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Replacement Cost Insurance and the Issue of Matching

By Edward Eshoo, Jr.
December 28, 2006

The typical homeowner's property insurance policy 'loss settlement' provision provides that in the event of a covered loss to a dwelling, the insurer will pay the cost to repair or to replace without deduction for depreciation, but not exceeding the lesser of the following three amounts: (a) the limit of liability applicable to the dwelling; (b) the replacement cost of that part of the dwelling damaged (for like construction and use, or equivalent construction and use, or with comparable material and quality for the same use, or using materials of like kind and quality) on the same premises; or (c) the necessary amount actually spent to repair or to replace the damaged dwelling.

Situations may arise in a claim where the damaged building material does not match the undamaged material due to a host of reasons, including age, fading, obsolescence, deterioration, or size. The 'matching' issue typically comes up in determining 'that part of the dwelling damaged' in (b) above or in determining what is a 'necessary amount' spent for repair or replacement in (c) above.

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