How does a roof payment schedule endorsement change what insurance pays for my roof?

Policies and Coverage · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer. A roof payment schedule replaces normal replacement cost settlement for the roof with a table that pays a fixed percentage of the replacement cost based on the roof's age and material, usually only for wind and hail losses. An ACV roof endorsement does something similar by paying the roof's depreciated value. Either way, the older the roof, the smaller the check, and the reduction is generally not paid back after the work is done.

For years, a standard Georgia homeowners policy paid to replace a storm-damaged roof at today's prices, minus the deductible, as long as you completed the work. Many policies no longer work that way for the roof. Insurers have added endorsements that treat the roof differently from the rest of the house, and homeowners usually discover them on the day the first check arrives.

Two versions of the same idea

ACV roof endorsement. The roof is settled at actual cash value: replacement cost minus depreciation for age and condition. On a regular replacement cost claim, depreciation is held back and released once the job is finished. Under an ACV roof endorsement, the depreciation on the roof generally stays deducted. Iowa's insurance regulator puts it bluntly: an actual cash value roof payment will not replace the roof.

Roof payment schedule. Sometimes called a roof surfacing payment schedule, this is a table inside the endorsement. Rows are roof ages, columns are roofing materials, and each cell is a percentage of replacement cost. A new roof pays 100 percent. Asphalt shingle columns drop fastest, while metal, tile and slate usually decline more slowly. The percentage typically applies to everything in the roof replacement, including labor, overhead and profit, and taxes, and the endorsement defines which parts count as the roof. Most schedules apply only to wind and hail; other causes such as fire usually settle under the normal terms.

Both reduce what the roof portion of a claim pays. Interior damage from the same storm, such as wet drywall and ceilings, usually still settles under the rest of the policy, but read the endorsement to confirm.

A worked example

The numbers below are illustrative only. Real schedules vary by insurer and policy, and your deductible may apply differently.

Item (illustrative)	With a payment schedule	Without a schedule
Dwelling coverage (Coverage A)	$350,000	$350,000
Wind and hail deductible, 1 percent	$3,500	$3,500
Roof replacement cost	$15,000	$15,000
Roof age	12 years	12 years
Schedule percentage at 12 years (assumed)	52 percent	Not applicable
Roof amount allowed	$7,800	$15,000
Interior water damage, settled normally	$2,000	$2,000
Total before deductible	$9,800	$17,000
Insurer pays after deductible	$6,300	$13,500, part of it after the work is done
Homeowner pays toward a $17,000 repair	$10,700	$3,500

The $7,200 gap is exactly the 48 percent of the roof the schedule did not pay. An ACV roof endorsement can land in a similar place: straight-line depreciation of a 12-year-old roof over an assumed 25-year life also removes 48 percent. The example applies the deductible after the percentage, which is common, but check your form.

Five details that differ from one schedule to the next

Age steps. Some tables change every year; others use bands, such as one percentage for 6 to 10 years.
The floor. Schedules in public filings typically stop declining at a minimum percentage for the oldest roofs instead of reaching zero.
What counts as the roof. Some definitions reach underlayment, decking, vents, flashing and drip edge; others cover only the outer surface.
Deductible order. Whether the deductible comes off before or after the percentage changes the check.
Other structures. A detached garage or shed may be scheduled by its own roof age and material.

Roof age is the whole game

Because the percentage depends on age, the age the insurer uses matters more than any other number. Insurers typically rely on the installation year you gave when you bought the policy, permit records, or an inspection. If that year is wrong, the payment is wrong. Keep the replacement invoice, the permit, and the manufacturer warranty registration, and when you replace a roof, tell your insurer in writing and make sure the next declarations page shows the new date. Some endorsements require you to report a roof replacement within a set period.

Georgia notice rules when coverage shrinks at renewal

Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 33-24-46, defines a reduction in coverage as a change that removes coverage, reduces its scope, or adds an exclusion, and it requires a separate written notice at least 30 days before the change takes effect, with the words NOTICE OF REDUCTION IN COVERAGE in capital letters. The Insurance Commissioner reminded insurers of that requirement in Bulletin 24-EX-2. A schedule or ACV roof endorsement added at renewal looks like less coverage, so if one appeared without that notice, ask the Commissioner's Consumer Services Division whether the rules were followed.

What you can do now

Find it. Look at the endorsements list on your declarations page for words like roof surfacing, payment schedule, roof settlement, or actual cash value roof.
Get the full table. Ask your agent for the complete endorsement, not a summary, and find your roof's row and material column.
Price the alternative. Ask for a quote without the endorsement. Missouri's regulator, for one, encourages homeowners to compare how different insurers cover roofs before buying.
Plan for the gap. If your roof is in the steep part of the schedule, a claim may cover only part of a replacement. Some homeowners choose to replace an aging roof on their own schedule instead of waiting for a storm.
At claim time, confirm the roof age, the material column, the percentage used, and that interior damage was settled normally.

Never let a roofer "make up" the difference

A large uncovered gap is exactly when some contractors offer to absorb your deductible or inflate the estimate. Both are illegal in Georgia. Robust Roofing, known around Atlanta and North Georgia as the most reputable name in residential roofing, never waives deductibles, and it explains the math before any work starts. Its explainer on ACV versus RCV claims covers the second-check side, and its financing options exist for homeowners whose schedule leaves a real gap. To budget ahead, see how long roofs last in Georgia, and compare with our pages on ACV versus RCV and roof age and insurance.

Common questions

Is a roof payment schedule the same as depreciation?

They reach a similar result by different routes. Depreciation is calculated for your roof's age and condition, and on a replacement cost policy it is often recoverable after repairs. A payment schedule is a fixed percentage from a table, and the unpaid share is generally not recoverable.

Does the schedule apply to interior damage from the same storm?

Usually not. Most schedules apply to the roof surfacing only, and interior damage settles under the rest of the policy. The endorsement's definition of roof surfacing tells you exactly which parts are reduced.

Does a new roof reset the schedule?

It should, because the percentage is based on roof age. Report the replacement to your insurer in writing with the invoice and permit, and confirm the new installation date on your next declarations page.

Does a roof payment schedule apply to fire?

Most schedules apply only to windstorm or hail. Fire and other causes usually settle under the policy's regular loss settlement terms, but read your endorsement to be sure.

Can I get my policy without a roof payment schedule?

Sometimes. Ask your agent to quote coverage without it. Some insurers offer full replacement cost on the roof for a higher premium, while others only offer it on newer roofs.