Florida Moves to Tighten Engineering Standards for Roof and Property Damage Claims

Complaints about questionable engineering reports have mounted in Florida insurance litigation, with allegations that some engineers attribute major roof and structural damage to minor wind events without adequate investigation. According to veteran engineers and attorneys, these reports often rely on selective research, misapplied studies, or secondhand documentation, creating costly disputes for insurers and insureds alike. The issue has been especially pronounced in roof claims, including tile systems, which have long been a flashpoint in Florida property losses.

In response, the Florida Board of Professional Engineers is drafting a new chapter of responsibility rules that would specifically govern how engineers evaluate and document damage to existing buildings. Unlike current rules, which focus largely on design standards for new construction, the proposed framework lays out detailed requirements for inspections, causation analysis, and reporting protocols. Board officials and engineers say the lack of such standards has made discipline difficult, even when complaints appear credible.

Under the draft rules, engineers preparing damage reports for insurance claims would need to clearly identify the mechanism of failure, cite applicable building codes and industry standards, document the specific weather event involved, and verify information gathered by delegated staff. Roof reports would face additional scrutiny, including requirements to reference published research, document testing such as uplift resistance, and explain how observed damage relates to wind forces rather than age, wear, or prior repairs. Evaluations would also need to align with established guidelines from organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers.

For claims adjusters, the proposed rules could materially change how engineering reports are evaluated and challenged. More detailed documentation may strengthen defensibility against inflated or unsupported claims, but could also increase upfront investigation costs and timelines. If adopted, the rules may help reduce reliance on volume-driven expert reports while placing greater emphasis on qualifications, site-specific analysis, and verifiable data. The draft regulations are still subject to public comment, revision, and possible legislative review, meaning their ultimate impact on Florida property claims may not be clear for months.