What life expectancy do insurers use to depreciate a roof?
Typical ranges by material
- Three-tab asphalt shingles: commonly treated as about 20 to 25 years
- Architectural or laminated shingles: commonly 25 to 30 years
- Premium or designer shingles: often longer
- Metal roofing: commonly 40 years or more
- Clay or concrete tile and slate: often 50 years or more
- Low-slope roll roofing: much shorter
These are general ranges; your estimate may use different figures.
How life expectancy becomes depreciation
Divide the roof's age by the expected life to get the percentage. A 12-year-old architectural roof at a 30-year life is 40 percent depreciated; at a 25-year life it is 48 percent. On a typical roof, that difference in assumed life can move more than a thousand dollars between the first check and the holdback, or out of the claim entirely on an actual cash value roof.
Georgia realities
Heat, humidity, and poor attic ventilation shorten real-world shingle life in Georgia. An adjuster who sees granule loss or curling may rate condition below average, increasing depreciation. A well-ventilated roof in good shape may justify less.
Ask for the inputs
If depreciation looks heavy, ask what life expectancy, age, and condition were used, and confirm the shingle type was identified correctly.
Related: roof age and insurance, wear and tear vs hail damage, and ACV vs RCV.