Can you get home insurance with an old roof in Michigan? Usually, yes, but it's getting harder. In our office, roofs over 20 years old have become one of the most common underwriting problems we run into when we quote a home. Some carriers won't take a new home policy with an older roof, some want an inspection or photos, and many pay roof claims differently as the roof ages. Knowing where you stand before your renewal, or before you shop, saves a lot of trouble.
The short version: Know your roof's installation year and keep the paperwork. Find out how your current policy pays for roof damage. If your roof is past 20 years and in fair shape, an independent agent can match you with a carrier that still writes it. If it's near the end of its life, replacing it often opens up better companies and better roof coverage.
Why 20 years is the line
Roofs are where many homeowners claims start, and Midwest homes have some of the oldest roofs in the country: 17% of Midwest residential roofs are 31 years or older, according to Verisk's 2026 roofing report, which also put the average roof replacement at $17,631. Carriers have responded by looking harder at roof age and condition.
Twenty years is also roughly where an ordinary shingle roof wears out. The home inspectors' association InterNACHI lists typical life expectancy at about 20 years for 3-tab asphalt shingles and about 30 years for architectural (laminated) shingles, with weather, ventilation and maintenance moving that in either direction. A 22-year-old architectural roof in good shape is a very different risk from a 22-year-old 3-tab roof that's curling and losing granules.
What carriers are doing with older roofs
- Declining new business. Some companies won't write a new home policy once the roof passes a certain age. It's a common surprise when people shop on their own.
- Inspections and aerial images. Many carriers order an inspection or review aerial imagery at new business or renewal.
- Roof payment schedules. Some policies pay wind and hail damage to the roof surfacing on a schedule that drops as the roof ages. ISO's version (HO 06 46) pays full replacement cost on roofs up to four years old and a declining percentage after that.
- Actual cash value on the roof. Some policies settle wind and hail damage to roof surfacing at actual cash value (ISO HO 04 93), which deducts depreciation.
- Cosmetic damage exclusions. Some policies exclude wind or hail damage that only affects appearance, such as dents or marks, without affecting the roof's ability to keep water out (ISO HO 06 44; HO 06 43 is a broader version).
Companies differ a lot here. The carriers we represent include companies that pay replacement cost on the roof, companies that use a payment schedule by roof age, and companies that pay roof damage at actual cash value. With an older roof, that difference can be thousands of dollars on a claim, so it belongs in the price comparison.
What Michigan law allows
Michigan's Essential Insurance Act limits why a home insurer can decline or drop an owner-occupied home. Rules based on physical condition have to be objective, related to the perils insured, and based on a code, a manufacturer's specification or a similar standard, "without regard to the age of the structure" (MCL 500.2117). The statute doesn't mention roofs specifically. Our read is that a roof's documented condition is fair game, while age alone is on weaker ground. The Department of Insurance and Financial Services has also said that cosmetic roof issues, like discoloration or streaking, aren't valid grounds to cancel or non-renew, and that if aerial images are used to cancel or non-renew, the homeowner should get copies and a chance to challenge them (DIFS Bulletin 2025-12-INS).
Two limits on that protection: insurers can still use approved roof-settlement endorsements, so it won't necessarily change how a roof claim gets paid, and it doesn't stop roof age from affecting your price. If you receive a non-renewal, Michigan law requires the notice to state each specific reason (MCL 500.2123); our post on what to do about a non-renewal notice covers next steps.
Selling or buying a home with an old roof
A buyer's lender may care, too. For an FHA loan, HUD's appraisal handbook requires the appraiser to flag a roof that doesn't have at least two years of remaining physical life and to make the appraisal subject to a roofer's inspection. And a buyer will need to insure the home: if the roof keeps carriers away, that shows up during the sale. Our home buyer's insurance checklist covers what to check before closing.
What to do if your roof is over 20 years old
- Find the installation year. Check your records, the roofer's invoice or the permit. Make sure your declarations page shows the right year.
- Read how your roof is covered. Look for roof payment schedule, actual cash value roof or cosmetic damage endorsements on your declarations page.
- Get an honest roofer's opinion. Remaining life and condition matter more than the birth year. Fix small problems before an inspector finds them.
- Shop before you're forced to. It's easier to move to a company that still writes your roof while your current policy is in force than after a non-renewal.
- Plan the replacement. A new roof is one of the few things that can move you into a better program. See does a new roof lower your home insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get homeowners insurance with a 20-year-old roof in Michigan?
Usually, but with fewer companies. Some carriers decline new policies on older roofs, some require an inspection, and others write them with a roof payment schedule or actual cash value roof coverage. An independent agent who represents many carriers can find which ones will still write your home.
Can my insurance company drop me because my roof is old?
Michigan law requires condition-based rules to be objective, tied to the perils insured and based on a code or manufacturer standard, "without regard to the age of the structure." A roof's documented condition can still be a valid reason. Cosmetic discoloration or streaking is not, according to the state's insurance regulator.
How long does a roof last in Michigan?
InterNACHI's life-expectancy chart lists about 20 years for 3-tab asphalt shingles and about 30 for architectural shingles. Weather, ventilation, installation quality and maintenance can shorten or extend that.
What is a roof payment schedule?
An endorsement that pays wind and hail damage to the roof surfacing at a percentage of replacement cost that drops as the roof ages. Under ISO's version, roofs up to four years old get full replacement cost, and older roofs get less. Not every carrier uses one.
Should I replace my roof before I shop for home insurance?
If it's near the end of its life, often yes. A new roof can qualify you for more companies and better roof coverage. If it has years left, an independent agent can usually find a carrier that will write it now.
The bottom line
An older roof doesn't make your home uninsurable, but it narrows your choices and can change how a claim pays. The worst time to find that out is after a storm or a non-renewal letter.
J. Jacobs & Associates is an independent agency in Lake Orion that has insured Michigan homes since 1981. We represent more than twenty carriers, and we know which ones still write older roofs and how each one pays a roof claim. Send us your declarations page and your roof's installation year, or call (248) 693-6455. You can also start a homeowners quote online.