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Last Post 12/29/2015 2:20 PM by  Wagenmaster
Do you have a Xactimate question? Answers from certified Xactimate Affiliate Trainer - Xact FAQ
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Claims Adjusters 411
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11/15/2009 11:50 PM


    Note: Claims Adjusters 411, Inc has a Certified Xactimate Affiliate Trainer, and is authorized by Xactimate to use their logo.

    We would like to offer something never seen before (to our knowledge) on Catadjuster.org.  Free Xactimate advice from Certified Xactimate Affiliate Trainer.  While we cannot teach an entire Xactimate course on a discussion board, we would like to offer assistance to adjusters with questions that can be answered concisely.  If we do not feel your question can be answered adequately in this space, we will reply and advise you of this.  Please post your question here, and then email it to xacttraining@gmail.com.  We will answer them as quickly as possible, and post the question and our reply on this discussion board.

    Thanks,

    Claims Adjusters 411, Inc
    http://www.claimsadjusters411.com/adjusters/xact/

    allmike
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    11/19/2009 9:32 AM
    Dear Sirs,
    Is there any way to sketch a single elevation in sketch? Many Insurance Company's want the elevation sketched and I have to do the sketch by hand. Please help!!

    Mike Burnett
    Claims Adjusters 411
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    11/23/2009 10:06 AM

    The most common question we have received from adjusters so far is, "Does Xactimate work with Windows 7".  We contacted Xactimate, and they claim that Windows 7 is fully compatible with Xactimate.  Please see below.

     

    Trouble importing pictures to photo sheet in Windows 7 when using Xactimate

    I contacted two of our adjusters who switched from Windows Vista to Windows 7.  Both adjusters love Windows 7.  At first, both thought there were no compatibility issues with Xact; however, we have found that if you place pictures on your computer (in a folder on your desktop for example), and then import them to your photo sheet, the clarity is degraded to the point the photos are almost unacceptable. 

    Solution

    To get around this, you can import the photos directly from your camera memory card or thumbdrive into Xactimate.  As long as you do not save the photos on your computer, the clarity will not be degraded.

    I will note that both of these adjusters were using Xactimate v. 25.4.

     

    We have contacted Xactimate Corporate and made them aware of this situation.  They report that at this time, there is no "fix" for this problem.

     

    Thanks,

    Shane Pratt
    Claims Adjusters 411, Inc
    Xactimate Affiliate Trainer
    http://www.claimsadjusters411.com/a.../training/

     

    claims_ray
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    11/23/2009 10:30 AM
    If they do come up with a fix for this situation please keep us informed as I and I am sure others will not be switching to windows 7 until this occurs. I appreciate the information and am glad that I found this out as I was considering the switch myself. I sure hope that they fix this before the next major storm as the newbies will probably jump up and buy themselves new computers with 7 preinstalled.
    RandyC
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    11/26/2009 11:35 PM

    Dear Allmike,

    I'm probably not the best person to answer your question, as I have not worked with XM8 26 or 27.  I'll share what little I know.

    The easy way to diagram an elevation is to change the wall thickness to 1" and draw it as a room with the wall tool.  That, of course, would generate an inspection violation since the room would be larger than XM8 expects...so you would have to explain that.   If you don't like the violation, you can chop up the elevation into smaller sections.  Draw in windows and doors with the reference tool.  Use the varables in your estimate with a note to explain why you are putting siding on the floor.

    If you want to waste a lot of time, you can build the rooms that form the elevation and define the ceilings as box, sloped, peaked or whatever to match the actual elevation.  You'll have to use the orientation tool to get them turned right relative to each other, and plug in the tall wall, short wall, and peak heights in the properties section of each room. 

    When you get this done, you can view each room elevation by placing the elevation arrow facing the wall you want to see,....but you want to see the full exterior elevation.  You can do that, too!  

    Look at it in 3D, selecting all levels if you have more than one.  Roll it up to view the elevation you want.  There is your elevation, but most reviewers can't  see this since they are viewing in pdf.    You have to do a screen capture, paste that into Photoshop, rastorize it, save it as an jpg, reopen in Photoshop, and add text to show dimensions  and other labels you would use in a hand drawn diagram.  Save it again, and add it to your photos of the same elevation with appropriate details in the caption.

