Why Xactimate dominates insurance roofing
Nearly all U.S. property insurance carriers use Xactimate or one of its modules to scope storm-damage claims. The software's price database is regionally updated for material + labor costs. Adjusters write their scope using Xactimate line items + pricing.
For storm-zone roofing contractors, Xactimate fluency is essentially required:
- Scope alignment. Contractor scopes that don't match Xactimate line items + pricing create friction in supplement approval.
- Supplement defense. Items missed in the initial scope can be supplemented — but the supplement needs to be defensible in Xactimate-language to be approved.
- Payment processing. Carriers process claim payments based on Xactimate scope; mismatches delay payments.
What Xactimate covers in roofing scope
- Roof removal (tear-off labor + dump fees) per square.
- Shingle install at material-tier-specific pricing per square.
- Ridge cap, hip cap, valleys as separate line items per linear foot.
- Drip edge, ice + water shield per linear foot.
- Flashings (chimney, skylight, wall) per item.
- Code-required upgrades (ventilation, sheathing, structural elements where present).
Xactimate licensing
Xactimate is licensed per-user, not free to access. Contractor licenses run several thousand dollars per year at this writing — non-trivial but standard cost-of-doing-business for insurance-focused storm-chasing roofers. Many contractors employ a dedicated supplement specialist who runs Xactimate full-time.
How Roof Launch fits
Roof Launch is acquisition software for residential roofers — generates deposit-paid leads through mailed roof quotes with AI-rendered new roofs. Xactimate is post-claim scope software. The two are complementary:
- Mailed roof quote → homeowner scans → pays inspection deposit (Roof Launch).
- Contractor inspects → meets adjuster → adjuster writes initial scope in Xactimate.
- Contractor writes supplement in Xactimate for code-required + missed items.
- Supplement approved → install scheduled → final payment via Xactimate-aligned invoicing.
Generate the storm leads. Roof Launch handles acquisition.
Free account, free rendering, $1 per mailed roof quote. Storm-response mailings within 48 hours return $50-$80 per $1 spent.
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