Xactimate: what every Florida homeowner with a claim needs to know
- Xactimate is the software that calculates your insurance payout — every missing line item is money excluded from your claim. It's not automatically complete or accurate.
- Request a copy of the adjuster's Xactimate estimate in writing — you are entitled to it, and it shows every line item used to calculate your settlement.
- Your restoration contractor should produce a competing Xactimate estimate — the gap between their scope and the adjuster's scope is the supplemental claim opportunity.
- O&P (overhead and profit, typically 20%) is the most commonly omitted line item — it must be included when multiple trades are coordinated under a general contractor.
- Common missed items: equipment days, mold testing, contents pack-out, detach-and-reset fixtures, texture matching, full-room paint (color match), permit fees.
- Adjusters set Xactimate prices at the local market level — if prices have risen since your loss event (common after major storms when contractor demand spikes), a supplement is warranted.
- Call CFDR at 321-420-7274 — your matched pro produces Xactimate estimates accepted by all major Florida carriers and identifies missing scope in adjuster estimates.
Xactimate — the software that controls your insurance payout.
Every Florida insurance adjuster uses Xactimate to calculate what your claim pays. Every missing line item is money excluded from your settlement. Here's how it works and how your contractor protects your full payout.
What the adjuster is doing on your claim.
Xactimate is a database of several thousand line items — each representing a specific construction or restoration task. The adjuster walks your home, documents the scope of damage, and selects line items from the database: "Remove and replace drywall 1/2" — 260 SF," "Remove carpet and pad — 180 SF," etc. Each line item has a unit price (set by Xactware based on local contractor pricing data) and a quantity. The total calculates the repair cost.
The critical issue: the adjuster's scope reflects what they observed and chose to include — not necessarily the full scope of work required. Adjusters may miss items they didn't see (wall cavity insulation, moisture in hidden areas), undercount quantities (measuring only the visible stain rather than the moisture extent), or exclude standard items like O&P that are industry-standard but not automatically included.
Your contractor measures the actual moisture extent with thermal imaging and moisture meters — often 2–3x larger than visible staining.
20% overhead and profit is standard when a GC coordinates multiple trades. Adjusters routinely omit it on first estimates.
Adjuster estimates 3 days of drying equipment; contractor documents 7 days to reach baseline moisture — that's the supplement.
Detach/reset fixtures, mold testing after remediation, permit fees, texture matching — each is a line item that may not appear in the adjuster's initial scope.
After major hurricanes, contractor pricing surges. Xactimate pricing data lags the market — a supplement for updated pricing is appropriate.
Xactimate explained.
What is Xactimate and how does it affect my insurance claim?+
Xactimate (developed by Verisk/Xactware) is the industry-standard estimating software used by virtually every insurance adjuster and restoration contractor in Florida to calculate repair costs. The adjuster's estimate — generated in Xactimate — is a database of line items, each representing a specific repair task with a unit price and quantity. The total of all line items equals your claim payout. Every line item the adjuster omits from the estimate is money excluded from your claim. Your restoration contractor can produce a competing Xactimate estimate — when their scope is larger than the adjuster's, the difference is the basis for a supplemental claim or the appraisal process.
How do I get a copy of the Xactimate estimate from my insurance adjuster?+
You are entitled to a copy of the adjuster's Xactimate estimate under Florida law. Request it in writing via email to your adjuster or the claims department, referencing your claim number. Most carriers will provide it with the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or as a PDF attachment. The estimate should include: the scope of work (line items by category), unit prices, quantities, depreciation applied (if ACV policy), and the summary totals. Review the estimate alongside your contractor's scope — any repair that appears in your contractor's estimate but not the adjuster's estimate is a potential supplement.
What is O&P (overhead and profit) in Xactimate and why does it matter?+
O&P (Overhead and Profit) is a standard Xactimate line item representing the general contractor's overhead and profit margin for managing a multi-trade restoration project. It is typically calculated as 10% overhead + 10% profit (20% combined) applied to the total repair scope. O&P applies when the restoration requires coordination of multiple subcontractors — which is the case in virtually every significant water, fire, or storm restoration project. Adjusters routinely omit O&P from initial estimates. The Xactimate industry standard (supported by Florida case law) is that O&P must be included when a general contractor is needed to coordinate the work. If your estimate doesn't include O&P and the project involves multiple trades, it's the first supplement to request.
What Xactimate line items do Florida insurance adjusters most commonly miss?+
Commonly missed Xactimate line items in Florida claims: (1) O&P (overhead and profit) — typically 20% addition to qualifying scopes; (2) Drying equipment days — adjusters undercount equipment days or miss line items for dehumidifiers and air movers; (3) Mold testing after water damage — protocol testing (clearance testing) after remediation is a separate billable; (4) Contents pack-out and storage during restoration — when contents must be moved for work to proceed; (5) Detach and reset fixtures — removing and reinstalling items like vanities, toilets, appliances that must be moved for floor/wall work; (6) Texture matching — matching existing wall texture after drywall repair; (7) Paint full rooms (match) — when a partial wall repair requires painting the entire room for color match; (8) Permit fees — required on structural repairs in Florida.
Can my restoration contractor's Xactimate estimate override the adjuster's estimate?+
Not automatically — but it is the most powerful tool for negotiating a higher settlement. When your contractor's Xactimate estimate is significantly higher than the adjuster's, the contractor sends the supplemental estimate to the adjuster for review. The adjuster may accept all, some, or none of the supplement. If significant disagreement persists, your policy's appraisal process is available: each party hires an appraiser, and an umpire resolves disputes. In Florida, if the insurer fails to properly process a supplemental claim, you may have grounds for a bad faith complaint with the Department of Financial Services (DFS). Your contractor's Xactimate estimate is the documented, line-item evidence that your claim is underpaid — without it, you are relying only on the adjuster's numbers.
Think your claim is underpaid? Your contractor's Xactimate estimate is the evidence.
All CFDR-matched pros produce Xactimate estimates accepted by every major Florida carrier. Ryan answers 24/7 — free consultation.