Recoverable depreciation, finally explained.
If your insurer's first roof check came in lower than the estimate, you're seeing depreciation at work. Most of it is usually recoverable, you get it back once the job is done. Here's how ACV, RCV, and that second check actually work.
Leaving money on the table? Let's check.
The most common way homeowners lose their recoverable depreciation is by never completing the work or never submitting the final paperwork. A free inspection is the first step to getting the full amount.
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ACV vs RCV, in plain English.
Your policy is built on one of these two ideas. It decides whether you get the full cost to replace your roof, or only its depreciated value.
Actual Cash Value
ACV- What the roof is worth today, factoring in age and wear.
- Equals replacement cost minus depreciation.
- On an RCV policy, this is your first payment.
- An ACV-only policy stops here, no second check.
Replacement Cost Value
RCV- The full cost to replace the roof with like materials.
- No deduction for age or wear and tear.
- Paid in two parts: ACV first, depreciation after.
- The held-back part is your recoverable depreciation.
From estimate to final check.
On a replacement-cost policy, the money comes in stages. Here's the typical path, step by step.
RCV is estimated
The insurer sets the full replacement cost of the damage.
Depreciation held back
An amount for age and wear is set aside for now.
ACV paid first
You get RCV minus depreciation, minus your deductible.
Work completed
The roof is actually replaced by your contractor.
Depreciation recovered
Final invoice in, the held-back amount is released to you.
The math, with round numbers.
Numbers make this click. The figures below are a simple illustration, not a quote, your policy and actual amounts will be different.
Why the first check looks "short."
That first payment isn't the insurer low-balling you. It's the ACV, the depreciated value, paid before the work is done. The held-back 5,000 here is recoverable: you get it once the roof is replaced and the final invoice is submitted.
The only money you don't get back is your deductible. Skip the work or the paperwork, though, and the recoverable depreciation can be left unclaimed.
Documenting the damageGood documentation is what gets you the full amount.
Recoverable depreciation isn't automatic. It's released when the work is completed and the right paperwork reaches your insurer. Thorough documentation up front, and a clean final invoice at the end, is what keeps the second check on track.
- A detailed, photographed inspection of the damage
- A repair scope that matches the insurer's estimate
- The work actually completed, not just paid for
- A final invoice submitted to release the depreciation
Our own crewsWe do the work that unlocks the second check.
As your roofing contractor, we inspect, document, and complete the replacement, the steps that make recoverable depreciation payable. One customer summed up the experience simply: they paid their deductible and we worked with the insurance.
- Free, documented roof and exterior inspection
- A repair scope aligned to your insurer's process
- Quality replacement by our own crews
- A clean final invoice so nothing stalls the payout
If a check came in lower than expected.
Recoverable depreciation trips up a lot of homeowners. These are the situations where it matters most.
Got a smaller first check
Wondering why the payment didn't match the estimate.
Claim in progress
Want to make sure you recover everything you're owed.
Sitting on a check
Took the ACV but haven't done the work yet.
Older roof, big claim
An aging roof where depreciation is significant.
We make sure no second check gets left behind.
We've guided storm claims as a roofing contractor since 1979: document thoroughly, complete the work with our own crews, and submit the final paperwork that releases your recoverable depreciation. We tell you plainly what we can and can't do, so you always know the lay of the land.
Important: This page is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Buckshot is a licensed roofing contractor; we are not Iowa public adjusters, nor do we offer public adjusting services (Iowa Code §522C). We do not negotiate or settle insurance claims on your behalf or charge a percentage of any settlement.
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Q.01What is recoverable depreciation?+
Q.02What's the difference between ACV and RCV?+
Q.03Why was my first insurance check so low?+
Q.04How do I actually recover the depreciation?+
Q.05Is depreciation always recoverable?+
Q.06Does Buckshot handle the insurance side for me?+
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Buckshot General Contracting, family-owned since 1979. Headquartered at 621 N Sherman Ave, Suite B5, Madison, WI 53704, with a field office in Centerville, IA. WI Lic. DC-080900045 · IL Lic. 104017198. GAF Master Elite, FORTIFIED Provider, and BBB A+ accredited. This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice; the example figures are illustrative only and are not a quote or a prediction of any claim outcome. Buckshot is a licensed roofing contractor; we are not Iowa public adjusters, nor do we offer public adjusting services (Iowa Code §522C). We do not negotiate or settle insurance claims on your behalf or charge a percentage of any settlement. Coverage and recoverability depend on your individual policy. Credentials current as of publication.