RCV vs. ACV, in plain English.

RCV — Replacement Cost Value

RCV policies pay what it actually costs to replace your roof today. They hold back "depreciation" at first, then release it — the recoverable depreciation — once the work is done and documented. With an RCV policy, your out-of-pocket is essentially just your deductible.

ACV — Actual Cash Value

ACV policies pay the depreciated value of your roof — replacement cost minus age and wear — and they don't give that depreciation back. With an ACV policy, filing a claim often isn't in your favor, because you'll have an additional out-of-pocket cost on top of your deductible.

If that's your policy, we'll tell you honestly — and we offer solutions to make an ACV policy easier to work with, so a replacement can still make sense for you.

Depreciation & the net claim

Once a claim is approved, the insurer issues the net claim — the total replacement cost minus depreciation minus your deductible. When materials are delivered, we collect the deductible; on completion we submit our certificate of completion and final estimate, and that's what triggers the insurer to release the recoverable depreciation — the rest of what's owed on an RCV policy.

The downgrade nobody warns you about

Here's something most homeowners never hear until it's too late: it's common for an insurer to switch your roof coverage from RCV to ACV — often around the 12-to-15-year mark of a roof's age — without making clear what that change means. One day you have full replacement coverage; the next, you're only covered for the depreciated value, and you may not even know it changed.

That's why, if your roof has the opportunity for a fair claim, it's best to take advantage of it — ideally roughly every 10 years where possible — while your coverage still works in your favor.