How to Read Your Xactimate Estimate: A Consumer-Friendly Line-by-Line Guide

What You're Looking At

If you have filed a homeowners insurance claim, your insurance company will almost certainly send you a document that looks like a spreadsheet full of codes, abbreviations, and numbers. This document is an Xactimate estimate — and understanding it is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself during the claims process.

Xactimateis a software program developed by Verisk Analytics that has become the insurance industry's standard tool for estimating the cost of property repairs. When your adjuster inspects your home and then sends you "the estimate," what you receive is a PDF printout generated by this software. Every line on that document represents a specific repair task with specific pricing — a unit of work, a quantity, and a dollar amount.

The problem is that Xactimate estimates are designed to be read by insurance professionals, not homeowners. The abbreviations are cryptic. The structure is unfamiliar. And the sheer volume of line items can be overwhelming. Many policyholders glance at the bottom-line number, compare it to their deductible, and never look further. That is exactly what an underpaying carrier is counting on.

This guide will walk you through an Xactimate estimate section by section, explain what every column means, and show you what to look for so you can determine whether the estimate is fair or whether important items have been left out.

The Header Section

The top of your Xactimate estimate contains identifying information about your claim. While this may seem like routine paperwork, several of these fields have direct financial consequences that most policyholders overlook.

Insured Name and Property Address

Your name and the address of the damaged property will appear at the top. Verify that these are correct. Errors in the property address can occasionally indicate that the adjuster confused your file with another claim — it happens more often than you might think, especially during catastrophe events when adjusters are handling dozens of claims simultaneously.

Claim Number and Date of Loss

The claim number is your insurance company's internal tracking number. The date of loss is the date the damage occurred. Make sure the date of loss is correct, because it affects which policy provisions apply and can influence your claim deadlines.

Price List Date and Region

This is one of the most important — and most frequently manipulated — fields on the entire estimate. Xactimate maintains databases of labor and material prices that are updated monthly for each geographic region. The "price list" field tells you which month's prices and which geographic area the adjuster used when building your estimate.

Why does this matter? Because construction costs change over time, and they vary significantly by location. If your loss occurred in June 2025 in Los Angeles, but the adjuster used a price list from January 2024 in a less expensive neighboring region, every single line item on your estimate will be priced lower than it should be. The effect compounds across the entire estimate — a stale or mismatched price list can reduce a claim by thousands of dollars without changing a single line item.

For a deeper dive into how price list dates affect your claim, see our dedicated article on the topic. The key takeaway: always check that the price list date is current and that the region matches your property's actual location.

Type of Estimate

Some estimates will indicate whether they are an Actual Cash Value (ACV) or Replacement Cost Value (RCV) estimate. If the header says "ACV," the insurer has already subtracted depreciation from the totals. If it says "RCV," the totals reflect the full cost of repairs before depreciation. Understanding the difference between ACV and RCV is essential to evaluating whether your payment is correct.

The Room and Area Structure

Xactimate estimates are organized by room or area. Each section of your home that has damage will have its own grouping of line items. You will see headers like "Kitchen," "Master Bedroom," "Hall Bath," "Exterior," "Roof," "Garage," or similar labels.

Within each room section, the estimate lists every repair task that the adjuster believes is necessary for that specific area. For example, the "Kitchen" section might include line items for removing and replacing drywall, painting, removing and resetting appliances, replacing flooring, and so on.

This room-by-room structure is important because it allows you to compare the estimate against your actual home. Walk through your property with the estimate in hand and ask yourself: is every damaged room listed? Are all the damaged components within each room accounted for? One of the most common shortcomings in carrier estimates is the complete omission of entire rooms or areas that sustained damage.

You may also see sections labeled "General" or "General Conditions." These sections contain items that apply to the project as a whole rather than to a specific room — things like dumpster rental, building permits, final cleaning, or general demolition. If these sections are missing from your estimate, that is worth investigating.