    Maybe the experts have a better way that I don't know about.  I think there is a good reason why most adjusters draw their diagrams by hand.

    I hope this helps or leads to a better answer,

    Randy Cox

    If it doesn't fit....adjust it.

     

    Tim_Johnson
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    12/09/2009 8:35 AM
    I have a question concerning Base Service Charges,

    I had a file here with BCS turned on, RCV sheet was = $464,646.77
    BSC off = $462,453.94
    Factored into unit cost $506,837.87

    So......... with it factored into unit cost why didn't it just figure in the $2,193.83 difference that is between turned on and turned off?

    The difference between high and low here is $44,383.93. That makes no sense to me whatsoever
    Tim Johnson
    Tim_Johnson
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    12/11/2009 7:48 PM
    No takers on this question??
    Tim Johnson
    brighton
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    12/12/2009 3:57 PM

    Tim,

    You have to remember that xm8 was designed by a contractor for contractors. That in it self says a lot. No way were they going to get shorted on a job.

    You would think that xm8 would have a max allowable under the  BSC factored in  so that it would never exceed the original BSC. However, too many carriers are saying to factor in bsc to get the claim resolved. I am supprised that they have not tried. Gee, here is xm8 29 with max allowable for base service charges. xm8 could then charge $40/version for all the versions you would need. So what if you had to pay $350/mo or more to have all the versions just to keep up with your clients.

    Having the factored in is good for the IA writing the estimate, good for the contractor and bad for the public when they see their premiums increase because of it.  

    Rocke Baker
    Ray Hall
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    12/12/2009 4:25 PM

    Aw Roche, that is a dirty little secret that you told the public who keep paying higher cost for hazard insurance each year. The adjuster makes more fee,s the contractor makes much more profit and the 80% of insurance carriers who write Homeowners require x-mate charge all paid losses to the loss expense factor; therefore, rate increase each and ever year.

    Do you really mean carriers who use xmate as the ONLY software program THEY will accept with their staff and independent adjusters  are using BSC as a fudge factor for the hard cases to settle. I remember the old "fudge factor" on the DOS programs that was up to the adjuster to make this call. Not the one infallible program......because 80% of Homeowner insurance claims in the US would be somewhat inflated by just software alone.

    Makes an old adjuster think the ones who are getting screwed are the policyholders on the cost of insurance. I have been hearing that for years and remember my cost increasing 100% with the mold gold in Texas, when carriers were paying claims they did not owe.

    Goldust
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    01/25/2010 8:19 AM

      My close adjuster friend sent me Macros to load into exactimate.I am fairly new to x so I was wondering how I can download these to the program. Also is it possible to load them to the training demo program? I know it must be fairly easy.

    JERRY TAYLOR
    Goldust
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    01/30/2010 4:39 PM

    Please read my question above about inserting overlays on a roof in sketch

    JERRY TAYLOR
    LindyMon
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    06/05/2010 10:57 PM
    would you recommend the new xactimate 27 workbook for $49.99
    host
    CatAdjuster.org Founder
    Posts:709


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    06/06/2010 9:45 AM
    I have the workbook and would recommend it. The 5-step estimating process and the Lab Work sections the workbook provides I believe would be helpful to new users
    ssm1971
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    06/15/2010 7:35 PM
    I was hoping someone with hurricane catastrophe experience could answer a couple of questions for me. First...do adjusting companies (I.e. Renfroe, Worley, etc.) that hire contract employees during a hurricane offer staff or independents to enter your scope notes for claims into xactimate for you? If so, what is a common charge?
    The second question I have is does it make sense to pay someone to enter xactimate for you? My train of thought is, if they charge $100.00 or less, I feel as though I could make more money by focusing my time on scoping more claims in a day and having more time to close the claims I am working. Any input you guys have would be great.
    Thanks
    claims_ray
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    06/16/2010 9:02 PM
    Yes, you do that this career is so much only about how much money that you can make.
    Barneym
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    08/04/2010 4:11 PM
    I have just received my Texas All Lines license. My experience is primarily casualty. It appears that in order to even be considered for CAT work I will need to become familiar with Xactimate. I am not able to climb on a roof. I am considering taking a 2 day Xactimate course in Dallas ASAP just to pass the hurdle. Please recommend the name of the basic course and the name of a good training organization in Dallas. Thanks.
    BarneyM
    Ray Hall
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    08/04/2010 4:33 PM
    I am trying to help. "I am not able to climb" on a roof is a confusing statement for a person that wants to be a cat. adjuster Does a physical disability prevent you from doing this? 99% of all  property claims on a Homeowners policy are ROOF INVOLVED. If want to be a flood only you would need 4 years property adjusting exp.
    Peter Gemmi
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    08/31/2010 5:42 PM

