood disclosure law explains what sellers must now tell you about past flooding and flood claims.
NFIP basics
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers homeowners up to $250,000 of building coverage and up to $100,000 for contents. NFIP rates don't vary from one agent or company to the next, and policies run for one year (FloodSmart). Items outside the building, like decks, pools and fences, generally aren't covered (FloodSmart).
The 30-day waiting period and the closing exception
An NFIP policy typically takes effect 30 days after purchase (FEMA FAQ). There's an important exception for buyers: when coverage is bought in connection with making, increasing, extending or renewing a loan, it takes effect at the loan closing, as long as you apply on or before closing and the full premium is paid within the required time (NFIP Flood Insurance Manual, Oct. 2025, PDF). If you wait until after closing to apply, the 30-day wait applies.
The same manual allows a seller to assign an existing NFIP policy to the buyer, which can preserve the current policy (NFIP Flood Insurance Manual). Ask the seller early whether they carry flood insurance and what it costs.
When a lender requires flood insurance
Federal law bars federally regulated and federally backed lenders from making a loan on a building in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area unless it's covered by flood insurance (NFIP Flood Insurance Manual). Your lender will check the flood zone. Don't assume a home outside the zone is free of flood risk.
Private flood
Florida law also allows private flood insurance, including policies written as standard, preferred, customized, flexible or supplemental coverage (s. 627.715, F.S.). Ask your agent to compare private and NFIP options, including the waiting period, the limits and whether your lender will accept the policy.
Citizens now requires flood coverage, too
If your home will be insured by Citizens, plan on flood insurance. State law requires Citizens personal residential policyholders to have flood coverage in place for policies effective on or after January 1, 2026 when the dwelling replacement cost is $400,000 or more, and on or after January 1, 2027 for all other personal residential properties. Homes in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area have needed flood coverage since 2023 (s. 627.351(6)(aa), F.S.). The statute exempts certain policies, including those without wind coverage and condo unit-owner policies. Citizens doesn't sell the flood policy itself; you buy it elsewhere.
What Your Lender Will Require
Every lender sets its own conditions, but many follow Fannie Mae's rules. Fannie Mae's Selling Guide requires coverage on a replacement-cost basis that includes windstorm, including named storms. Roofs must be insured but don't have to be covered at replacement cost. The maximum deductible is 5% of the coverage amount, and that 5% limit also applies to separate deductibles for a specific peril like windstorm (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B7-3-02). If a quote carries a higher hurricane deductible, ask your lender before you rely on it.
Buying in a condo or HOA community? Your policy needs differ, and the association's insurance affects your costs. See Buying a Home in a Florida HOA and my post on Florida's condo law (HB 913).
A Timeline for Binding Coverage Before Closing
Here's the order I suggest to buyers, built around a typical Florida contract:
Before you offer: Ask the listing agent for the roof permit date, the age of the AC and water heater, and any existing 4-point, wind mitigation or roof reports, plus an elevation certificate and any flood policy if the seller has one. Send the address to a licensed insurance agent for a rough quote, including flood.
Day 1 of the inspection period: Order your home inspection, and add a 4-point and wind mitigation inspection if they're needed or outdated.
Within the first week: Get written quotes from more than one company, or an independent agent who represents several, plus NFIP and private flood quotes. Confirm the deductibles meet your lender's rules.
Before the inspection period ends: Make sure the home is insurable at a cost that works in your budget. If the roof or another system is a problem, that's the time to negotiate or decide.
About two to three weeks before closing: Choose your policies and send the agent's information to your lender. Have flood coverage applied for on or before closing so the loan-closing exception can apply.
Before closing: Bind coverage effective on the closing date and confirm the lender and title company have the binder or declarations page. Watch the weather, since binding can be suspended when a storm threatens, as Citizens did in October.
New to the process overall? Start with How to Buy a House in Florida and my First-Time Home Buyer Guide for Manatee and Sarasota.
Printable Checklist: An Insurance-Ready Offer
Roof permit date and roof material (shingle, tile or metal)
Year built (homes over 20 years old need a 4-point for Citizens)
Existing wind mitigation report, and whether it's less than 5 years old
Existing 4-point report, and whether it's less than 12 months old
FEMA flood zone and elevation certificate, if available
Seller's flood policy and whether it can be assigned
Seller's flood disclosure
At least two homeowners quotes, with the same coverage and deductibles
Quotes with and without wind mitigation credits
NFIP and private flood quotes
Hurricane deductible checked against your lender's 5% limit
Replacement cost on the roof and non-weather water coverage on any private quote
Insurance cost added to your monthly payment estimate
Policy bound and sent to the lender before closing
FAQ
When should I get homeowners insurance quotes when buying a house in Florida?
As early as possible, ideally before you make an offer and no later than the first days of your inspection period. Florida premiums depend heavily on the roof, the age of the home's systems and its flood zone, so you'll want real quotes while you can still negotiate or walk away under your contract.
Do I need a 4-point inspection?
It depends on the home and the insurer. Citizens requires one for homeowners applications on properties more than 20 years old (Citizens, Inspections). Private companies set their own rules, so ask your agent.
How old can a roof be and still be insured?
Under state law, an insurer can't refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because of roof age if the roof is less than 15 years old, and for older roofs it must allow an inspection. It can't refuse solely because of age if that inspection shows at least 5 years of useful life left (s. 627.7011(5)). Each company still underwrites the home as a whole.
How much is the wind mitigation discount?
There's no fixed amount. Florida requires insurers to offer actuarially reasonable discounts for qualifying wind-resistant features (s. 627.0629), but the savings depend on the home and the company. Ask for quotes with and without the report.
Can I get Citizens insurance on a home I'm buying?
Only if the home qualifies. For a primary residence, you're generally not eligible if a private insurer offers coverage that costs no more than 20% above Citizens' comparable premium (s. 627.351(6)(c)5.a.). A licensed agent who is appointed with Citizens can check.
Is flood insurance required in Florida?
Not for every home, but a lender will require it for a home in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area with a federally backed loan, and Citizens is phasing in a flood requirement for all of its personal residential policyholders, reaching all policies effective on or after January 1, 2027 (s. 627.351(6)(aa)).
Does the 30-day flood waiting period delay my closing?
Usually not, if you plan ahead. NFIP coverage bought in connection with a new loan takes effect at closing when you apply on or before closing and the premium is paid on time (NFIP Flood Insurance Manual).
Keep Reading
For current prices and local trends, read the latest Market Pulse for October 2026. Relocating? See Moving to Lakewood Ranch, or browse all posts on the blog.
Why Work With Luis
I'm Luis Odon, a REALTORĀ® with Keller Williams Coastal Living II and a licensed Florida community association manager. When you're buying, I'll help you gather the roof, inspection and flood information insurers ask for before you write an offer, keep your inspection period on schedule, and connect the insurance cost to what the home really costs each month. Se habla espaƱol.
Want Insurance Answers Before You Offer?
Send me the address you're considering, and I'll help you pull together the roof, inspection and flood details a licensed insurance agent will need to quote it.
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Luis Odon, REALTORĀ® Ā· Keller Williams Coastal Living II Ā· (941) 993-8311 Ā· LuisfjosRealtor@gmail.com
This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Coverage, rates, underwriting rules and eligibility change and vary by company and property. Consult a licensed Florida insurance agent about your coverage, and a Florida real estate attorney about your contract. Premium figures are Citizens averages and may not reflect your quote. Statutes cited are the 2026 Florida Statutes. Information current as of October 27, 2026. Equal Housing Opportunity.
