I AM CURIOUS: Where does Exactimate find these local contractors for their pricing?

XM8 may be the insurance industry standard but they are not the construction industry standard. The same company that "advises" P&C insurance companies on how to price their premium (top pro contractor rates in the future), ISO, Inc. also owns Xactimate which typically attempts to pay low ball rates based on their supposed surveys that no contractor I've ever talked with in 40 years has ever been asked about.

Ins work is all "pre-paid" If the premium paid covers a $20k job (at pro contractor rates) that is the price that all contractors should be asking for and not accepting some adjusters insurance industry mandated below market rates.

Twill, I was using Xactimate for many years mainly for the storm work. Since most insurance companies use Xactimate I felt if we were going to play the game I had better learn the program. Pricing by this software is done on a local basis not by asking contractors for pricing, but getting material prices from suppliers and then using a workfactor program such as used by method engineers they put together prices. I used to argue with them about varios items and they would say this is what it is. One of the problems that we had is the adjusters that went out on a insurance call had no idea of construction and how to put things together and etc another thing is that the adjusters can not saying that they do, but you can add or subtract percentages to the published numbers. The idea is t meet the adjust out on the job and explain to them how you will be handling this job some will listen others will blow you off. :unsure: