Xactimate is the insurance standard for restoration estimating. Here's where restoration management software fits alongside it, and where it replaces spreadsheets around it.
Almost every conversation about restoration estimating turns into a conversation about Xactimate. It's the pricing language adjusters speak, and for insurance work you probably aren't replacing it. What most shops need isn't a Xactimate alternative, it's everything around Xactimate: the scoping, the proposal, the customer-facing pricing, and the tracking of what's been billed vs. approved.
What Xactimate does well
- Location-based pricing that carriers already accept
- Line-item structure that maps to insurance approvals
- Sketch tools tied to the pricing engine
What Xactimate doesn't do
- Manage the pipeline of the 40 open jobs you're estimating
- Send a homeowner-friendly proposal for cash or out-of-pocket work
- Track deductibles, supplements, and approved vs. billed amounts
- Handle mold or contents scopes that fall outside typical dwelling coverage
The right split
Use Xactimate for the insurance-side estimate. Use restoration management software for scoping, proposals, customer communication, and tracking approvals against actuals. For cash jobs (especially mold), skip Xactimate entirely and quote with a real proposal tool tied to your job pipeline.
If you're new to Xactimate, Verisk publishes their own training portal. Pair it with a system that owns everything Xactimate doesn't.
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