F9 Notes

Property Claims Documentation

F9 Notes

F9 Notes

A Practical Guide

Copy-ready documentation frameworks for property insurance claim repair estimates. Written by claims professionals, organized by trade, free to use.

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Disclaimer

This resource is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal advice, claims advice, engineering advice, or professional consulting of any kind, and no attorney-client, adjuster-client, or consultant-client relationship is created by reading or using it. Nothing in this resource should be relied upon as a substitute for the judgment of a qualified professional applied to the facts of a specific loss, the specific policy in force, and the law and codes of the jurisdiction where the loss occurred.

Industry standards (such as those published by the IICRC, NFPA, and others) are revised periodically. Citations and figures reflect general industry practice and may not match the current published edition of any standard. Building codes vary by jurisdiction and are amended over time. The reader is responsible for verifying the current version of any standard or code before relying on it.

The example F9 notes are starting frameworks, not finished text. They should be reviewed, edited, and verified by the professional preparing the estimate before being attached to any claim.

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F9
WTR DMO Demo flood-damaged drywall to 48"
120 SF
Flood cut performed at 48" — two courses above visible wicking for Cat 2 water. Per IICRC S500. See moisture log, photos IMG_4201–4206.

Demo flood-damaged drywall to 48". Removed 120 SF per scope.

Flood cut performed at 48" — two courses above wicking, Cat 2 water.

This should not be reduced. Any reviewer has not seen the loss.

Per IICRC S500 for Cat 2. Dry substrate confirmed above cut line.

All work per industry standards and applicable codes.

Per IICRC S500. See moisture log, photos IMG_4201–4206.

Understanding F9 Notes

What Is an F9 Note?

In Xactimate®, pressing F9 on any line item opens a notes field — a place for the context the line description alone cannot carry.

What was done, why it was needed, what conditions drove the decision — this is the information that turns an estimate from a list of charges into a documented record.

While the term comes from Xactimate®, the principle applies everywhere — Cotality® (formerly Symbility®), Simsol™, CoreLogic®, Encircle™, hand-written scopes. This guide uses "F9 notes" as shorthand for that universal practice.

What is an estimate?

When property is damaged — by water, fire, storm, or another covered event — someone has to determine what it will cost to repair or replace what was lost. That document is called an estimate. It lists each task, material, and quantity involved in restoring the property, with a price attached to each. In property insurance, the estimate is the backbone of the claim. It is how the cost of a loss is communicated, reviewed, and ultimately paid. Everyone involved — the property owner, the insurance company, the contractor doing the work — relies on it to understand the scope and cost of the repairs.

What is a line item?

An estimate is built from line items. A line item is a single entry for one specific piece of work or material — for example, "remove and replace drywall," "apply antimicrobial," or "detach and reset toilet." Each line item has a description, a quantity (square feet, linear feet, each), and a price. A typical estimate can contain dozens or hundreds of line items. Read together, they describe the full scope of the repair.

What is estimating software?

While not required, many property loss repair estimates are built in specialized software. These programs contain large databases of standardized line items with proprietary regional pricing, so that an estimator can build a consistent, itemized estimate rather than pricing everything by hand. The most widely known of these programs is Xactimate®, but it is not the only one. Cotality® (formerly Symbility®), Simsol™, CoreLogic®, and Encircle™ are also used across the industry, and some estimates are still written and pricing sourced manually.

The Information Gap

A line item tells the reader what is being charged.
An F9 note tells the reader why.

Sometimes, claim friction is due to a gap in information. The adjuster, reviewer, or auditor is looking at the file days or weeks later, often without seeing the loss in person. If the estimate does not explain itself, questions pile up — and every one adds time and cost.

Good F9 notes close that gap before it opens.

The Framework

Anatomy of a Good F9 Note

A useful F9 note answers four questions. Watch the note build below as you scroll.