Anatomy of a Line Item

Each line item in your Xactimate estimate represents a single repair task. Understanding how to read a line item is the key to understanding the entire estimate. Here is what each column means.

The Line Item Code

Every repair task in Xactimate has a unique code — a short abbreviation that identifies the specific type of work. For example:

• DRY— Drywall-related items (hanging, finishing, texturing)
• RFC— Roofing-related items (shingles, underlayment, flashing)
• PNT— Painting items (prime, paint, seal)
• FLR— Flooring items (hardwood, carpet, tile, vinyl)
• PLM— Plumbing items
• ELC— Electrical items
• CLN— Cleaning items
• WDR— Water damage restoration items (drying equipment, moisture testing)
• DEM— Demolition items
• WND— Window items
• CAB— Cabinet items
• INS— Insulation items

These codes are followed by additional characters that specify the exact task. For instance, you might see "DRY HNG" for hanging drywall, "DRY FIN" for finishing (taping and mudding) drywall, or "DRY TEX" for applying texture. Each of these is a separate line item because each represents a distinct trade task with its own labor and material cost.

You do not need to memorize these codes. What matters is that you understand each code represents a specific, defined task — and that missing codes mean missing work from your estimate.

The Description

Next to the code, you will find a plain-English description of the work. This is the most readable column on the estimate. It will say things like "Remove and replace drywall — 1/2 inch," "Paint the ceiling — two coats," or "Remove composition shingle roofing." Read these descriptions carefully. They tell you exactly what the insurer is (and is not) paying for.

Pay close attention to the difference between "remove and replace" (R&R) and "remove, reset, and reinstall" (R&I). "Remove and replace" means the existing item is being torn out and a brand-new item installed. "Remove and reinstall" means the existing item is being carefully taken out, set aside, and put back. These are different tasks with different costs. An insurer that codes an item as R&I when the item was destroyed and needs full replacement is underpaying the claim.

Quantity and Unit of Measure

Each line item includes a quantity and a unit of measure. The quantity tells you how much of the work is being estimated. The unit of measure tells you how that work is measured. Common units include:

• SF— Square feet. Used for drywall, painting, flooring, and other surface-area tasks.
• LF— Linear feet. Used for baseboards, crown molding, piping, and other linear items.
• SQ— A roofing "square," which equals 100 square feet. Roofing materials and labor are measured in squares.
• EA— Each. Used for individual items like light fixtures, doors, windows, toilets, or appliances.
• HR— Hour. Used for labor-only tasks like cleaning, supervision, or specialized work billed by the hour.
• DA— Day. Used for equipment rental like drying fans or dehumidifiers.
• SY— Square yard. Occasionally used for carpet and some flooring types.
• BF— Board feet. Used for lumber measurements.

The quantities on your estimate should match the actual measurements of your home. If your kitchen has 200 square feet of ceiling and the estimate shows 150 SF of ceiling drywall, that is a 50-square-foot shortfall — and every downstream line item (texturing, priming, painting) that depends on that measurement will also be short. Measurement errors compound throughout the estimate.

This is why it is critical to have your property independently measured rather than relying solely on the adjuster's measurements. Even small discrepancies add up across an entire claim.

Unit Price

The unit price column shows the Xactimate price for one unit of the line item. For example, if the line item is "Paint the ceiling — two coats" measured in SF, the unit price is the cost per square foot to perform that task, including both labor and material.

Xactimate prices are derived from Verisk's pricing database, which surveys contractors, suppliers, and labor markets in each geographic region. The prices are meant to reflect what a licensed, insured contractor would charge to perform that specific task in your area. However, the prices can be modified by the user. An adjuster (or the carrier's estimating guidelines) can override Xactimate's default prices — and some do. If you see unit prices that seem unusually low, you may be looking at manually reduced pricing. Our article on Xactimate line item manipulation covers this issue in detail.

