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Xactimate Estimating for Insurance Claims: What Contractors Should Know

If you do restoration, roofing or storm work, you already work with Xactimate, whether or not you own a license. The carrier's estimate is almost always written in it. Understanding how those estimates are structured, and how to prepare your own in the same format, makes the claims process clearer for everyone involved.

Related service: Xactimate insurance claims estimating.

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Remarkable Estimating ServicesAuthor

Aug 4, 2026Published

6 minRead time

Insurance EstimatingCategory

Roofer kneeling on a pitched shingle roof while inspecting and repairing roofing materials

This guide explains how Xactimate estimates work, what makes one clear and supportable, and how contractors can prepare documentation that helps adjusters review a claim accurately. It is written for restoration, roofing and general contractors who work on insured losses.

One point up front: Remarkable Estimating Services provides estimating and documentation services. We do not negotiate claims or act on behalf of property owners. In many states, representing a policyholder in a claim requires a public adjuster license, so contractors should be careful about the role they take.

What Xactimate Is

Xactimate is property-claims estimating software from Verisk. Insurance carriers, independent adjusters and restoration contractors use it to write itemized repair estimates in a common format. Its core components are:

Price lists: regional pricing for labor, materials and equipment, which Verisk researches and updates on a monthly cycle for regions across the US and Canada. Verisk describes its published pricing as a baseline for creating an estimate rather than a fixed price for every job.
Line items: standardized codes and descriptions for thousands of repair tasks, from removing and replacing drywall to drying equipment and roofing components.
Sketch: a floor-plan and roof-diagram tool that calculates areas, perimeters and volumes from the structure's dimensions.
ESX files: Xactimate's native estimate format, which can be exchanged electronically between contractors and carriers, including through Verisk's XactAnalysis platform.

You can read Verisk's own overview on the Xactimate product page.

How an Xactimate Estimate Is Structured

A typical Xactimate estimate is organized by area of the property (roof, exterior elevations, and each interior room), with line items listed under each. Each line item has a quantity, unit and unit price drawn from the selected price list. Totals roll up by room and by category, with tax, overhead and profit applied according to the carrier's guidelines and the specifics of the claim.

Because both sides use the same line items and price list, differences between a contractor's estimate and the carrier's estimate usually come down to three things:

Scope: which items are included at all.
Quantities: how much of each item.
Line-item selection: which code best describes the work required.

What Makes an Xactimate Estimate Clear and Supportable

Accurate measurements and sketch

Room dimensions, ceiling heights, roof pitch and facets drive every area-based line item. Errors in the sketch carry through to every quantity calculated from it.

Complete scope for the actual damage

Estimates should reflect the full repair required by the damage, including items that are easy to overlook: detach and reset of fixtures and contents, protection of adjacent areas, cleaning, and matching of finishes where the policy and applicable rules call for it.

Correct line items

Choosing a line item that describes the actual repair method matters. A line item for a lighter repair than what the damage requires understates the work; one for heavier work than necessary will not be supported.

Photo and note documentation

Photos, moisture readings, measurements and notes explain why each item is needed. Each significant line item should be supported by something in the file.

Consistent price list and date

Use the price list for the property's location and the appropriate date, and note it in the estimate.

Typical Claim Types

Wind and hail: roofing, gutters, siding, windows and exterior components, with roof diagrams and slope measurements.
Water: mitigation (extraction, drying equipment, monitoring) followed by rebuild of affected materials.
Fire and smoke: demolition, cleaning, odor control, structural repair and contents.
Mold remediation: containment, removal and rebuild, often following specific protocols.
Storm and hurricane damage: often a combination of all of the above.

Remarkable Estimating Services prepares estimates for each of these claim types. See our insurance claims estimating page for details.

Working With Adjusters Professionally

Clear communication makes claims move more smoothly:

Match the carrier's structure where possible so estimates are easy to compare.
Explain differences with documentation, not just totals: photos, measurements and a short note on why an item is required.
Submit supplements promptly when concealed damage is discovered, with the same level of documentation as the original estimate.
Keep records organized so questions can be answered quickly.

The goal is an estimate that lets the adjuster evaluate the claim accurately, based on the actual damage and repair.

Example: A Water Loss in a Finished Basement

Imagine a hypothetical water loss from a failed supply line in a finished basement. A clear estimate would document the extent of wet materials with moisture readings and photos; include extraction and drying equipment for the documented drying period; remove and replace affected drywall to a height supported by the readings, with insulation and baseboard; address flooring by type; include detach and reset of items that must be moved; and include cleaning and final paint where affected walls are repaired.

Each item ties back to the documentation, which makes the estimate straightforward to review.

Why Some Contractors Outsource Xactimate Estimates

Writing detailed Xactimate estimates takes time and practice, and storm seasons can bring more claims than an in-house team can document quickly. Contractors often outsource estimate preparation to:

Keep field staff focused on inspections and production.
Avoid carrying a year-round license and dedicated estimator for seasonal volume.
Get estimates prepared in a consistent, carrier-ready format.

Our Xactimate-trained and experienced estimators work from your photos, measurements and scope notes and deliver ESX and PDF files, with typical turnaround of 24–48 hours depending on project scope.

Supplements: Documenting Concealed Damage

Some damage only becomes visible once work begins: wet framing behind a wall, damaged decking under shingles, or smoke residue in hidden cavities. A supplement adds that work to the claim. To keep supplements clear:

Photograph the condition as soon as it is exposed, before repairs cover it up.
Measure and note the extent of the additional damage.
Explain the connection to the original loss.
Use the same structure and price list as the original estimate so the additions are easy to review.
Submit promptly, so the review happens before the repair schedule is affected.

Common Documentation Gaps

When estimates stall, the cause is often missing support rather than disagreement over price. Frequent gaps include:

Room dimensions or ceiling heights missing from the sketch.
Roof pitch not recorded, or facets not measured separately.
No moisture readings to support the extent of water damage.
Photos that show damage but not its location or extent.
Line items without a note explaining why the chosen repair method is required.

Closing these gaps before submission shortens review time.

Conclusion

Xactimate gives contractors and carriers a shared language for property claims, but the quality of any estimate still depends on accurate measurements, complete scope, correct line items and solid documentation. Treat the estimate as a clear, well-supported record of the damage and the repair it requires, and the claims process becomes more predictable for everyone involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ESX file?

An ESX file is Xactimate's native estimate file. It contains the line items, pricing, sketch and notes, and can be exchanged electronically with carriers and other Xactimate users.

How often is Xactimate pricing updated?

Verisk researches and publishes regional price lists on a monthly cycle. Use the price list for the property's location and the appropriate date for the claim.

Can a contractor negotiate an insurance claim for a homeowner?

Rules vary by state, and in many states representing a policyholder in a claim requires a public adjuster license. Contractors should focus on accurate estimating and documentation of the repair scope.

What do you need to prepare an Xactimate estimate?

Photos of the damage, measurements or a sketch of affected areas, scope notes, and for water losses, moisture readings. Remarkable Estimating Services can work from the information you collect in the field.

Clear, Itemized Xactimate Documentation

Remarkable Estimating Services prepares Xactimate estimates from your photos, measurements and scope notes, with typical turnaround of 24–48 hours depending on project scope. We provide estimating and documentation; we do not negotiate claims.

Call (424) 441-4101 Request a Quote

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Send us your plans and we'll come back with a clear scope, a realistic turnaround, and a quote usually within 48–72 hours. Want to see our work first? Ask for a free sample estimate.

Prefer to send plans directly? Email info@remarkableestimating.com or call (424) 441-4101.