01 What 02 Why 03 How 04 Where
01

What

was done or is being charged — the specific action, material, or scope element. This is the foundation: a clear statement of what the line item covers.

02

Why

it was necessary — the loss condition, code requirement, or standard that drove the decision. This turns a line item from a charge into a justified action.

03

How

it conforms to a recognized standard — IICRC, IRC, NFPA, manufacturer specs, building code, or common construction practice, where relevant.

04

Where

the supporting documentation lives — photos, moisture log, infrared imaging, code citation. The note references the evidence; it does not replace it.

Clarity = Closure

Not every note needs all four. A short line item with an obvious purpose may need one or two sentences. A judgment call or high-cost line should get the full treatment. The goal is a reader who finishes the note with no remaining questions about that line.

Application

Putting It Into Practice

Read the Line Item First

If using an estimating software, check what the line item already covers. Each line has a built-in description of what is included in the unit price — and often a list of what is not.

Stop justifying what's already covered. If "R&R drywall" includes hanging, taping, texture, and primer, the note does not need to explain those steps.

Catch what the line does not include. A line may cover the work but not the disposal, or the install but not the detach.

Common Mistakes

What F9 Notes Should Not Do

These patterns undermine the goal of a note that leaves no questions. Watch each mistake get corrected in the note below.

Repeat the line item description verbatim.

The reader already has the line item — restating it wastes the only space you have to justify the work.

Argue with the reader or anticipate disputes.

The moment a note starts defending itself — "this should not be reduced" — it signals insecurity, not authority. Let the facts speak.

Pad the file with boilerplate.

Generic notes train readers to skip them. If every note says "per industry standards and applicable codes," the reviewer stops reading.

Also avoid

Making claims not supported by the file.

Substituting for photos or measurements.

A note on "workmanlike repairs" and "common construction practice": these two terms come up constantly in property claims and carry real weight in scope decisions, but they are often used loosely. They are not interchangeable, and how each applies can shape whether a line item is accepted, modified, or denied. Courses covering both concepts and their application to claims are available at ClaimCohort.com.

Ready to find the right note? The full directory is searchable by trade, keyword, or category.

Browse All Notes

The Question Test

When F9 Notes Matter Most

Not every line item needs an F9 note. Some are self-explanatory. But for the ones below, a reviewer reading your estimate days later — without seeing the loss — will have questions. The F9 note is the difference between a phone call and a closed file.

?

If someone reading the estimate might ask "why?" — the F9 note should already have the answer.

Apply this test to every line. The items below highlight some common examples.

CUT 48"
damage line
why
here?

Judgment calls

Judgment-based decisions

"Why 48 inches and not to the visible damage line?"

Flood cut height, paint to break points, full room vs. partial — any scope decision where professional judgment determined the quantity, boundary, or method. The line item says what was done; the note explains the reasoning.

Equipment

Equipment selection & quantity

"Why three LGRs? The AHAM formula only calls for two."

LGR vs. refrigerant dehumidifiers, air mover counts, HEPA scrubbers — the equipment on the estimate tells the reviewer the cost. The note tells them why that equipment, in that quantity, for that loss.

x1
x2
?
x3
visible
full scope

Demolition

Demolition scope

"Why full-room demo when the visible damage was only on one wall?"

Partial demo is where the most friction lives. Moisture readings, wicking patterns, and contamination testing often justify scope beyond the visible damage — but only if the note documents what was found.

Treatment

Antimicrobial & chemical application

"Was antimicrobial actually warranted here, or just routine?"

Antimicrobial, biocide, and deodorizer applications are among the most frequently questioned line items. The note should name the product, the condition that triggered application, and the standard or protocol followed.

warranted?
§ CODE

Code

Building code requirements, workmanlike repairs, and common construction practice

"The original didn't have GFCI — why are we paying for it now?"

Ice and water shield, GFCI protection, ventilation requirements, insulation R-values — when code requirements affect the scope of repairs, the note should cite any applicable codes, jurisdiction, manufacturer's specs, and common construction practices. The note proves it.

