Replacement Cost

Replacement cost is a term referring to the amount of money a business must currently spend to replace an essential asset like a real estate property, an investment security, a lien, or another item, with one of the same or higher value. Sometimes referred to as a “replacement value”, a replacement cost may fluctuate, depending on factors such as the market value of the asset, and the expenses involved in preparing assets for use. Insurance companies routinely use replacement costs to determine the value of an insured item. Replacement costs are likewise ritually used by accountants, who rely on depreciation to expense the cost of an asset over its useful life. The practice of calculating a replacement cost is known as “replacement valuation”.