What Is Recoverable Depreciation?

Recoverable depreciation is the difference between an item or structure’s original value and its current value. To receive a payout for recoverable depreciation, you’ll need to carry replacement cost value coverage.

Kim Porter
Written byKim Porter
Kim Porter
Kim Porter
  • Co-authored the book “Future Millionaires’ Guidebook”

  • 13 years writing personal finance content

A former chief copy editor at Bankrate and past managing editor at Macmillan, Kim specializes in writing easy-to-understand, actionable personal finance content.

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Sarah Archambault
Sarah Archambault
  • Experienced personal finance writer

  • Background working with banks and insurance companies

Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.

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Updated July 12, 2024

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Recoverable depreciation is the difference between an item’s current value and the cost of replacing it. If your homeowners insurance policy includes replacement cost value (RCV) coverage, you can receive a payout for recoverable depreciation after filing a claim.

This feature reduces your out-of-pocket costs because the insurer gives you a larger amount of money to replace your belongings.[1] Here’s what to know about recoverable depreciation.

How recoverable depreciation works

If your homeowners insurance policy contains replacement cost value coverage, or RCV coverage, you can receive a payment for recoverable depreciation. The insurance company processes the claim in two parts.

First, you’ll submit a claim for the actual cash value (ACV) for your damaged or destroyed property, minus your deductible. If the company approves your claim, it’ll send you a payment for the actual cash value of your property.

After paying to repair or replace your property, you’ll submit proof to the insurer, usually in the form of an invoice or receipt. Your insurer will then reimburse you for the recoverable depreciation portion of the claim.

The company calculates the recoverable depreciation amount as the difference between the actual cash value and the cost to replace the item, which is reflected in your receipt.

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What is non-recoverable depreciation?

Non-recoverable depreciation is the amount of depreciation an insurance company won’t pay for.

If you have an actual cash value, or ACV coverage, home insurance policy, your insurer won’t compensate you for the full amount of replacing your damaged property after a loss. Instead, it’ll reimburse you only for the current value of your personal belongings.

Good to Know

Your insurer determines the cost of replacing your property and then decreases the value based on depreciation factors like age and condition.

How to calculate recoverable depreciation

Recoverable depreciation depends on information like the insured item’s initial value, its annual depreciation, and its current value, which is called the actual cash value. Calculating recoverable depreciation can help you figure out how much the insurance company may pay you after filing a claim.

For instance, let’s say you bought a refrigerator in 2019. Its initial cost is $2,000, and its useful lifespan is 12 years. You can calculate the fridge’s annual depreciation by dividing the total cost by its lifespan: $2,000 ÷ 12 years = $167 per year.

If a storm damages your refrigerator in 2024 and you want to submit a claim, the amount you receive from the insurance company depends on whether you have an ACV policy or RCV policy.

Actual cash value reimbursement

If your homeowners insurance policy covers actual cash value, then it’ll reimburse you for the destroyed item’s current value. The insurer calculates ACV by taking the initial value ($2,000) and subtracting the depreciation ($167 multiplied by five years).

The ACV of the fridge is calculated like this: $2,000 − ($167 × 5) = $1,165.

If the insurance company approves your claim, then you’ll receive a single check for $1,165 minus any deductible. For example, with a $500 deductible, the insurer would give you a check for $1,165 − $500 = $665.

Replacement cost value reimbursement

If your policy includes a recoverable depreciation clause, you can claim the depreciation of the refrigerator in addition to its ACV. In this example, you’d take the initial value ($2,000) and subtract the current value ($1,165) to arrive at the recoverable depreciation: $2,000 − $1,165 = $835.

The insurance company would send you an initial check for the actual cash value minus the deductible, for a total of $665. Then, after you buy a new refrigerator at current prices, you could submit the receipt to your insurance company. The insurer would reimburse you for the recoverable depreciation amount of $835.

You’d receive a total of $1,500 (the initial $665 ACV plus the additional amount of $835 to cover depreciation).

Do you need recoverable depreciation insurance?

If you purchase a policy that includes recoverable depreciation, you’ll typically receive a larger reimbursement after filing a claim. This could be a good option if you don’t have the money to purchase new items or make repairs at current market prices.

But the downside is that RCV policies are usually more expensive than ACV policies. So you’ll need to weigh the higher cost of the policy against the benefit of receiving a larger potential payout.[2]

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How to file a claim for recoverable depreciation

Each insurance company may have a different process for filing a claim for recoverable depreciation. Check with your insurer before getting started. But here’s what the general process may look like:[3]

  1. File your initial claim. The first step is filing a claim to cover the actual cash value of your property. Depending on the insurance company, you may be able to file the claim online, through an app, or with your insurance agent.

  2. Go through the appraisal process. An appraiser who works with the insurance company will appraise the damaged or destroyed property and then confirm the actual cash value of each item.

  3. Receive initial payment. If the insurance company approves your claim, it’ll send you a payment for the actual cash value of your property.

  4. Repair or replace your item. Depending on what happened to your item, you’ll either repair it or purchase a new item to replace whatever you lost.

  5. Submit proof of repairs or purchases. Send store receipts or signed contracts for repair work to your insurance company.

  6. Receive follow-up check. If the insurance company accepts the second part of your claim, then it’ll send you a check to cover the recoverable depreciation.

Recoverable depreciation FAQs

It may help to understand the difference between actual cash value vs. replacement cost coverage. If you still have questions about recoverable depreciation, read the answers to some of the most common questions homeowners ask below.

  • Do you get to keep recoverable depreciation?

    Yes, you typically receive a check that pays for the recoverable depreciation. The insurance company usually sends the check after you make the repairs or replace the destroyed item. Check with your insurance company or agent if you’re unsure.

  • What is an example of recoverable depreciation?

    Let’s say the actual cash value of a damaged roof is $10,000, but the cost of replacing it is $15,000. The recoverable depreciation is the difference between the depreciated value of the roof ($10,000) and the cost of replacing it ($15,000), which is $5,000.

  • Why does the contractor get the recoverable depreciation?

    If your insurance company approves your claim, it sends you a second check to cover the difference between the item’s current value and the cost of repairing it. You may receive the check, or the insurer may send it to the contractor who did the work. It may depend on the nature of the claim.

  • Why do insurance companies hold back depreciation?

    Insurance companies may hold back depreciation to help prevent insurance fraud. You’ll need to prove you’ve spent your first check on replacing or repairing your property. Then, the company will reimburse you for the remaining amount.

Sources

  1. Insurance Information Institute. "Settling insurance claims after a disaster."
  2. Insurance Information Institute. "Is Your Home Properly Insured? The Three Most Important Questions to Ask Your Insurer."
  3. Insurance Information Institute. "How to file a homeowners claim."
Kim Porter
Kim Porter

Kim Porter is a writer and editor who's been creating personal finance content since 2010. Before transitioning to full-time freelance writing in 2018, Kim was the chief copy editor at Bankrate, a managing editor at Macmillan, and co-author of the personal finance book "Future Millionaires' Guidebook." Her work has appeared in AARP's print magazine and on sites such as U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, NextAdvisor, Credit Karma, and more. Kim loves to bake and exercise in her free time, and she plans to run a half marathon on each continent.

Sarah Archambault
Sarah Archambault
  • Experienced personal finance writer

  • Background working with banks and insurance companies

Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.

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