You expect your homeowners insurance policy to help you recover from a catastrophe by providing you with enough cash to replace anything damaged or destroyed in such an event.

However, read your policy carefully. You may not have the protection you think you do.

"It is standard for most homeowners policies to cover only the actual structure of the house -- not its contents -- for replacement cost value," says Don Griffin, assistant vice president of business and personal lines at the National Association of Independent Insurers.

Unless your policy specifically states otherwise, your home's contents usually are covered only for "actual cash value."

So what's the difference?

Replacement cost or actual cash value?
When you file a homeowners claim, the insurance company calculates how much to pay you by evaluating the cost to replace your property with new property of the same kind and quality. But here's the critical distinction: If your policy covers your personal property (your home's contents) for its actual cash value, the insurance company deducts depreciation from your personal property's overall value before arriving at a figure.

Your check will usually be less, sometimes significantly less, than the amount it will cost to restore, repair or replace the damage or loss. However, if you have replacement cost coverage, the insurance company will pay what it costs to repair or replace your damaged possessions at today's prices without deducting for depreciation.

While actual cash value language is standard, most insurance companies offer replacement cost coverage as an option.

"Cost depends on the individual insurance company and its experience in a given area," says Griffin. "Generally replacement cost coverage runs about 10 percent more per year than actual-cash value coverage, depending on the type of property. Renters replacement cost coverage, for example, can be about 20 percent more than actual cash value coverage."

"Going with actual cash value coverage is a way to save some money at the front end for the homeowner, if that's the homeowner's key concern. However, in this day and age, most agents recommend (replacement cost coverage)," Griffin says.

You need to weigh the additional cost of replacement coverage against the potential for additional cash outlay should disaster strike. Without it, you will have to cover the gap between the cost of replacing a damaged item and the amount the insurance will pay toward that total value, once it has deducted for depreciation. The longer you own your house or personal property, the more depreciation becomes an issue and replacement cost coverage becomes more critical.