Total

The total column is simply the quantity multiplied by the unit price. If the line item is 200 SF of ceiling paint at $1.25 per SF, the total will show $250.00. This column is straightforward, but always worth a quick check to make sure the math is correct.

The O&P Column

One of the most significant — and most frequently disputed — columns on a Xactimate estimate is the overhead and profit (O&P) column. This column indicates whether a line item includes the general contractor's overhead (typically 10%) and profit (typically 10%), totaling 20% on top of the base cost of the work.

You may see the following notations in this column:

• O&P— Both overhead and profit are included on this line item.
• O— Only overhead is included; profit has been excluded.
• P— Only profit is included; overhead has been excluded.
• Blank— Neither overhead nor profit is included on this line item.

If your claim involves multiple trades (which most claims do), a general contractor will be needed to coordinate the work, and overhead and profit should be applied to the estimate. When you see line items marked with only "O" or only "P" — or no O&P designation at all — that is worth questioning. Some carriers selectively apply O&P to only certain line items as a way to reduce the total payout, even when the scope of work clearly requires general contractor coordination.

The Tax Column

Xactimate estimates may include a column for sales tax. In most jurisdictions, sales tax applies to materials but not to labor. The estimate should reflect the applicable tax rate for your county or city. If the tax rate on the estimate does not match your local rate, the material costs will be understated.

Some estimates show tax as a separate line item at the end rather than in a column. Either way, make sure tax is being applied and that the rate is correct for your location.

The Depreciation Column

If your estimate is an Actual Cash Value (ACV) estimate — or if it shows depreciation being withheld from a Replacement Cost Value (RCV) estimate pending completion of repairs — you will see a depreciation column. This column shows the dollar amount being subtracted from each line item for age and wear.

Depreciation is typically calculated as a percentage of each line item's total, based on the estimated useful life of the component and its current age. For example, if a 30-year shingle roof is 10 years old, an insurer might depreciate it by 33% (10 years out of a 30-year life).

There are several things to watch for in the depreciation column:

• Depreciation applied to labor:In many states, including California, there are strong arguments that labor should not be depreciated because labor does not "wear out" over time — only materials age. If you see depreciation applied to the full line item (including the labor component), this may be inflating the depreciation deduction. See our article on depreciation schedules and useful life for more on this topic.
• Excessive depreciation percentages: A 5-year-old water heater being depreciated by 80% suggests the insurer is using an unrealistically short useful life. Compare the depreciation percentage against the actual condition and expected lifespan of the item.
• Depreciation on items that cannot be depreciated:Certain costs like demolition, debris removal, and general conditions do not age and should not be depreciated. If you see depreciation applied to a line item for "tear out carpet" or "haul debris," that is worth questioning.

Understanding the Summary Page

At the end of the estimate, you will find a summary page that brings together all the numbers. This is the page most policyholders look at first — and sometimes the only page they look at. But the summary only makes sense once you understand the line items that feed into it.

Replacement Cost Value (RCV) Total

The RCV total is the full estimated cost to repair or replace the damaged property using materials of like kind and quality, without any deduction for depreciation. This number represents what it should actually cost to restore your home to its pre-loss condition. It is the sum of all line item totals across all rooms, plus overhead and profit (if included) and applicable taxes.

Depreciation

The summary will show the total depreciation being withheld. On an RCV policy, this amount is held back from your initial payment but is recoverable once you complete the repairs. On an ACV-only policy, the depreciation is a permanent deduction.

Actual Cash Value (ACV) Total

The ACV total is the RCV total minus depreciation. This is the "depreciated value" of the loss — what the insurer calculates your damaged property was worth in its pre-loss condition, accounting for age and wear.

Deductible

Your policy deductible is subtracted from the claim total. This is the amount you are responsible for paying out of pocket before insurance coverage kicks in. The deductible shown on the estimate should match the deductible listed on your declarations page.

