Guides
How claim paperwork works, from the people who write it. Process and documentation only — never coverage or claim-value advice. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Start here
A property claim, step by step: from the first call to the last check
The whole claim in order: report, protect, document, inspect, estimate, pay, repair, close. What happens at each step, who does it, and which guide covers it.
Claims by kind of loss: water, roof and hail, fire and smoke, mold, storm, sewage
How the claim and the estimate differ by what happened: the evidence each loss needs, where the first estimate usually falls short, and which guide covers each one.
When the claim goes wrong: low estimates, denials, delays, disputes, and who can help
The map for a stalled claim: what to do, in order, for a low estimate, a denial, a slow carrier or a scope dispute, and when a public adjuster or an attorney fits.
All guides
The adjuster's estimate is too low: what to do, in order
Why adjuster estimates come in short, how to compare line by line, and the five steps from supplement to re-inspection to appraisal — for contractors and homeowners.
Contractors and homeownersHow to write a restoration supplement that gets approved
The structure desk adjusters approve: line items in the carrier's format, quantities with a source, a photo and justification per item, a cover letter. Worked example.
ContractorsRecoverable depreciation: why the first check is smaller than the estimate, and how to collect the rest
RCV, ACV and the holdback explained with the math, what releases the depreciation, the deadline to watch, and the final-invoice package contractors send to get it paid.
Contractors and homeownersWater mitigation vs restoration, and why Category 1, 2 and 3 change the estimate
Mitigation stops and dries; restoration rebuilds. Why they're two estimates, what IICRC S500 water categories and classes mean, and which line items each one justifies.
Contractors and homeownersPublic adjuster, contractor estimate, or insurance adjuster: who does what on a claim
Three people write numbers on a property claim and they work for three different parties. What each one does, what each costs, and which one your situation calls for.
HomeownersHomeowners claim denied or underpaid: the five steps, in order
Get the denial in writing, match it to the policy, re-document, re-inspect, then supplement, appraisal, public adjuster or attorney. What each step needs and takes.
HomeownersHow to shut off the water after a burst pipe: main valve, meter, water heater, fixtures and the breaker
Where the main water shutoff is, how to close it, the meter at the curb, the water heater, sink, toilet and washer valves, and when the breaker panel is safe to touch.
HomeownersOverhead and profit on an insurance estimate: what O&P is, when carriers include it, and how to document it
What 10 and 10 means, how Xactimate applies O&P, the three-trade rule of thumb and why it isn't law, up-front versus when-incurred, and the file that supports it.
ContractorsThe appraisal clause: how a dispute over the amount of a claim gets settled without a lawsuit
What appraisal can and cannot decide, how to invoke it in writing, choosing an appraiser and umpire, what the award means, costs and timelines, and what to bring.
Contractors and homeownersSworn proof of loss: what it is, when it is due, and how to fill it in without creating a problem
The sworn statement carriers ask for: the 60-day clock and what starts it, each field on the form, what to attach, partial and amended proofs, and the flood-claim exception.
Contractors and homeownersThe insurance adjuster inspection: what to expect, how to prepare, what to ask
Who the adjuster is, in-person vs virtual inspections, what to have ready, what the contractor does, what to ask before they leave, and what to do after.
Contractors and homeownersHow to read an Xactimate estimate: the summary, the rooms and every line item
What each part of an Xactimate insurance estimate means: the summary, RCV, depreciation, ACV, units, activity codes, the price list, and where gaps show.
Contractors and homeownersAdditional living expenses: how to keep the record while you're out of the house
What ALE (loss of use, Coverage D) means in claim paperwork, the daily log and receipts to keep, questions for the adjuster, and how repairs set the timeline.
Homeowners