Jeffrey S. Aal, A.I.C.

Public adjuster or attorney: different roles in a property claim

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Claim Library · Professional roles and dispute pathways Public adjuster or attorney: different roles in a property claim Do you need professional representation to resolve a property insurance claim? For years my answer was generally no. Later it became: wait until something on the file genuinely concerns you, then wait one more day, and then … Read more

Additional living expense coverage: how displacement costs actually work

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Claim Library · Claim intake and documentation Additional living expense coverage: how displacement costs actually work When a property loss pushes a family out of the house, the policy provision that carries them through the displacement is usually called additional living expense, or ALE. It is one of the most used and least understood parts … Read more

Actual cash value, replacement cost, and depreciation on a contents claim

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Claim Library · Contents inventory and valuation Actual cash value, replacement cost, and depreciation on a contents claim Contents claims are settled in two stages more often than policyholders expect, and the second stage is where money can be left behind. Understanding how actual cash value, replacement cost, and depreciation interact is the difference between … Read more

Why scope matters more than the bottom-line estimate

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Claim Library · Estimate comparison and scope Why scope matters more than the bottom-line estimate There is an old adage in the claims business: whoever controls the scope controls the claim. Policyholders tend to fixate on the bottom-line number of an estimate. Claim professionals fixate on the scope, because the scope is where the number … Read more

Claims intake: what happens between the first call and the adjuster

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Claim Library · Claim intake and documentation Claims intake: what happens between the first call and the adjuster Most homeowners go years, sometimes a lifetime, without filing a property claim. Auto claims are more common. Significant property losses are not. When a serious claim does occur, the part of the process that catches people off … Read more

Scope, Quantity, Price, and Methodology Are Four Different Estimate Disputes

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Claim Library · Estimate Analysis Scope, quantity, price, and methodology are four different estimate disputes A useful comparison identifies the type of disagreement before attempting to resolve the total. Written and reviewed by: Jeffrey S. Aal, A.I.C. Last reviewed: July 29, 2026 Jurisdiction: General property-claim education Basis: Professional observation and estimate-review methodology. Policy language and … Read more

An Estimate Can Balance Mathematically and Still Be Incomplete

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Claim Library · Estimate Analysis An estimate can balance mathematically and still be incomplete Accurate arithmetic confirms that the listed inputs were calculated. It does not confirm that all necessary work was listed. Written and reviewed by: Jeffrey S. Aal, A.I.C. Last reviewed: July 29, 2026 Jurisdiction: General property-claim education Basis: Professional observation and estimate-review … Read more

Why Two Estimates Can Differ Even When Both Use Xactimate

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Claim Library · Estimate Analysis Why two estimates can differ even when both use Xactimate Shared software does not mean shared scope, measurements, repair assumptions, or supporting evidence. Written and reviewed by: Jeffrey S. Aal, A.I.C. Last reviewed: July 29, 2026 Jurisdiction: General property-claim education Basis: Professional observation and estimate-review methodology. Policy language and state … Read more