Net Claim

The net claim is the bottom line — the amount the insurance company intends to pay you. On an RCV policy, the initial payment is typically the ACV total minus the deductible. The withheld depreciation (sometimes called "recoverable depreciation") is paid later, after you submit documentation showing the repairs have been completed.

Here is how the math works on a typical RCV claim:

• RCV Total: $50,000
• Depreciation: -$8,000
• ACV Total: $42,000
• Deductible: -$2,500
• Net Claim (initial payment): $39,500
• Recoverable depreciation (paid after repairs): $8,000

If you are looking at these numbers and they do not add up, or if there are additional deductions you do not recognize, that warrants a closer look.

What to Look For: Common Red Flags

Now that you know how to read the estimate, here is what to look for when evaluating whether it is fair and complete. These are the issues that experienced professionals check for on every claim, and they are the same issues you should be checking.

Missing Rooms or Areas

Walk through your home and compare every damaged room against the estimate. Is the hallway that had water damage listed? What about the closets? The garage? The exterior? One of the most straightforward ways an estimate comes up short is by simply omitting entire areas of the home that sustained damage. This is a scope dispute — the adjuster and policyholder disagree on the extent of the damage, and the carrier's position is reflected by what is absent from the estimate rather than what is present.

Repair vs. Replace Decisions

Look at each line item description and ask: does this match the actual condition of the damage? If the estimate says "repair drywall" but the drywall in question has extensive water damage, mold growth, or structural compromise, it should say "remove and replace drywall." Repairing is cheaper than replacing, and an estimate that calls for repairs when replacement is necessary will significantly understate the true cost of restoration.

This is especially common with flooring, roofing, and cabinetry. An adjuster might include a line item to "repair" hardwood flooring when the planks are warped, cupped, or delaminated beyond what any repair can fix. The question is not just whether the item can be patched — it is whether the repair will restore the property to its pre-loss condition, which is the policy standard.

Incorrect Quantities

Check the quantities against reality. If your master bedroom ceiling is 180 square feet and the estimate shows 120 SF of ceiling drywall, that is a 33% shortfall. If your roof is 25 squares and the estimate shows 20, that is five squares of roofing materials and labor that are missing from the claim. Measure your rooms and compare.

Quantity errors are particularly impactful because they cascade through the estimate. If the drywall quantity is wrong, then the texturing, priming, and painting quantities that depend on the same measurement will also be wrong. A single measurement error can propagate through four or five related line items.

O&P Issues

Check whether overhead and profit is included. On claims that involve multiple trades — which is most claims of any size — a general contractor will be needed to coordinate the work, and the general contractor's overhead and profit is a legitimate cost of the repair. If the estimate excludes O&P entirely, or applies it only to certain line items, that should be addressed.

Watch for estimates where some line items show "O" only or "P" only instead of the full "O&P" designation. Splitting overhead from profit and applying them selectively is a technique that reduces the total payout while creating the appearance that O&P has been addressed.

Missing Line Items: The Items Adjusters Commonly Leave Out

This is where the real money is. An estimate can have the right rooms, the right measurements, and the right prices — and still be thousands of dollars short because it is missing necessary line items. Here are the categories of items most commonly omitted from carrier estimates:

Content manipulation and protection:When construction work is performed in a room, the contents of that room — furniture, electronics, clothing, personal items — need to be moved, protected, stored, and moved back. Xactimate has specific line items for content manipulation (moving contents out and back in) and floor/surface protection during construction. These are legitimate costs that contractors charge, and they are frequently missing from carrier estimates.

R&R vs. R&I:When a fixture, appliance, or built-in component is in the way of the repair work, it needs to be removed. If the item itself is undamaged, it should be carefully removed and reinstalled (R&I). If it is damaged, it needs to be removed and replaced (R&R). Many estimates simply omit these tasks entirely. The toilet that needs to come out so the bathroom floor can be replaced. The vanity that must be removed for wall repairs. The light fixtures, outlet covers, towel bars, shelving — every one of these is a separate line item that represents real labor.

