We Speak the Insurance Company Language. Fluently.
Xactimate is the tool insurance companies use to estimate your claim. We are Level 2 certified and we know every line item they miss.
Why Xactimate Expertise Changes Your Settlement
Insurance company adjusters use Xactimate to prepare their damage estimates. The estimate determines what the insurance company pays. An adjuster who misses line items, applies incorrect unit costs, or omits required code upgrades produces an estimate that undervalues your claim. The difference between an accurate estimate and an incomplete one can be tens of thousands of dollars.
DCS is Level 2 Xactimate certified, the same certification level used by professional insurance adjusters. We review insurance company estimates line by line, identify every missing item and incorrect cost, and prepare detailed supplemental estimates that reflect the true cost of repairs. We do not guess. We document, measure, and calculate.
Common items that are missed or undervalued in insurance company estimates include code-required upgrades (Ordinance or Law), overhead and profit for general contractor coordination, proper tear-off and disposal costs, matching requirements for undamaged adjacent materials, and the full scope of interior damage from water intrusion. We know where to look because we understand how claims are typically evaluated and where damage is commonly overlooked.
What Our Xactimate Services Include
Full Property Damage Estimates
Complete, line-item Xactimate estimates for all types of property damage including structural, roofing, interior, and contents.
Insurance Estimate Review
Line-by-line review of the insurance company Xactimate estimate to identify missing items, incorrect costs, and omitted code upgrades.
Supplemental Claim Preparation
Preparation and submission of supplemental claims for damage that was missed, undervalued, or discovered after the initial settlement.
Ordinance and Law Documentation
Documentation and estimation of code-required upgrades that must be included in the repair scope under Ordinance or Law coverage.
Overhead and Profit Analysis
Analysis and documentation of general contractor overhead and profit, which is frequently omitted from insurance company estimates on complex claims.
Matching and Uniformity Claims
Documentation of matching requirements when undamaged adjacent materials must be replaced to achieve a uniform appearance after repairs.
Why DCS for Xactimate Estimating
DCS is Level 2 Xactimate certified. This is the professional standard for insurance claim estimating.
DCS personnel include former insurance carrier adjusters with carrier-side claims handling experience from 2010 to 2017. We know how insurance company estimates are prepared and where they fall short.
We use current Xactimate pricing databases that reflect actual local material and labor costs.
We document every line item with photographs, measurements, and written justification.
We prepare estimates that are defensible and supported by evidence, not just numbers on a page.
We work on contingency for full public adjusting representation, or on a fee basis for standalone estimating services.
Code Upgrades, Matching, and Overhead and Profit: A Deep Dive
These three categories are where Xactimate estimates most often diverge between the carrier and the policyholder. Each one is grounded in policy language, building code, and industry standards. Each one is also frequently misapplied or omitted by the carrier.
Code Upgrades (Ordinance or Law Coverage)
When a covered loss damages enough of a structure to trigger a permit or repair, current building code applies to the repair work, not the code that was in force when the structure was originally built. The cost difference between a like-kind-and-quality repair and a code-compliant repair can be substantial.
Common code upgrades on a residential roof claim include: decking thickness and span requirements, fastener pattern (six-nail vs. four-nail), drip edge, ice and water shield in valleys and eaves, ventilation (intake and exhaust), and step flashing. On a fire claim, code upgrades can include: electrical service entrance, smoke detectors and CO detectors, GFCI outlets, egress windows in bedrooms, and energy code envelope upgrades.
Ordinance or Law coverage is typically optional and limited (often 10% to 25% of dwelling coverage). Without it, the policyholder may pay out of pocket for code-required work. With it, the carrier owes the increased cost of compliance. We confirm whether the policy includes Ordinance or Law coverage, identify the applicable code requirements, and price the upgrades into the Xactimate scope.
Matching and Uniform Appearance
When a partial loss requires replacement of materials, the replacement may not match the undamaged adjacent material, especially on roofs (color, granule profile, age weathering), siding (fade), tile (manufacturer or run discontinuation), and flooring (dye lot, plank size, finish).
