Indiana roof age and home insurance
Indiana has a written-notice rule for endorsements that cut homeowner coverage, such as a roof limit, and bars location or credit alone as a reason to nonrenew. We found no roof-age rule.
Short answer: Indiana: no roof-age rule found; coverage cuts by endorsement need a separate written notice, and location or credit alone can't end a policy.
2 of 7 topics have a rule we could quote. 9 points below, 7 from statute or rule text.
Seven topics, what we found in Indiana
No roof-age or house-age rule found in the pages we opened
Written notice, separate from the endorsement, when coverage is cut (IC 27-1-13-16)
IDOI guide: $500 is common; no wind or hail deductible rule found
No cosmetic-damage rule found in the pages we opened
No nonrenewal on location alone or credit alone (IC 27-2-17-5, 27-2-21-16)
No roof-based discount mandate found in the pages we opened
No right-to-repair or inspection rule found in the pages we opened
"Nothing found" means we opened the official pages listed below and the topic was not there. It does not mean Indiana has no rule.
In plain English
In the Indiana documents we opened, no section limits an insurer from refusing or nonrenewing a home because of roof age or house age. Indiana Code title 27 has a chapter on cancellation and nonrenewal, but its title says it is about commercial property and casualty insurance. We read it and set it aside for homeowners.
The most useful rule for a roof owner is IC 27-1-13-16. It covers a first-party property policy on a home of not more than four residential units, one of them the owner's main residence. If the insurer reduces, restricts or removes coverage through a rider or an endorsement, it must send the named insured a written notice. The notice must be part of a document separate from the endorsement, and it must set forth any options to repurchase the coverage. A limit that applies only to roofs, added mid-term or at renewal, is the kind of change a reader should check against this section.
Two sections limit single-reason nonrenewals. IC 27-2-17-5 says an insurer may not cancel or refuse to issue or renew based solely on the geographical location of the risk, though sound underwriting or actuarial principles remain a permitted basis. IC 27-2-21-16 says an insurer may not decline to renew a personal policy solely on the basis of credit information. Neither names roof condition.
The Department of Insurance's property page is a consumer guide, not a rule. It says most homeowners forms carry a $500 deductible and that a claim is settled on actual cash value when coverage is under 80% of replacement value. The statute text comes from old web.archive.org copies (the snapshot date is in each source link), so later amendments were not checked. This is a summary of public text, not legal advice.
What we found, with the exact words
9 points, 7 of them from the text of a statute or rule. Each quote was matched against the source page by a script, and the date is when it matched.
| Point | In short | Exact words from the source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which policies the notice rule covers Roof payment schedules |
IC 27-1-13-16 applies to first-party property policies on a home of up to four units, one of which is the owner's main residence. | “not more than four (4) residential units, one (1) of which is the principal place of residence” | IC 27-1-13-16(a) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| Written notice when coverage is cut by endorsement Roof payment schedules |
An insurer that cuts, restricts or removes coverage through a rider or endorsement must give the named insured written notice. A roof-limiting endorsement falls under this on its face. | “reduces, restricts, or removes, through a rider or an endorsement, coverage ... must provide to the named insured written notice” | IC 27-1-13-16(b) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| The notice must be a separate document Roof payment schedules |
The change notice cannot be buried in the endorsement itself. It has to be part of a document separate from the rider or endorsement. | “be part of a document that is separate from the rider or endorsement” | IC 27-1-13-16(b)(1) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| Notice must list ways to buy the coverage back Roof payment schedules |
The notice must set forth any options the named insured has to repurchase the coverage that was reduced, restricted or removed. | “set forth any options available to the named insured to repurchase the coverage that has been reduced, restricted, or removed” | IC 27-1-13-16(b)(7) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| Location alone is not a ground to cancel or refuse to renew Non-renewal and cancellation |
A property or casualty insurer may not cancel or refuse to issue or renew based solely on where the risk is located in Indiana. | “may not cancel or refuse to issue or renew a policy of property or casualty insurance based solely on the geographical location” | IC 27-2-17-5(b) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| Sound underwriting is still allowed Non-renewal and cancellation |
The same subsection says an insurer may still refuse to issue or renew, or cancel, on sound underwriting or actuarial principles. Roof condition is not named either way. | “does not preclude an insurer from refusing to issue or renew or from canceling a policy based on sound underwriting or actuarial principles” | IC 27-2-17-5(b) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| Credit information cannot be the sole reason to decline renewal Non-renewal and cancellation |
An insurer that uses credit information may not deny, cancel or decline to renew a personal policy solely on the basis of credit information. | “Deny, cancel, or decline to renew a personal insurance policy solely on the basis of credit information.” | IC 27-2-21-16(2) Statute. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 in an archived copy |
| State page on the standard deductible Percentage deductibles |
The Department says most homeowners forms carry a $500 deductible and that some deductibles can be raised or lowered by the policyholder. It gives no wind or hail deductible rule. | “There's a $500 deductible in most homeowners forms. This means that you would pay for the first $500 of all losses” | Indiana Department of Insurance, Property Insurance Regulator page. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 |
| Under-insuring the home can move a claim to actual cash value Roof payment schedules |
The Department says coverage below 80% of current replacement value means a claim is settled on actual cash value. It does not mention roofs specifically. | “If coverage is less than 80% of its current replacement value, a claim is settled on actual cash value” | Indiana Department of Insurance, Property Insurance Regulator page. Accessed 2026-10-09; quote matched 2026-10-09 |
When hail hits Indiana
Across 24 Indiana counties the NOAA file holds 1,020 hail reports (2014 to June 2026). Peak month: Mar. Largest stone reported: 4.0 inches. A percentage deductible matters most in the months with the tallest bars.