Cleaning: After construction work, the home needs to be cleaned. Xactimate has line items for detail cleaning (post-construction cleanup), rough cleaning (removing construction debris), and specialized cleaning (smoke, soot, or water damage). If the estimate involves any significant construction work but does not include cleaning line items, that is an omission.

Preparation and finishing work: Many repairs require preparation steps that are separate line items. Before painting, surfaces may need to be primed, sanded, or sealed. Before new flooring is installed, the subfloor may need to be prepared. Before new drywall is hung, old drywall needs to be torn out and the area cleaned. Each of these steps is a distinct line item with its own cost.

Matching: When you replace damaged materials, the new materials need to match the existing undamaged materials in the same area. This can mean matching paint colors, texture patterns, flooring styles, or exterior finishes. Matching often requires additional labor and materials beyond the basic replacement cost. If an exact match is unavailable, a larger area may need to be replaced to maintain a uniform appearance. Our article on matching explains how this works in claims.

Permits, dumpsters, and general conditions: Many repair projects require building permits, dumpster or debris hauling, portable toilets for workers, and other general condition items. These are legitimate project costs that belong in the estimate.

For a comprehensive list of items that adjusters frequently omit, see our article on commonly missed items in insurance estimates.

Unreasonable Depreciation

Review the depreciation amounts on each line item. Depreciation should reflect the actual age and condition of the damaged item relative to its expected useful life. A 5-year-old roof with a 30-year rated shingle should not be depreciated by 50%. A 3-year-old HVAC system should not be depreciated as if it were at the end of its useful life.

Also look at whether depreciation is being applied to components that should not be depreciated at all. As mentioned above, labor costs, demolition, and debris removal do not "age" — these costs are the same regardless of how old the damaged item is. Depreciating these costs inflates the depreciation holdback and reduces your initial payment.

Labor Efficiency Settings

This is a less obvious but potentially significant issue. Xactimate has built-in settings called labor efficiency settings that can adjust the labor portion of line items up or down. These settings are meant to account for factors like job size (larger jobs can be more efficient per unit) or difficulty (confined spaces require more labor per unit). However, some carriers use these settings to systematically reduce labor costs across the board. Labor efficiency adjustments are not visible on the printed PDF — they are embedded in the underlying ESX file. If your unit prices seem lower than they should be, labor efficiency manipulation may be the reason.

What the Estimate Does NOT Tell You: The ESX File

Here is something most policyholders never learn: the PDF estimate you receive is not the complete picture. Behind every Xactimate estimate is a digital file called an ESX file (or, in older versions, an ESX/ECX file). The ESX file is the actual Xactimate project file — the native format that contains all of the data, settings, and parameters the adjuster used to build the estimate.

The PDF printout shows you the results. The ESX file shows you the inputs. And there is a great deal of information in the ESX file that never appears on the printed estimate:

• Labor efficiency settings: As discussed above, these settings can reduce labor costs across the estimate without any visible indication on the PDF.
• Price list modifications: If the adjuster manually changed any prices from the Xactimate default, the ESX file shows exactly which items were modified and by how much.
• Excluded line items: The ESX file may contain line items that the adjuster considered but then excluded from the estimate. These excluded items can reveal scope that the adjuster acknowledged but chose not to include in the final numbers.
• Sketch data: The underlying room measurements, dimensions, and diagrams used to calculate quantities.
• Depreciation formulas: The specific useful life tables and depreciation calculations used for each item.
• Notes and audit trail: Internal notes the adjuster may have added during the estimating process.

You have the right to request the ESX file from your insurance company. For more information on why the ESX file matters and how to obtain it, see our article on your right to the ESX file.