Florida Statute §626.9744 specifically requires reasonable matching when the carrier repairs or replaces damaged property. The replacement must achieve a uniform appearance across the line, side, room, or other continuous area. In Texas, the analysis runs through the policy own "like kind and quality" or uniform-appearance language and the preloss-condition restoration standard.
When matching cannot be achieved with the partial-replacement scope, the matching requirement may extend to the rest of the line, side, room, or continuous area. We document matching issues with photographs of representative samples, manufacturer or supplier confirmation that the original material is no longer available, and pricing for the extended scope.
Overhead and Profit (O&P)
When a claim involves three or more trades (the so-called three-trade rule), a general contractor is typically required to coordinate the work, manage the schedule, source materials, and supervise the subcontractors. The industry-standard compensation for the GC role is 10% overhead and 10% profit on the line items the GC coordinates.
Carriers frequently omit or underpay O&P, arguing that fewer trades are involved than actually are, or that the policyholder will self-perform without a GC. We document the trades involved (e.g., demolition, framing, roofing, drywall, painting, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, cabinetry), justify the O&P inclusion under the three-trade rule, and price it into the Xactimate scope.
Some carriers also dispute the calculation method. The correct method on a multi-trade Xactimate estimate is to apply O&P to the line items the GC coordinates, not to subtract O&P that should have been included. We use the calculation method consistent with industry standard practice.
Texas-First Statutory Framework Behind Xactimate Estimating
Xactimate estimating is grounded in policy language and statutory framework. Texas (DCS home base) and Florida statutes that touch property estimating, prompt-pay, public adjusting, matching, and the residual-market entities.
Texas (Home Base)
DCS Firm License #3134924
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 4102. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 10% of recovery for public adjusting work. Requires written contract on TDI-approved form. Three-business-day cancellation right.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 542. Prompt Payment of Claims Act. Acknowledge / decide / pay deadlines, 18% statutory interest plus attorney fees on violations.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 542A. Pre-suit notice for weather-related property claims. Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 2210 (TWIA). Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Statutory wind/hail insurer of last resort for 14 designated coastal counties and parts of Harris County.
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 2211 (TFPA). Texas FAIR Plan Association. Statutory residential insurer of last resort, statewide availability for policyholders unable to obtain voluntary-market coverage.
- TX Ins. Code §541. Unfair Settlement Practices. Statutory cause of action; attorney work.
- License authority: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
- Statute of limitations: Generally 2 years for property claims (varies by policy and loss type).
Florida
DCS Firm License #W820363
- Fla. Stat. §626.854. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 20% of recovery for most claims, reduced to 10% during the first year following a state-declared emergency.
- Fla. Stat. §626.9744. Matching uniform appearance. Carriers must match the rest of the line, side, room, or other continuous area when repairing or replacing damaged property.
- Fla. Stat. §627.70131. Prompt-pay statute. Following 2022 reforms, the deadline to pay or deny most residential property claims was reduced to 60 days.
- Fla. Stat. §627.70132. Supplemental and reopened claims. Three years from date of loss; longer for hurricane claims.
- Fla. Stat. §627.7015. Mandatory mediation precondition for some residential property disputes.
- Fla. Stat. §624.155. Civil Remedy Notice (CRN). Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
- 2022 reforms (SB 2-D, SB 2-A). Eliminated one-way attorney fees for property claims; restricted Assignment of Benefits.
- License authority: Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Important. This summary is general educational information, not legal advice. The application of any statute to a specific claim, the determination of whether a denial supports a statutory cause of action, and any pre-suit or litigation strategy are legal questions for a licensed attorney in your state. DCS Public Insurance Adjusters read and apply policy language in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope), but do not provide legal advice or pursue statutory remedies.
The Insurance Company Has an Expert. So Should You.
Do not let an incomplete estimate determine your settlement. Contact us for a free review of your insurance company estimate.
