Question: Is this a mistake by the adjuster to depreciate the fence by 90% in this case? It is non-recoverable. The fence doesn’t seem that old. How do they make the determination about the age of the fence?
Answer: In general, depreciation is based on the age and condition of the item. So, the better condition the item is in, the longer its life is expected.
A good idea would be to pull up the permit history of when the fence was installed. Try to figure out how much life is left in the fence. Ask a fence company to evaluate the remaining lifespan of the fence. In this case, seal and paint are repair methods, and repairs should have no depreciation. More concerning, The fence is not painted, wbich means painting it to hide the damage would. It be restoring to preloss condition. As such, if the fence is damaged, it will most likely have to be replaced.
Just because your insurance company says this is all they owe you, don’t take their word for it!
