The insurance estimate is the document that drives your settlement, yet most property owners receive it with little explanation. Pages of line items, abbreviations, unit prices, and depreciation columns can make it hard to tell whether the estimate actually matches the damage. An insurance estimate review in San Antonio walks through that document line by line, comparing it with what is on your roof, walls, and floors, so you understand what is included, what may be missing, and how the final number was reached. Sometimes a review confirms the estimate is reasonable. Often it turns up items worth raising with the insurer.
What We Look At in a Line-by-Line Xactimate Review
Most insurers write estimates in Xactimate. Each line has a description, a quantity, a unit price, tax, and often depreciation. A careful review looks at each part.
| Area | Questions we ask |
|---|---|
| Scope | Is every damaged component included? Are rooms, elevations, or structures missing? |
| Repair vs. replace | Does the estimate repair items that cannot reasonably be repaired or matched? |
| Quantities | Do roof squares, waste, wall and ceiling square footage, and linear feet match the measurements? |
| Line item selection | Does each code describe the actual material and method, or a cheaper substitute? |
| Pricing | Is the price list for the San Antonio area and the correct time period? |
| Code and permit items | Are permit fees and code-required items included where ordinance or law coverage applies? |
| Overhead and profit | Does the job reasonably require a general contractor to coordinate several trades? |
| Depreciation | Is depreciation reasonable for the age and condition? Is it recoverable under the policy? |
| Deductible and prior payments | Is the correct deductible applied, and are prior payments accounted for? |
Items Often Missed on San Antonio Estimates
Roofs
Bexar County has logged more than 600 NOAA hail reports since 1957, with April and May the peak months, so roof estimates are some of the most common we review. Frequently missed items include drip edge, starter course, ridge and hip caps, pipe jacks and vents, step and counter flashing, valley materials, steep and high roof charges, and gutter damage. Standing-seam metal roofs on the Hill Country edge involve trim and closures that a shingle-focused scope may leave out. See roof damage insurance claims and our guide on reviewing an underpaid roof estimate.
Exteriors
Stucco, limestone, and brick veneer are common in San Antonio and often need specialized trades. Estimates may include only one elevation of siding or paint when matching requires more, or omit window screens, fence sections, and outdoor HVAC fins damaged by hail.
Interiors
For water and freeze losses, look for drying equipment days, insulation, baseboards, cabinetry, flooring transitions, and paint to a natural break. After Winter Storm Uri, many San Antonio homes had damage in several rooms from a single burst line. See water damage claims.
Older homes
Pier-and-beam homes in neighborhoods like Tobin Hill, King William, and Monte Vista can have plank decking, plaster, wood siding, and trim profiles that standard line items do not price correctly.
How Our Estimate Review Works
- Collect the documents. The insurer's complete estimate, summary page, photo report, payment letters, and your declarations page.
- Inspect the property. We photograph and measure the damage. Matterport 3D imaging can capture interior conditions and dimensions.
- Compare line by line. We check each item against what we found, flagging missing scope, short quantities, mismatched line items, and pricing questions.
- Explain the results. We walk you through what we found in plain English, including items where the insurer's estimate looks reasonable.
- Prepare our own estimate if warranted. If there are meaningful gaps, we prepare an Xactimate estimate in the same format so differences are easy to see.
- Next steps. Depending on the claim, that may mean a supplement, a request to reopen, or, where the dispute is only about amount, a discussion of insurance appraisal.
Reading the Estimate Summary
The last pages of an estimate usually show how the payment was calculated. Understanding these terms can explain why a check is smaller than the estimate total:
- RCV (replacement cost value): the estimated cost to repair or replace with like kind and quality.
- Depreciation: a reduction for age and condition. On replacement cost policies, part or all may be recoverable after repairs.
- ACV (actual cash value): RCV minus depreciation.
- Deductible: often a percentage wind/hail deductible on Texas policies; check your declarations page.
- Net claim: what the insurer is paying now.
Our claim calculator lets you model these numbers, and our article on replacement cost vs. actual cash value explains the differences.
Common Estimate Terms and Abbreviations
| Term | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| SQ | Roofing square, equal to 100 square feet of roof surface |
| SF / LF / EA | Square feet, linear feet, and each; the unit a line item is priced in |
| R&R | Remove and replace |
| D&R | Detach and reset, such as removing and reinstalling a satellite dish or gutter guard |
| Waste | Extra material added to account for cutting, typically shown as a separate quantity on roofing |
| O&P | General contractor overhead and profit |
| Price list | The regional pricing database and month the estimate was priced with |
If a line item or abbreviation on your estimate is not clear, ask the insurer's adjuster to explain it in writing. A clear explanation is part of understanding your claim.
Why Work With a San Antonio Public Adjuster for an Estimate Review
Joseph Dittman's background includes carrier-side adjusting, public adjusting, appraisal work, and hands-on construction experience, which helps in reading an estimate the way both an insurer and a builder would. As a San Antonio Public Adjuster, we represent only the policyholder. We cannot guarantee that a review will lead to a higher payment, and in some cases it simply confirms the insurer's numbers. If you decide to have us represent you on the claim, fees are disclosed in a written contract before any work begins; Texas law caps public adjuster compensation at 10% of the insurance settlement.
We serve property owners across San Antonio, Bexar County, and surrounding communities including Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, and Universal City. To get your estimate reviewed, request a Free Claim Review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Xactimate?
Xactimate is estimating software widely used by insurers, adjusters, and contractors to price property repairs. Estimates list each repair item with a code, quantity, unit price, and any depreciation, using price lists that vary by region and date.
What do I need to send for an estimate review?
The insurer's complete estimate (including the summary and any photo report), your policy declarations page, any payment or explanation letters, contractor bids, and your own photos. The full policy is helpful as well.
What does "O&P" mean on my estimate?
O&P stands for general contractor overhead and profit. It is sometimes included when a repair reasonably requires a general contractor to coordinate multiple trades. Whether it applies depends on the scope of the job and the insurer's position.
Why does my estimate show depreciation on labor?
Some estimates depreciate labor as well as materials. How depreciation is calculated, and what is recoverable, depends on your policy and the type of coverage. Ask the insurer to explain any depreciation you do not understand.
Is an estimate review the same as hiring a public adjuster for the whole claim?
A review is often the first step. Sometimes it shows the estimate is reasonable, which is useful to know. If it shows significant gaps, we can discuss what full representation on the claim would involve.
Can a contractor bid replace an estimate review?
A contractor bid tells you what one company would charge. A line-by-line review compares the insurer's estimate with the damage and identifies specific differences in scope, quantities, and pricing, which is usually what an insurer needs to reconsider.