2025 Homeowner Insurance Changes: What Kansas Homeowners Must Know About Roof Coverage
- Danielle Welch
- Apr 3
- 4 min read
If you're a Kansas homeowner, the 2025 changes in homeowner insurance policies could have a big impact on how your roof damage is covered this spring storm season. As a trusted local roofing contractor in Cowley and Sumner County, Hartley Roofing is here to help you understand how these changes affect your home—and what you can do to stay protected.
🌪️ What’s Changing in Homeowner Insurance Policies?
While every insurance company has its own rules, we’re seeing a clear trend across the board: coverage for older roofs is tightening. This is especially true for homes in storm-prone regions like South Central Kansas.
Here’s what homeowners need to know:
Older roofs may no longer qualify for full replacement coverage (Replacement Cost Value – RCV). Many insurers are flagging roofs over 10–15 years old and offering only limited protection—or requiring them to be replaced to maintain full coverage.
More policies are switching to Actual Cash Value (ACV). This means instead of receiving the full cost of a roof replacement, you're only paid the depreciated value—sometimes thousands less than expected.
Proof of roof age is often required. Homeowners may be asked to show invoices, permits, or inspection reports to verify when their roof was installed.
Deductibles are increasing—especially for hail and wind damage. Some policies are adding percentage-based deductibles that could cost you significantly more out of pocket after a storm.
🧾 What Is Replacement Cost Value (RCV) Roof Coverage?
Understanding the difference between RCV and ACV is essential in today’s changing insurance market. Here's how RCV works:
With Replacement Cost Value (RCV) coverage, your insurance pays to replace your roof at today’s cost, not its depreciated value. However, the process usually happens in two stages:
You receive an initial payment for the Actual Cash Value (ACV), which is the RCV minus depreciation and your deductible.
After the work is completed and you submit your final invoice, the insurance company releases the Recoverable Depreciation—the amount they withheld initially due to depreciation.
Formula:
RCV – Depreciation = ACV – Deductible = ACV Claim Settlement (Once the work is completed and invoiced, the depreciation is released as a second payment.)
🧮 What Is Actual Cash Value (ACV) Roof Coverage?
One of the biggest shifts in 2025 is the move from replacement cost coverage to ACV-only roof policies. With ACV, your insurer will only pay for the depreciated value of your roof—not the full cost to replace it.
Let’s say your 15-year-old roof was damaged in a hailstorm. If your shingles had a 30-year life expectancy, your insurance may subtract 50% for depreciation—leaving you with only half the funds to replace it.
Formula:
RCV – Depreciation = ACV – Deductible = ACV Claim Settlement
This can leave homeowners on the hook for thousands in unexpected costs.
That’s why understanding how roof depreciation affects insurance claims is so important. At Hartley Roofing, we walk you through what your policy means in real-world dollars—before a storm hits.
🔍 Why Now Is the Time to Review Your Policy
Too often, homeowners find out what their insurance doesn’t cover only after filing a claim. Don’t let that happen to you.
Now is the time to ask yourself:
Do I know how old my roof is—and can I prove it?
Have I read the fine print on my deductible?
Does my policy cover full replacement or ACV only?
Will my mortgage company require a new roof if my policy changes?
If you're unsure about the answers to any of these questions, it’s time to take action.
🛠️ How Hartley Roofing Helps Homeowners Navigate Insurance Changes
At Hartley Roofing, we do more than fix shingles—we help homeowners understand their options and protect their investment.
Here’s how we help:
✅ Free Roof Inspections & Condition Reports We assess your roof’s current state and provide documentation that may help with your insurance coverage.
✅ Help Verifying Roof Age Don’t have old paperwork? We may be able to help you track down roof history or provide visual assessments insurers will accept.
✅ Support During the Insurance Process We’re experienced in working alongside insurance adjusters to ensure your roof is fairly assessed after a storm.
✅ Local, Year-Round Service We’re not a fly-by-night company chasing storms. We live and work in Cowley and Sumner Counties—and we’re here when you need us most.
🎉 Bonus: Know Before You Need to Know
“The time to understand your insurance policy isn’t after a storm—it’s before.”
This is the core message we want every Kansas homeowner to hear.
Don’t wait until wind or hail damages your roof to find out that you’re underinsured. And definitely don’t assume that just because you've paid premiums for years, your policy has stayed the same.
📞 Let’s Get Ahead of the Storm—Together
Spring storms are coming, and now’s the time to get prepared. A quick inspection and policy review with Hartley Roofing could save you thousands in unexpected costs.
Call us today to schedule your free inspection and take the first step in protecting your home from what’s coming this spring.
Danny Hartley, Owner and CEO - Hartley Roofing
✔ Trusted. Local. Experienced.
✔ Serving Cowley & Sumner Counties
✔ 620-222-0226 | www.hartleyroofing.com
