Functional Replacement Cost: Its Origin, Evolution and Application

Adjusting Today Basis for Institutes CE Courses The Institutes, the leader in providing knowledge solutions for risk management and the property/casualty insurance industry, offers continuing education courses based on technical information compiled from issues of Adjusting Today. The courses — “Valuing a Property Insurance Claim” and “Natural Disasters: Coverage Issues”— include seven modules each and are approved for credit by insurance departments in most states. They are offered to property insurance producers, adjusters or both, depending on the state, for up to three continuing education credit hours per course. More information is available at CEU.com. CORPORATE OFFICE 126 Business Park Drive Utica, New York 13502 800.382.2468 Outside U.S. (315) 797.3035 FAX: (315) 272.2054 Editor@AdjustingToday.com Copyright © 2019 Rising Phoenix Holdings Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Adjusters International and the AI logo are registered trademarks of Rising Phoenix Holdings Corporation. Follow Adjusting Today on Facebook & Twitter: Facebook.com/AdjustersInternational Twitter.com/AdjustingToday ADJUSTING TODAY® is published as a public service by Adjusters International, Inc. It is provided for general information and is not intended to replace professional insurance, legal or financial advice for specific cases. ADJUSTINGTODAY® Adjust ingToday. com View our entire catalog of back issues, download PDF versions, subscribe and contact the editor. WEB ADDRESSES AdjustersInternational.com AdjustingToday.com PUBLISHER Ronald A. Cuccaro, SPPA EDITOR Sheila E. Salvatore AT19 3051 Mr. Harrington is an independent insurance writer and communications specialist. He served for over 20 years as communications director for the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS). His work has been published in Best’s Review, Rough Notes, publications of The Institutes, and elsewhere. Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU, ARP ABOUT THE AUTHOR ____________________ 1 Timoney Knox, LLP, “Being In The Minority – The Broad Evidence Rule,” accessed at http:// www.timoneyknox.com/blog-posts/being-in-the-minority-the-broad-evidence-rule. 2 June 2011 memorandum of opinion in the case of Ingrassia v. Erie Insurance Exchange, case no. 08-1758, Court of Common Pleas of Carbon County, Pa. This situation comes up more often when antique farm structures sustain severe damage. In the 18th and 19th centuries, farm buildings were commonly constructed with large supporting beams and no load-bearing walls. Today, following a loss, it can be more cost-effective to use smaller supports and shift some of the building weight onto the walls. As often as not, the latter type of construction is functionally equivalent for the current use of such buildings, many of which have become residences, small shops, or bed & breakfast facilities. Yet to forgo restoration of large beams seems to some to be a step too far in violating the architectural integrity of the building. It becomes a matter for negotiation. In light of the limits of functional cost replacement, agents, insureds and adjusters should strive to see that policyholders are credited for the maximum amount of actual cash value they can legitimately claim for damaged property before considering what it would take to replace it with functionally equivalent features.

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