What is depreciation release?
The carrier’s second payment, sent after the roof is completed and documented, that recovers the depreciation held back at first.
The depreciation release is the final check on a replacement-cost claim. After the carrier sees the certificate of completion and final invoice, they release the recoverable depreciation they withheld from the first payment.
This is real money that’s easy to lose track of. Once the roof is built, the job feels done — but if nobody submits the completion paperwork and follows up, the depreciation can sit unclaimed for months or never get collected at all.
Tracking which jobs are still owed a depreciation release, and chasing the paperwork that triggers it, is one of the highest-return habits in storm restoration. It’s money you already earned.