How the math works
For each line, depreciation is age ÷ expected life × replacement cost, capped at the ceiling you choose. Actual cash value (ACV) is replacement cost minus depreciation. Most replacement-cost policies pay ACV minus the deductible first, then release the depreciation once repairs are finished and documented.
The repair window
Policies usually give a set number of days to complete repairs and claim the holdback, and some allow an extension if you ask in writing before it runs out. Enter your policy’s figure and the date of the first check to see the target date. Finishing on time matters more in West Virginia than many owners expect: contractors are stretched thin after a statewide event like a derecho, and materials for slate or standing-seam roofs can take weeks to arrive in rural counties.
Where depreciation disputes start
- Labor depreciated along with materials, where the policy may not allow it.
- Expected lives that are too short for metal roofing, brick or hardwood.
- Items depreciated that were nearly new, or a roof aged from the house rather than from its last replacement.
Example figures are illustrative.
Questions about this tool
Can depreciation itself be appraised?
Often the amount of loss includes both replacement cost and actual cash value, so a panel may set both. Read your policy’s appraisal wording and the award form carefully.
What if my policy is ACV-only?
Tick the ACV-only box. There is no holdback to recover, so the first check is the settlement, less the deductible.