| County with the most reports | Reports | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 103 | 2.0 in |
| Allen County | 73 | 2.0 in |
| St. Joseph County | 61 | 2.5 in |
| Boone County | 59 | 2.5 in |
| Hamilton County | 58 | 2.5 in |
What a percentage deductible costs on your policy
Some policies set the wind or hail deductible as a percentage of the dwelling coverage. Put in the two numbers from your declarations page. This is plain multiplication; the rule above controls how the percentage may be used, not how much it is.
Depends on your policy. Enter both numbers to see the dollar amount you would pay first.
What changes for a homeowner
- If a renewal brings an endorsement that cuts roof coverage, look for a separate written notice. The law says the notice cannot live inside the endorsement.
- The notice must list any options to buy the coverage back, so ask for them before you sign.
- Where your house sits, by itself, is not a legal ground to cancel or refuse renewal. Underwriting reasons are still allowed.
- Your credit information, by itself, cannot be the only reason a policy is declined at renewal.
- If you carry less than 80% of replacement value, the Department says a claim is settled on actual cash value.
What to ask your insurer
Ask in writing and keep the replies. The box below turns these questions into a letter you can copy.
- Does my renewal include any rider or endorsement that reduces, restricts or removes coverage for the roof?
- Where is the separate written notice of that change, and which options do I have to repurchase the coverage?
- Is my roof paid on actual cash value or replacement cost, and where does the policy say so?
- What is my deductible for wind or hail, and is it a flat amount or a percentage?
- If you decline to renew, what sound underwriting reason will you give in writing?
- Is my dwelling limit at least 80% of current replacement value?
What we could not confirm
- Roof age, house age, percentage wind or hail deductibles, cosmetic damage, roof discounts and right-to-repair: IC 27-1-13, IC 27-2-17, IC 27-2-21, IC 27-1-31 and the IDOI property insurance page were opened; nothing found on these topics.
- IC 27-1-31 (cancellation and nonrenewal) is titled as commercial property and casualty insurance, so we did not use it for homeowners.
- The live iga.in.gov code pages need a browser, so statute text comes from archive copies dated 2010-06-21 (chapter 13) and 2007-06-27 (chapters 17 and 21). Later amendments were not checked.
- Indiana Administrative Code insurance rules and other IDOI pages on roofs were not found among the pages we opened.
Sources, with dates
- IC 27-1-13-16 (statute, accessed 2026-10-09)
- IC 27-2-17-5 (statute, accessed 2026-10-09)
- IC 27-2-21-16 (statute, accessed 2026-10-09)
- Indiana Department of Insurance, Property Insurance (regulator, accessed 2026-10-09)
Last verified 2026-10-09. For a complaint or a question about your own policy, contact the Indiana Department of Insurance.
Questions people ask
Does Indiana ban refusing a home because of roof age?
In the pages we opened, no. We found no roof-age or house-age rule in the Indiana Code sections or the Department page we read.
What must an insurer do if it cuts coverage by endorsement?
IC 27-1-13-16 says it must give the named insured written notice, as a document separate from the endorsement, that lists any options to repurchase the coverage.
Can an insurer refuse to renew because of where my house is?
Not solely for that reason under IC 27-2-17-5. The section still allows refusal on sound underwriting or actuarial principles.
What deductible does the state say is common?
The Department's page says there is a $500 deductible in most homeowners forms. It gives no rule on wind or hail deductibles.
Related pages
- FORTIFIED Roof incentives by state (no Indiana page yet)
- Roof age and insurance: the general guide
- Actual cash value or replacement cost for a roof
- All states
Other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington
Indiana cities we cover
Census data counts when homes were built, not when roofs were last replaced, so home age is only a rough guide to roof age.
| City | Median year homes were built | Homes built before 1980 | Roof age page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 1961 | 76.5% | How old are the roofs in Anderson |
| Bloomington | 1984 | 44.3% | How old are the roofs in Bloomington |
| Evansville | 1960 | 74.0% | How old are the roofs in Evansville |
| Fort Wayne | 1971 | 64.6% | How old are the roofs in Fort Wayne |
| Kokomo | 1966 | 67.0% | How old are the roofs in Kokomo |
| Lafayette | 1970 | 60.5% | How old are the roofs in Lafayette |
| Muncie | 1962 | 72.6% | How old are the roofs in Muncie |
| South Bend | 1955 | 79.4% | How old are the roofs in South Bend |
| Terre Haute | 1958 | 70.0% | How old are the roofs in Terre Haute |