The adjuster's estimate is too low: what to do, in order

Why estimates come in short

Most gaps are not bad faith. They're the predictable result of how the estimate was made:

• The adjuster didn't see it. Drywall was still up, the roof was wet, the crawlspace wasn't opened. Items that appear after demo are the biggest category.
• Quantities were under-counted. Square footage from a sketch, drying days estimated before the log existed, one slope measured and the rest assumed.
• Standard items were left off. Detach-and-reset, containment, PPE, antimicrobial, haul-off, code-required upgrades, overhead and profit on multi-trade jobs.
• Different pricing assumptions. Same line item, different unit price or a modifier missing.
• Repair where replacement is needed. A patch where the material can't be matched, one slope where the roof is a system.

Step 1: Compare line by line

Get the adjuster's estimate as a PDF (you're entitled to it) and put it next to the contractor's. Both are usually Xactimate, so the line items map. Make three lists:

1. Missing — line items on the contractor's estimate with no counterpart.
2. Under-quantified — same item, smaller quantity (square feet, linear feet, days, each).
3. Priced differently — same item and quantity, different unit price. Note it, but this is the weakest category to argue; prices come from the software's regional database.

If you don't have an independent estimate to compare against, that's the first thing to fix. An adjuster's estimate compared to nothing is just a number.

Order an estimate — first one free

Step 2: Write the supplement

A supplement is a document, not a phone call. For every item on the missing and under-quantified lists:

• The line item, in the same code and description style the adjuster used.
• The quantity, with how it was measured (sketch, moisture map, drying log, photo count).
• A photo that shows the condition, labeled with the room and the item.
• One or two sentences of justification: why this item is required on this loss. Industry standards (IICRC S500 for water, S520 for mold, manufacturer installation instructions for roofing) are the strongest reasons; "we always do it" is the weakest.

A short cover letter, addressed to the adjuster by claim number, lists what's attached and asks for a revised estimate. Send it through the carrier's document channel so there's a receipt. How we write supplements.

Step 3: Ask for a re-inspection

If the gap is about what's physically there (hail hits, wet subfloor, rotten decking), ask for a re-inspection with the contractor present. Have the photos printed, the test squares chalked and the moisture meter charged. Most carriers grant one re-inspection without argument; the adjuster may be a different person the second time.

Step 4: Escalate inside the carrier

Every carrier has a path above the desk adjuster: a supervisor, a claims manager, or a formal complaint channel. Use it in writing, with the supplement attached and the dates of each prior contact. Many states also set deadlines for carriers to respond to claim correspondence; a written record is what makes those deadlines count.

Step 5: Appraisal, a public adjuster, or an attorney

• Appraisal. Most homeowner policies include an appraisal clause: each side names an appraiser, the two pick an umpire, and the panel sets the amount of loss. It settles the number, not coverage. It costs money (your appraiser's fee and half the umpire's) and takes weeks to months.
• A licensed public adjuster represents the policyholder for a percentage of the settlement, regulated by state. The right move when the gap is large, the claim is complex, or you don't have time to run it.
• An attorney when the dispute is about coverage, bad faith, or the carrier has stopped responding.

Contractors: in most states a contractor may document and submit a supplement for work they're performing, but may not negotiate the claim on the homeowner's behalf or charge a fee for it. That's the public adjuster's licensed role.

Homeowner claim companion

What not to do

• Don't start the argument on the phone. Calls don't make a record; documents do.
• Don't send a lump sum. "The estimate should be $14,000" gets nothing; "these 11 items are missing, here's why" gets reviewed.
• Don't demolish before photographing. The item that was removed without a photo is the item that doesn't get paid.
• Don't let the contractor "eat" the deductible to close the gap. That's fraud in most states and it voids the contractor's position in the supplement.

How supplements work