Common Abbreviations and Codes

Xactimate estimates are full of abbreviations that can make the document feel like a foreign language. Here is a reference guide to the most common abbreviations you will encounter:

Task Abbreviations

• R&R — Remove and Replace. The damaged item is torn out and a new item is installed.
• R&I — Remove and Reinstall. The item is carefully removed, set aside, and put back after the underlying work is done.
• DET — Detach and Reset. Similar to R&I; the item is detached and reattached.
• RPR — Repair. The item is fixed in place rather than replaced.
• ADD — Additional. An add-on or supplemental task beyond the base line item.
• MIN — Minimum charge. Some tasks have a minimum charge regardless of the quantity.
• CONT — Contents. Refers to personal property rather than the building structure.

Trade and Category Abbreviations

• DRY — Drywall
• RFC — Roofing (composition/asphalt)
• RFM — Roofing (metal)
• RFT — Roofing (tile)
• RFW — Roofing (wood shake/shingle)
• PNT — Painting
• FLR — Flooring
• PLM — Plumbing
• ELC — Electrical
• HVC — HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning)
• CLN — Cleaning
• WDR — Water damage restoration
• DEM — Demolition
• WND — Windows
• SID — Siding
• INS — Insulation
• CAB — Cabinets
• CTR — Countertops
• MBL — Marble/stone
• FEN — Fencing
• FRM — Framing
• APL — Appliances
• TMP — Temporary repairs/protection

Unit of Measure Abbreviations

• SF — Square foot
• LF — Linear foot
• SQ — Square (100 square feet, used for roofing)
• EA — Each (individual unit)
• HR — Hour
• DA — Day
• SY — Square yard
• BF — Board foot
• CF — Cubic foot
• CY — Cubic yard
• GL — Gallon
• LS — Lump sum

Other Common Abbreviations

• O&P — Overhead and Profit
• RCV — Replacement Cost Value
• ACV — Actual Cash Value
• GC — General Contractor
• SUB — Subcontractor
• DEPR — Depreciation
• REPL — Replace
• L&M — Labor and Materials (the line item includes both)
• L (alone) — Labor only (no materials included)
• M (alone) — Materials only (no labor included)

Putting It All Together: A Sample Line Item Walkthrough

Let's walk through what a real line item looks like and how to interpret it. Imagine you see the following in the "Kitchen" section of your estimate:

DRY R&R — Remove & replace drywall — 1/2" — 120 SF — $2.45/SF — $294.00 — O&P — Depr: $29.40

Here is what each element tells you:

• DRY R&R: This is a drywall remove-and-replace line item. The damaged drywall will be torn out and new drywall installed.
• 1/2":The drywall thickness is 1/2 inch. Make sure this matches what is actually in your home — if your home has 5/8" drywall, the estimate should reflect that, as 5/8" drywall costs more.
• 120 SF: The adjuster measured 120 square feet of drywall to be replaced. Does this match the actual wall or ceiling area? Measure it yourself.
• $2.45/SF: The Xactimate price per square foot for this task. This includes both labor and materials at the price list rate for your region.
• $294.00: The total for this line item (120 SF x $2.45 = $294.00).
• O&P: Overhead and profit will be applied to this line item, adding approximately 20% for general contractor coordination.
• Depr: $29.40: Depreciation of $29.40 is being withheld from this line item, which represents 10% depreciation. On an RCV policy, this amount is recoverable after repairs are completed.

Now ask yourself: after this drywall is hung, what else needs to happen? It needs to be taped, mudded, and finished. It probably needs texture applied to match the existing walls. It needs to be primed and painted. Each of those tasks should be its own line item. If the estimate shows drywall replacement but does not include finishing, texturing, priming, and painting, the estimate is incomplete.

What to Do If You Spot Problems

If you have reviewed your estimate and found issues — missing rooms, incorrect quantities, omitted line items, or other discrepancies — here are your options:

Document Everything

Before you contact anyone, document what you have found. Make a list of every discrepancy, with specific references to the estimate. For example: "Kitchen section: estimate shows 120 SF of ceiling drywall, but actual ceiling measures 185 SF." Or: "Master bedroom: estimate includes drywall replacement but does not include texture, prime, or paint for the new drywall." The more specific your documentation, the harder it is to dismiss your concerns.

