You Got the Adjuster's Estimate. Now What?

What is the adjuster's estimate, and what are its parts called?

The estimate is a written document from your insurer, prepared by an adjuster, that lists repair work line by line. You may also hear it called a loss sheet or a scope of loss. Each line has a description, a quantity, a unit and a price, and the page adds up to a total.

Here are words you are likely to see:

• Line item: one task or material, such as tear-off, shingles, underlayment, flashing or a ridge cap.
• Quantity and unit: how much of that item the estimate lists. Roofing is often counted in "squares," gutters in linear feet and siding in square feet.
• Unit price: the price listed for one unit of that item.
• Totals and adjustments: subtotal lines and other money lines. Depreciation, deductible and similar terms appear here. Ask your insurer what each one means on your policy.

Different insurers lay the page out differently, so your document may not match another homeowner's. This guide covers what to do next.

How do I read the estimate myself?

Read it slowly, one page at a time, with a pen in hand. You do not need roofing expertise for this. The goal is to know what the document says: which parts of your house it lists, what sizes and materials it names, and which words you do not understand. Write those words down as questions.

Go through the document in this order:

1. Your name, address and date of the storm. Find them on the first page, and tell your insurer if any of them is wrong.
2. The parts of the house listed. Note which parts the estimate names, such as the roof, gutters, siding or windows, so you can describe the same job to contractors.
3. Measurements. Find the size listed for each area, such as the number of roofing squares or the linear feet of gutter. Contractors price from these numbers. If you cannot tell what a number or unit means, write it down.
4. Materials named. Note the type of shingle, siding or gutter the estimate names, so you can give contractors the same description.
5. Every other line. Read every line, including any about roof slope, height and small parts, so you know what the document lists.
6. Notes and small print. Read any paragraph of small print or comments from the adjuster, and mark any sentence you do not understand.

Take photos of the estimate pages and keep the originals. Mark the words and numbers you do not understand in the margin, because you will use them in the next step.

What should I ask my insurer about the estimate?

Ask your insurer to explain anything on the page you do not understand, and ask in writing when you can so you have a record. Your policy is the place to look for what applies to your claim. Your part here is to understand the document and ask clear questions about it.

Copy this list and add your own questions:

• Can you walk me through each section of this estimate and what the terms on it mean?
• Can you show me where each part of the house I reported appears in my claim file?
• Can you explain the measurements and units on this estimate?
• How does my deductible apply to this estimate?
• What does my policy say about depreciation?
• Who is my contact for questions, and what is the best way to reach them?
• Can you send me a copy of the full estimate and any photos or notes in my claim file?
• What does my policy say about choosing my own contractor?

Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what they said. Ask for answers in writing when a phone call leaves anything unclear.

When and how should I get contractor bids?

A practical time to start collecting bids is once you have the estimate in hand and have read it. Use the estimate as the shared written scope, so every contractor prices the same work. When bids describe different work, you cannot tell which price is actually lower.

Give each contractor the same document and the same questions. Then compare their bids side by side.

A useful bid lists, in writing:

• Each line of work, with a quantity and a unit, in the same order as the estimate where possible.
• Materials by name, including product line, color and grade.
• Warranty terms, both the manufacturer's and the contractor's, with what each covers and for how long.
• Licensing and insurance information for the company.
• Cleanup, disposal and permit details.
• A total price and what is included in it.
• A proposed start window and how long the work is expected to take.

When bids come back, line them up in a table like this. The estimate column is the shared scope, so you can see that every bid describes the same job:

A bid that is much lower or higher than the others is a reason to ask what is different, not a reason to pick or drop it. For a way to line bids up item by item, see the roof bid comparison worksheet.

What if a contractor's bid lists work the estimate does not?

Two different people wrote the two documents, so they may not match. Ask the contractor to explain, in writing, any line in the bid that is not on the estimate, so you know what you would be paying for. Whether your insurer considers anything beyond its own estimate, and how, is a question for your insurer.

Otter Quotes takes no part in that conversation. Be wary of anyone who tells you the outcome in advance. Neither a contractor nor a website can know how your insurer will respond.

What should I read before signing anything?

Read the whole contract, every page, and take your time. A contract is a written commitment, so know what it says before you sign. You can ask for a copy to read at home and you can ask questions about any line. Anyone pressuring you to sign on the spot is giving you information about how they work.

Before you sign, look for these items:

• The scope of work matches the bid you chose, line by line.
• The price matches the bid, and the contract says what could change it and how.
• The payment terms: when payments are due and what each one covers.
• Materials and warranties are named in the contract itself, not only in a sales conversation.
• Cancellation terms and anything you are agreeing to give up.
• Any language about your insurance claim, such as authority for the contractor to speak with your insurer. Ask what each sentence means, and ask your insurer about it before you sign.
• Start window, completion and cleanup terms.
• Permits and who handles them.

If any section is unclear, ask the contractor to explain it in writing. For more on collecting bids when a claim is involved, see can you get multiple bids on a roof insurance claim.

What is the order of steps from estimate to signed contract?

Work through these steps in order, from the day the estimate arrives to the day you sign with a contractor. The list is a sequence, not a schedule, so move at the pace your situation allows, and go back a step whenever something is unclear.

1. Save the full estimate, every page, in a safe place and make a copy.
2. Read it line by line and mark any word or number you do not understand.
3. Note the parts of the house, the sizes and the materials it lists.
4. Ask your insurer, in writing where you can, to explain anything you marked.
5. Keep a record of every answer.
6. Check your policy, or ask your insurer, for anything it says about choosing a contractor.
7. Give the same estimate to each contractor you want a bid from.
8. Ask for bids that list each line of work, materials, warranties and a total.
9. Line up the bids side by side and compare them.
10. Ask each contractor to explain, in writing, anything in a bid you do not understand.
11. Read each contract in full before you sign anything.
12. Sign only when you understand every line.

Where does Otter Quotes fit?

Otter Quotes handles the bid steps, seven through nine. You provide a copy of your insurance estimate, we create a written scope of work for your project, and we send that scope to multiple contractors. They compete online with bids on the same work, and you compare the bids next to reviews and licensing information. You sign online, with no salesperson in your home. There is no cost for homeowners who provide a copy of their insurance estimate. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid. We do not work with your insurance company, and we do not negotiate claims.