Actual Cash Value is the insider jargon for the fair market value of a vehicle, less any necessary depreciation. ACV, for short, is the term used by insurance companies that are looking for the settlement value of a vehicle that has been deemed a total loss. The total loss threshold for a vehicle varies from carrier to carrier. Some companies begin considering a vehicle a total loss as low as 65% of the ACV while others will repair a vehicle up to 100%!!! Often is the case, the carrier will make a settlement offer on the lower end of the value spectrum. This practice leaves the vehicle owner with a potential underestimated value of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.