The first estimate from your insurance carrier is rarely the final number. Most homeowners don't know that, and they leave thousands of dollars in legitimate supplement claims on the table.
The structure
Every adjuster estimate is built in Xactimate. It lists each line item — tear-off, felt, shingles, ridge, drip edge, starter, pipe jacks — with a unit price and quantity. Your job is to verify the quantity matches reality and the unit price matches your market.
The most-missed items
- Starter course on rakes (not just eaves).
- Ice and water shield in valleys and around penetrations per current code.
- Drip edge — code now requires it on eaves and rakes; older estimates skip rakes.
- Detach and reset solar panels, satellite dishes, and lightning rods.
- Permit fees and dump fees billed at actual cost.
- Overhead and profit when three or more trades are involved.
How supplements work
Your contractor documents the missed items with photos and code references, submits a supplement to the carrier, and the carrier issues additional funds. This is normal — not adversarial. A good contractor will handle the entire process for you.