Request the ESX File

As discussed above, the ESX file contains information that is not visible on the PDF. Requesting the ESX file allows a qualified professional to open the estimate in Xactimate and see exactly what settings, modifications, and exclusions the adjuster used. This is one of the most powerful steps you can take in evaluating the fairness of your estimate.

Get an Independent Estimate

Having your own Xactimate estimate prepared by an independent professional — either a licensed Public Adjuster or a qualified contractor who uses Xactimate — gives you a line-by-line comparison document. When your estimate and the carrier's estimate are both in Xactimate format, the differences become clear and specific. Instead of arguing in generalities, you can point to exact line items, quantities, and prices.

Submit a Formal Dispute

If you believe the estimate is materially inaccurate, you can submit a written dispute to your insurance company identifying the specific deficiencies. Our guide on how to challenge a Xactimate estimate walks through this process step by step. The key is to be specific: identify each missing or incorrect item, cite the correct Xactimate line item code where possible, and provide supporting documentation (measurements, photos, contractor bids).

Consider Professional Help

If the discrepancies are significant and the carrier is not responsive to your documented concerns, consider engaging a licensed Public Adjuster or an attorney who handles insurance claims. A Public Adjuster can prepare a comprehensive counter-estimate, negotiate with the carrier on your behalf, and ensure that every legitimate item is included. An attorney can advise you on your legal rights if the carrier's conduct rises to the level of bad faith.

Invoke the Appraisal Process

Most homeowners insurance policies contain an appraisal clause that provides a mechanism for resolving disputes over the amount of loss. If you and your carrier cannot agree on the value of the damage, either party can invoke appraisal. This process involves each side selecting an appraiser, and the two appraisers selecting an umpire to resolve any remaining disagreements. Appraisal is generally faster and less expensive than litigation, though it addresses only the dollar amount — not coverage disputes.

A Note About Supplements

The estimate you receive initially is rarely the final word. As repair work begins, contractors frequently discover additional damage that was not visible during the initial inspection — hidden water damage behind walls, compromised framing beneath finished surfaces, electrical or plumbing issues that only become apparent once demolition starts. When this happens, a "supplement" is submitted to the insurance company requesting additional payment for the newly discovered work.

Supplements are a normal and expected part of the claims process. A supplement is simply an addition to the original Xactimate estimate, adding new line items or adjusting existing ones to reflect the true scope of the damage. Do not assume that the initial estimate represents the full extent of your claim. If your contractor discovers additional damage during repairs, make sure a supplement is submitted and documented before the work is completed.

Understanding Your Estimate Is Your First Line of Defense

The Xactimate estimate is the single most important document in your property damage claim. It defines the scope of what the insurance company will pay for, the quantities of work they are covering, and the prices they are willing to pay. Every dollar of your claim flows through this document.

An estimate that is missing rooms, omitting necessary line items, using incorrect measurements, applying excessive depreciation, or excluding overhead and profit is an estimate that is shortchanging you. And if you do not read it, you will never know.

The good news is that you do not need to be an Xactimate expert to catch the most common problems. You know your home. You know which rooms were damaged. You can measure a wall. You can read a description and ask whether "repair" makes sense when the item in question was clearly destroyed. Start there, and if what you find raises concerns, seek professional guidance.

For more on Xactimate and how it affects your claim, explore these related resources:

• Xactimate Estimates: What You Need to Know
• Your Right to the ESX File
• How to Challenge a Xactimate Estimate
• Xactimate Line Item Manipulation
• Xactimate Labor Efficiency Settings
• Xactimate Price List Dates
• Overhead and Profit
• Depreciation Schedules and Useful Life
• Scope vs. Price Disputes