Hail Season Is Here — What Your Roof Policy Actually Pays For

Ohio Valley hail season runs April through early August, and we see the same scene every year: a beat-up roof, a homeowner staring at a settlement check, and a question — "is this really all I get?"

The answer depends on three letters on your declarations page: ACV or RCV. Most people don't know which one they have until they have a claim. By then it's too late to switch.

ACV is Actual Cash Value. It pays you what your roof was worth *the day before the hail hit* — not what it costs to replace.

A 15-year-old asphalt roof on a $250,000 home might cost $14,000 to replace today. But under ACV, your carrier depreciates it. They might value the roof at $4,000 instead. After your deductible, you walk away with $2,500 on a $14,000 replacement.

That's not a misprint. ACV policies are cheaper for a reason.

RCV is Replacement Cost Value. It pays to replace the roof with a comparable new one — no depreciation. You'd get the full $14,000 (minus your deductible).

Most RCV policies pay in two steps:

• First check: the depreciated value (similar to what ACV would pay)
• Second check: the depreciation amount, once you've actually done the work and submitted receipts

That second check is yours to keep — as long as the work gets done. Cash check one and skip the repairs, you don't get check two.

Some carriers — especially for older roofs — have started adding *cosmetic hail damage exclusions*. The language is buried in your endorsements. What it means: if hail dents your shingles but doesn't actually compromise function, the carrier can deny the claim.

The roof can look beat up. You can have visible damage. And the answer is still "not covered."

If you haven't had your roof inspected by an independent contractor or inspector (not the one the carrier sends) after a hail event in the last few years, do it before you file. We've seen homeowners blow a claim because they took the carrier adjuster's word for "cosmetic only."

Before the next big storm:

• Pull your declarations page and look for either "ACV" or "RCV" on your dwelling coverage. Don't see it? Call us.
• Note your roof's age. Most carriers depreciate harder past 15 years; past 20, some won't even write RCV.
• Check your wind/hail deductible specifically. If it's a percentage instead of a flat dollar amount, run the math — a 2% deductible on a $300,000 home is $6,000 out of pocket per claim.
• Take photos of your roof from the ground right now, while it's intact. Date-stamped baseline photos save claims.

Want to know what your roof is actually covered for? Pull your dec page out, give us a call at our Elkins office, and we'll walk through it line by line. It's a 10-minute conversation that could save you $10,000 after the next storm.

*This is general information, not specific advice for your situation. Every policy is different.*