How to read a roofing insurance claim (and avoid lowball offers)
July 14, 2025 · 8 min
When an insurance settlement lands in your inbox, it comes as a Xactimate scope of work with line-item numbers. Most homeowners look at the total and assume that is what the carrier owes them. It is not — it is the carrier's opening offer.
The scope is broken into line items: tear-off, underlayment, drip edge, starter, shingle, ridge cap, flashing, boots, disposal, and so on. Some carriers write scopes that miss line items entirely. Others use unit prices that do not reflect current material cost.
A supplement is a formal request to add missing line items or correct unit prices. A licensed contractor can file a supplement on your behalf. Well-supported supplements are routinely approved.