    A two day course in Xactimate is a waste of time. I have been in the field about 20 years and used Integriclaim for many of the past 8 or so years. Seeing that the trend is moving to Xactimate, I enrolled in a 5 day course. The people who taught the course were pathetic and what I learned essentially was almost nothing. I proceeded some time later to take a 3 day course which was far better but still overwhelming if you had never used it before.

    First, make sure whomever you take the initial course from knows how to teach. You should be able to take very good notes and lastly, immediately after leaving your course, you should allow about 3 hours per day study time to review workbooks and any other materials you can get your hands on. If you do not practice daily after your initial introduction to the course, you will forget what you were presented with in a week.

    Hope this gives you a good insight.

    Peter Gemmi
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    08/31/2010 5:47 PM

    I am working with Xactimate, practicing daily.

    Here is my question. After I have completed a Sketch floorplan and I am preparing to put a Sketch roof on the home. I know there is a way to produce a shadow of the floorplan on the Sketch and then put the new Roof drawing on it using it as a guide for the Roof.

    How do I produce the shadow of the floorplan on the new drawing I am preparing to make of the Roof?

    RandyC
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    08/31/2010 6:33 PM

    Hi Peter,

    Sketch uses levels to distinguish between different parts of the house. I'm assuming your floor plan was done on the main level. Locate the main level tab at the bottom left of your sketch and right click on it. Select "insert above." Write "roof" in the blank for level name. Press OK; then close the dialogue box.

    The "shadow" of your floor plan should be there for you to lay your roof over. If you can't see it, tilt your laptop a little up or down and it should appear in dotted lines.

    Alternately, you can name this level "2nd Floor" add a second floor sketch, then a roof level over those two.

    After you get your sketch done, look around at the various "properties" of the levels you have created. You've used default values, but they can be changed to reflect the varying values you'll find in the real world.

    Good luck
    Randy Cox

    LindyMon
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    09/04/2010 12:42 PM
    I have switched over to 27.1 and I can't for the life of me figure out how to automatically figure waste factoring on sketch roofs.
    Peter Gemmi
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    09/15/2010 10:48 PM

    Thanks for the reply.

    I have spent about 4 hours each day for the past two weeks studying. I eventually discovered about the main floor plan showing up under the second level.

    I am studying for the Level 2 for X27 and I think I am ready. Do you have any insight as to what is required for Level 3 Certification?

    RandyC
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    09/16/2010 11:27 AM
    I hope they don't start requiring XM8 certification. If I have to get another certificate, I'm going to have to build a new room on the house to hold it. I must have had 50 XM8 classes. It got to where I only learned one or two new things per class, but I always learned something. Now, I only take the free classes.

    The time to learn XM8 is between storms. Once you deploy, there will be little time to learn new things and you'll probably just invent some work around solution and move on.

    I used to do A-frame houses, circular rooms, in ground swimming pools, spiral stair cases, pool cages, decks, turret roofs, and whatever I could think of using the various tools in sketch and save them as templates. A lot of those things are now new tools in XM8. As you know, XM8 charges $20 for a phone call, but their chat services are free.

    Any difficult item that you can't do or figure out for yourself, you can take to the chat lines. Late in the evening or early morning is a good time. Trick to using them is to not stay online for hours. Let them answer as best they can and disconnect. If they don't get it right, try again tomorrow or follow up the next day. The guys that work days are better than some of them on night shift...but not always. The wait time on days is not good if there are storms going on anywhere.

