Insurance · claim payout
Roof insurance claim payout calculator (ACV vs RCV)
Once a roof claim is covered, the dollars come down to depreciation, your settlement basis, and your deductible. This estimates what you'll actually net — and what you'll still pay.
Estimate of how a claim settles — not a coverage determination or an offer. Your adjuster sets the actual depreciation, scope, and payout. Confirm your settlement basis and deductible on your declarations page.
Only damage from a covered cause is paid at all — check the coverage verdict tool first. This estimates the dollars once a claim is covered.
How the payout is built
Insurers start from the full replacement cost, then subtract depreciation based on your roof’s age relative to its expected life. That gives the actual cash value (ACV). Your deductible comes off next — often a separate, percentage-based wind/hail deductible — leaving your first check.
The settlement basis decides what happens to the depreciation that was withheld:
- ACV policy: you keep only that first, depreciated check. The older the roof, the less you get — and you fund the gap.
- RCV policy: the held-back recoverable depreciation is released once the new roof is installed and invoiced, so you recover the full cost minus just your deductible.
On a new roof, ACV and RCV pay the same (no depreciation yet). On a 15-year-old roof the gap can be many thousands of dollars. Check your declarations page for which basis your roof is on — many insurers quietly move older roofs to ACV-only.
We use straight-line depreciation by age fraction, capped at a salvage floor, and never let a payout go below zero. See the full methodology for the formula and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
How is a roof insurance payout calculated?
Start with the full replacement cost. Subtract age-based depreciation to get the actual cash value (ACV). Subtract your deductible — that’s your first check. If your policy is replacement cost value (RCV), the held-back depreciation is released once the work is completed and invoiced, so you ultimately recover the full cost minus the deductible.
What is the difference between ACV and RCV?
ACV pays only the depreciated value of the roof, so an older roof nets far less and you cover the rest out of pocket. RCV pays the full replacement cost minus your deductible, in two stages — an ACV check up front and the recoverable depreciation after the job is done. RCV policies cost more but pay far more on an older roof.
How much will I get for a 15-year-old roof?
On an ACV policy, a roof that is 15 of 20 expected years old is depreciated about 75%, so the payout is only about a quarter of replacement cost minus your deductible. On an RCV policy you would recover full cost minus deductible after completing the work. Use the calculator to model your roof’s age and life.
Is it worth filing if the payout barely beats my deductible?
Often not. A claim that pays little over the deductible still goes on your CLUE record and can raise premiums. The calculator shows your out-of-pocket so you can weigh it before filing — and check the cause is covered first.
Sources & methodology
- Insurance Information Institute (III) — what homeowners insurance covers & ACV vs replacement cost
- Actual cash value (ACV) vs replacement cost value (RCV) and roof depreciation — NAIC / state insurance departments
- Does homeowners insurance cover roof replacement? — Progressive
- Roof replacement & homeowners insurance (roof age, ACV schedules, wind/hail deductibles) — Policygenius
- Your state Department of Insurance — the authority on wind/hail deductibles, matching laws, and disputing a denial
Estimates compiled from the sources above and standard cost models — not professional, insurance, or legal advice, and may not reflect your policy or local prices. See our full methodology and disclaimer.