ACV vs RCV roof coverage: free payout calculator
RCV vs ACV roof coverage is the single setting that decides whether a hail claim pays $19,000 or $6,000. Plug in your roof age, material, and deductible to see the depreciation your insurer would hold back — and what an RCV policy would actually pay.
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Frequently asked questions
What is recoverable depreciation on a roof claim?
Recoverable depreciation is the dollar amount your insurer holds back from a roof claim because of the roof's age, but agrees to release once you actually replace it. On an RCV policy, the carrier first cuts you an ACV check (replacement cost minus depreciation, minus deductible). After you complete the work and submit invoices, they release the depreciation portion. On an ACV-only policy, that depreciation is gone for good — there is nothing to recover.
Why did insurance only pay actual cash value on my roof?
Most likely you have an ACV roof endorsement (sometimes called a Roof Surfacing Loss Settlement Endorsement, Roof Payment Schedule, or ACV Loss Settlement on Roof). Many carriers quietly switch older roofs — typically 10–15+ years — from RCV to ACV-only at renewal, even when the rest of the dwelling stays on RCV. Check your declarations page for any roof-specific endorsement.
What is an ACV roof endorsement?
An ACV roof endorsement is a clause that overrides your dwelling's replacement-cost setting for the roof surface only. Instead of paying the cost to install a new roof, the carrier pays the depreciated value based on the roof's age and remaining useful life. It is the single biggest reason homeowners get blindsided by a small payout after a hail or wind claim.
Learn more about ACV vs RCV roof claims
How this is calculated
Depreciation is calculated as (roof age ÷ useful life) using common carrier life-expectancy tables: asphalt 20 yrs, wood 25 yrs, metal/tile 50 yrs. Deductible is subtracted after depreciation. ACV out-of-pocket = depreciation + deductible — the gap between what the carrier pays and what a contractor charges to actually replace the roof. Carrier settlement may differ based on condition, ACV-only endorsements, and local labor rates.
More questions
What's the difference between ACV and RCV on a roof claim?
RCV (Replacement Cost Value) pays what it costs to install a comparable new roof today, minus your deductible. ACV (Actual Cash Value) subtracts depreciation for the age of the roof first, so the payout shrinks the older the roof gets. Many policies start as RCV but switch to ACV-only on roofs older than 10–15 years.
What is recoverable depreciation?
If you have an RCV policy, the carrier first pays you the ACV amount. After you actually complete repairs and submit invoices, they release the held-back depreciation — the difference between ACV and RCV. If your policy is ACV-only, there's nothing to recover.
How is roof depreciation calculated?
Most carriers use a straight-line model: useful life of the roof material divided by its current age. Asphalt shingle typically depreciates over 20 years; metal and tile over 50. A 10-year-old asphalt roof would be ~50% depreciated.
Does my deductible apply before or after depreciation?
After. The carrier calculates RCV or ACV first, then subtracts your deductible from that number. A high deductible plus heavy depreciation can leave you with very little net payout.
Why is my carrier offering less than this calculator shows?
Carriers may apply additional depreciation for condition (granule loss, prior repairs), use a different per-square cost, or invoke an ACV-only roof endorsement that overrides RCV. Have an independent advisor review the estimate before signing.
What is a roof depreciation calculator?
A roof depreciation calculator estimates how much value your roof has lost since installation — what the insurance industry calls actual cash value (ACV) depreciation. It takes the replacement cost of the roof, multiplies by the percentage of useful life that's been used up (age ÷ life expectancy), and outputs the dollar amount your insurer will hold back from a claim. This tool runs that math in real time as you change roof age, material, and replacement cost.
How much does a roof depreciate per year?
Straight-line depreciation per year = 100% ÷ useful life. Asphalt shingle: ~5%/year (20-year life). Wood shake: ~4%/year (25-year life). Metal and tile: ~2%/year (50-year life). A 12-year-old asphalt roof is roughly 60% depreciated; on a $20,000 replacement, that's $12,000 in depreciation the carrier will hold back on an ACV policy.
How do I calculate roof depreciation for an insurance claim?
Three steps: (1) get a contractor's replacement cost estimate (RCV), (2) calculate depreciation = RCV × (roof age ÷ useful life), (3) subtract depreciation and your deductible from RCV to get the ACV payout. If your policy is RCV (not ACV-only), the depreciation portion becomes recoverable — released after you complete the work and submit invoices.
How do I calculate my insurance claim payout?
For an RCV policy: payout = replacement cost − deductible (paid in two checks: ACV first, depreciation released after work is completed). For an ACV-only policy: payout = replacement cost − depreciation − deductible, and the depreciation is never recoverable. This calculator runs both scenarios side-by-side so you can see exactly what you'd net.
What's the difference between an insurance payout and a settlement?
An insurance payout is the dollar amount the carrier issues for a covered loss based on policy terms. A settlement is a negotiated final number — usually after a public adjuster, attorney, or appraisal process challenges the initial payout. On roof claims, the difference between the first check and a negotiated settlement is commonly 20–60% when an ACV-only endorsement or undervalued line-items were involved.
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