    If Level 3 Certification gets you more work, let us know. I think I could handle it, but I just don't want them getting any more of my money than they already have unless I get a real return on my investment.

    Randy C
    CatAdjusterX
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    09/21/2010 4:41 PM

    I am curious as in regards to tic sheets( scope notes), how many of you have your tic sheets geared exclusively towards XM8 ?

    "A good leader leads..... ..... but a great leader is followed !!" CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
    RandyC
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    09/21/2010 10:02 PM
    I've tried to use tic sheets but they have never worked out. I used legal pads and the scopes were okay but not in good order for my wife who writes them up. Sometimes the items of one elevation would run into another and we would have to review the photos to tell where the item belonged.

    Pre-designed tic sheets were a disaster for me and her. I finally printed my own pages for Roof, Front, Right, Back, Rear, Left, and interior rooms with items listed top to bottom as I do them. I had color dividers to keep them separate. That keep things straight and in proper sequence but too many pages flying in the wind, sometimes I wrote an item on the wrong elevation...especially gutters and downspouts on corners of the house. The pictures would clear things up, but that wastes time.

    Now, I use a single interview page with questions I ask the insured. (We fill this out by phone when we can, but sometimes on site). I use blank pages on steno pad for the exterior. Usually one page for roof, Front, Back, and Rear, and then each interior room if needed. If the damage is light, I'll not need all these pages and just draw heavy lines between elevations. If the XM8 code comes quickly to mind, I'll use that, but usually not.

    To keep various items straight, especially the close-ups, this is what I do: I use a six foot folding rule as a pointer. the first six inches of one side is painted white or frost for front, red for right. The other end is painted blue for back and lime green for left. Now when a screen damage detail has a lime green folding rule through the hole in the screen...we know it is a screen on left side. A hole in the siding with a red pointer is a hole on the right side. To measure the parts of the elevation to the eave, I pull the six foot rule out, place it on the ground, and put the disto on top and get my measurement, adding 6 foot to it. That keeps me from having to place the disto on the ground bending my worn out old body out of the way of the laser. I can also accomplish the same thing by putting the bottom of the disto at my mouth since I'm right at six foot two. (I have to turm my cap backwards or the laser hits the brim).

    Sorry this is so long, but this is the way I do it.

    We usually have the roof diagram print out done roughly from an Assurecalc photo ($7) before we get there. This way we know if we need to allow more or less time for a scope. I'll mark the measurements on that, draw in the soft metal and other details. If the roof doesn't match, which happens on 2 or 3% of the roofs, I'll make a note and use the back to draw the real roof. Almost always there will be some part of the roof not showing in the picture which I have to add and dimension.
    With assurecalc only two clear measurements are needed. Fence or driveways work...but they have to have very distinct lines. We did have one disaster that happened because I used the measurements of a large well house to replace a measurement taken of a ridge with the roofer holding one end of the tape. The roofer had his back turned to me and I couldn't see what he was doing with the end of the tape. This measurement did not compare well with the other measurments I took of the roof, so I used the well house. I'll never do that again!

    Simple interior diagrams of rooms, I sketch on the legal pads, with names the insureds give me for those rooms. If there are two or more rooms, I try to draw in the rooms that connect the two or more damaged.

    One thing that I do now that I did not use to do is use graph paper to draw in open design floors and ceilings that flow through the house, around and back to connect. Especially rooms with angles other than 90 degree corners. Drawing those rooms freehand would always come together at the end. With graph paper, they work just fine. For the angles, I just use the folding rule pressed up against the baseboard, and then lifted up gently to keep the angle. I place my electronic pitch gauge/protractor on that to render the angle. Now a complicated floor or ceiling will not stray off from reality.



    hossknot
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    03/14/2012 9:55 AM
    Hi there. I am trying to make an scetch with a sloped floor! One side of the room has a ramp for wheelchair access, and the other side has the slope difference made up with steps. Can't figure out how to slope the floor, only the ceiling!
    Thanks very much!
    Jud G.
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    03/19/2012 3:20 PM

    Regarding tic-sheets, I don't use them.  

