I Can’t Repair My home with what my adjuster gave me.

Nov 26

You’re right — you can’t “fix all of this” with one thing (whether “this” is a single document, a single contractor, or a single conversation with an adjuster). Insurance claims are death-by-1,000-paper-cuts, and carriers love paperwork.

But you also don’t need to fix everything. You need to fix the few levers that move the whole claim.

Here’s the realistic, workable approach:

The only 3 things you actually need to get right

1) Scope accuracy (what is being repaired)

If the scope is missing items, the claim is underpaid no matter how good the contractor is.

Your goal: a room-by-room line-item scope that matches reality.

2) Documentation (why it’s needed)

Carriers pay what’s proven, not what’s true.

Your goal: photos + notes that connect damage → required work.

3) Communication (how it gets approved)

If the estimate isn’t written in the carrier’s language (Xactimate/CoreLogic logic), approvals drag or die.

Your goal: estimates and supplements formatted so the adjuster can approve without “special meetings.”

The “good enough to win” checklist (fast)

Do these in order:

Stop using lump-sum remodel bids for insurance negotiation (they get rejected/ignored).
Pick a contractor who writes in Xactimate/CoreLogic (or works with someone who does).
Run a missing-scope audit (even 20–40 line items can be a huge swing).
Package it cleanly:
- “What’s missing” list
- photos by room
- short justification notes
Submit one supplement at a time (don’t overwhelm the adjuster; force clear yes/no decisions).