The short answer: recoverable depreciation is the money your carrier holds back on a Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policy and releases after the roof work is completed and documented. It is often the largest single check in the claim — and it is forfeited if you miss the deadline or can’t prove the work was done.

What Recoverable Depreciation Means on a Roof Claim

Quick answer: Recoverable depreciation is the gap held back until replacement. Learn how it is released, what documentation is required, and what happens if repairs are not completed. See documented project evidence.

Three ways Georgia homeowners lose this money

• The deadline passes. Policies set a window — commonly 180 days to 2 years from the date of loss — to complete repairs and claim depreciation. Storm-season backlogs eat calendars. Know your date.
• The work is never done. If you pocket the ACV check and don’t replace the roof, the depreciation is gone — and the carrier now has a documented damaged roof on file at renewal time.
• The proof is thin. Carriers release depreciation against documentation: final invoice matching the scope, completion photos, sometimes a re-inspection. “It’s done, trust me” does not release an $8,000 check. A documented file does.

The trap inside the first check

Your ACV check is calculated from the carrier’s scope of work. If that scope is missing line items — drip edge, starter, ice-and-water at valleys, correct waste factor — then every number downstream is wrong: the first check is low, and the depreciation percentage is applied to a low total. Fixing the scope before work starts is the whole game. That is what the supplement process exists for, and it is why the ACV vs RCV math has to start from an accurate scope, not the first estimate that lands in your mailbox.

What we hand you

A photo-documented inspection file: every slope, every damaged component, measurements, and a line-item scope written the way carriers write them. When the roof is real and the scope is real, the depreciation conversation is paperwork. When the scope is wrong, the paperwork is where the money leaks. We also tell you when not to file — if the damage doesn’t support a claim, the honest answer is the cheapest one you’ll get.

By Richard Amir Nasser — HAAG-certified residential roof inspector (HCI 202210026), FAA Part 107 remote pilot, author of 33 books on roofing, claims, and documentation, including the Inspector Roofing Protocols™ series. Amazon Author Central.

The honest first step: a photo-documented roof inspection. You get the file the same day — labeled photos, measurements, and a written scope you can use with any carrier, any contractor, or no contractor at all. Call (678) 287-7169 or book online. If your roof doesn’t need work, we say so and leave.

Inspector Roofing documents observable roof conditions and roofing scope. We do not act as a public adjuster, interpret policy coverage, or promise claim outcomes. Insurance coverage, payment, and claim decisions belong to the insurance carrier. This page is educational, not legal advice.

Common questions

How long do I have to claim recoverable depreciation?

It depends on your policy — commonly 180 days to 2 years from the date of loss. Find the exact deadline in your policy or ask your agent in writing. Missing it forfeits the money.

What documentation releases recoverable depreciation?

Typically a final invoice matching the approved scope, proof of payment or completion, and photos of the finished work. Some carriers re-inspect. The cleaner the file, the faster the release.

Is recoverable depreciation taxable income?

Generally no — it is reimbursement for a loss, not income. For anything beyond the general rule, ask a tax professional; we document roofs, not tax positions.

Can my contractor collect the depreciation directly?

Carriers typically release it to the policyholder. Assignment-of-benefit arrangements exist but read them carefully — you should understand any document before signing it.

What if my claim is ACV-only?

Then there is no recoverable depreciation — the first check is the whole settlement. See our ACV vs RCV guide for Georgia for the full comparison.