    I use graph paper and only draw diagrams.  My camera records the scope for both structural and contents damages.  The contents photos provide macro views of make, model, and serial numbers.

    I've been doing it this way since '05 and it works great for me with large and small losses.

    Pforecast
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    05/02/2012 9:30 PM
    I recently had an adjuster show me that he could lable his photos using the Function Keys.  F1 was Front Elevation, F2 was Left Elevation, etc.  He opened his photos in the claim, place his cursor in the Image Name box and then hit the corresponding Function Key.  This is a shortcut that will help me label photos faster and I thought others could use it, too.  Any help would be appreciated.
    preatis
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    07/09/2012 3:34 PM
    Posted By Lindy on 04 Sep 2010 12:42 PM
    I have switched over to 27.1 and I can't for the life of me figure out how to automatically figure waste factoring on sketch roofs.

    Unfortunately the auto sketch feature requires a creative touch unless your images are purchased from Pictometry or other roof imaging software. Even when using this the features are difficult for non CAD people and manual adjustments tend to remove the previous "auto" calculations. Below is a great free step by step training manual for FREE imaging using google maps, MapsGL and  Google Earth. 


    http://rightbrothersgc.com/Contract...bsp; 




    BigBoat
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    11/05/2012 12:57 AM

    I have Xact 25, it crashed, I have pulled out the estimates by going to

     C: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Xactware\Xactimate25\xm8\data\estimates\instance=0

    I pasted them into an active xact 25 at same location but they won't show up when I open Xact 25.    They look just like the the ones that do show up and are in the same file location.   Any ideas

    mo.cat.adjuster
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    11/18/2012 9:10 AM
    I need to make a bay window roof. I used the Bay window with roof but once in place, I can't update the proper measurements. I don't need the window, just the roof. Any help?
    c.crone
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    12/04/2012 9:51 AM
    Is there any shortcuts to labeling photos in Xactimate?
    dparsons
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    08/02/2013 2:19 PM
    Has anyone else had a problem with the latest Xactimate small update causing Xactimate to crash and burn. Right now, I am #11 in the Live Support Que and started about an hour ago at #39.
    Catmandale
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    08/03/2013 9:27 PM
    I also had problems with the small update. My issue was that the install would hang up. They finally helped me by taking over my computer, loading and changing many file settings. This was when I tried out Xact28 on a win8. I have since downgraded back to 27.5 on a win7 computer.

    I hope they can fix your issue.

    Wagenmaster
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    08/04/2013 5:10 PM

    dparsons,

    did you ever get straightened out? I too had this problem when I downloaded the new price lists. It just told me that a small update was available, but I never was able to get it installed. I even went to XM8 and asked for an answer and even got a reference number and they said that they would get back w/ me. That was two months ago and I still have not got an answer from them.  Same thing when I downloaded the new Aug price list. I'm running 27.5 w/ Win. 7.

    dlubrano01
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    12/31/2013 1:39 PM

    I am looking for some advice on passing the xactimate 28 level 1 certification test. Has any one else had trouble passing the test?

    Thanks

     

    CatAdjusterX
    Veteran Member
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    01/01/2014 2:24 AM
    Posted By dlubrano01 on 12/31/2013 1:39 PM

    I am looking for some advice on passing the xactimate 28 level 1 certification test. Has any one else had trouble passing the test?

    Thanks

    ...........................................

    Study!! 





    "A good leader leads..... ..... but a great leader is followed !!" CatAdjusterX@gmail.com
    Wagenmaster
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    12/29/2015 2:20 PM

    Can someone explain the difference between using the Comm Rpr/Remdl tax and the regular tax rate? Why would I use one over the other? This is a commercial policy and using the Comm Rpr/Remdl tax rate adds $4,309.32 over the regular tax rate of $8.25%!

    I've checked the Tx DOI website for clarification, but can't seem to get a straight answer. I used the regular tax rate of 8.25% on my estimate and the roofer used the Comm Rpr/Remdl tax rate which also shows to be 8.25% and there is the $4,309.32 difference. I only have the depreciate material box checked.

     What should I actually be using? Why should I use one over the other?

    I've also sent a request to Xm8, but that doesn't help much either .



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