The main purpose, and the only true purpose, is for insurance estimations. They represent the replacement value, or as the insurance companies refer to it, Actual Cash Value (ACV). Usually the ACV takes into consideration any taxes and the difficulty of finding a replacement. Along with photo and descriptive documentation, the price guide is where the insurance company turns when they need an accurate value on a claim. Even then, it's a guesstimate, but gives the insurance company a starting point during negotiations.
Bruce