Scope method

Detach & reset (D&R) vs. remove & replace (R&R)

"Why replace the vanity? Couldn't it be reset?"

The choice between D&R and R&R is often the most debated scope decision on a claim. Material condition, contamination exposure, and practical reinstallation feasibility all factor in — and the note is where that reasoning lives.

D&R
returns
R&R
NEW
replaces
sealed

Containment

Containment and PPE

"Category 2 doesn't always require full containment."

Type and extent of containment, PPE requirements, and the loss condition that triggered them. The note documents the hazard assessment, not just the line charge.

Matching

Like-kind-and-quality matching (LKQ)

"Why is the cost so high per SQ FT? The original was builder-grade"

When the original material is discontinued, unavailable, or changed and no longer compatible, a LKQ replacement requires selection of a current equivalent, which can include considerations such as (but not limited to) appearance, material, dimensions, texture, finishes, and compatibility. The note documents what was original, what was selected, and why the LKQ selection is appropriate.

original
≈
LKQ
%
target
d1
d2
d3
d4
?
d5

Monitoring

Daily monitoring & labor minimums

"Five days of monitoring for a two-room dry-out?"

Duration, frequency, what was checked each visit, and the readings that justified continuing. Daily monitoring is one of the most scrutinized line items — a note that references the moisture log closes the conversation before it starts.

Overhead

General conditions

"Why is supervision billed separately? Isn't that included in O&P?"

Supervision, dumpsters, permits, temporary utilities — general conditions are frequently flagged precisely because the charges feel abstract. The note ties each one to the specific project requirement that created it.

G.C.
3

Ready to find the right note? The full directory is searchable by trade, keyword, or category.

Browse All Notes

Due Diligence

Verify Standards and Codes Before Citing

The example notes in the directory reference industry standards and building code sections. Both categories require verification before the language is used in any real estimate.

Industry Standards

IICRC, ANSI, EPA, OSHA

Standards are revised. The current edition of an IICRC standard may use different terminology, ratios, categories, or procedures than what appears in this guide. Before citing a standard in an F9 note:

Confirm the current published edition.

Confirm that the section, term, or figure still appears in the current edition and means what you think it means.

When in doubt, cite the standard generally rather than to a specific figure that may have changed.

Building Codes

IRC, IBC, NEC, local amendments

Every state enforces a statewide minimum building code that must be followed. Counties and municipalities can choose to adopt and create amendments that are more restrictive or prescriptive than the minimum state code. Model codes are the standardized codebooks written by national organizations (such as the IRC, IBC, and NEC) that governments can choose to adopt; on their own they carry no legal force. What matters is what the state publicly lists in their written laws for building codes, which includes the edition (year) the state has adopted, amended, and enforces — plus any stricter local amendments. Before citing a specific code section:

Identify the code currently adopted, amended, and enforced by the state (not the general IRC, IBC, or other model codebooks).

Check for local or county additions to the state code, if any.

Confirm that all applicable codes are applied. For example, fenestration (windows and doors) can be subject to the IRC or IBC and energy codes at the same time.

A useful starting point for looking up adopted codes by jurisdiction is the resource page at TheClaim.Directory/resources/upcodes.

!

These notes are starting frameworks, not finished language. Every citation should be verified against the current state building codes and if applicable, local amendments, before use in a real estimate. Don't fall into the common trap of citing model code books.

From the Directory

Featured Notes

Starting frameworks, not finished text. Review and adapt for each loss.

WTR

Daily monitoring
F9
Note Attached

Daily moisture monitoring performed by a certified technician. Readings recorded for affected materials, unaffected reference materials (dry standard), ambient temperature, relative humidity, and grains per pound. Equipment performance verified and adjustments made as conditions change. Monitoring continues until affected materials reach the established dry standard. Full log available in claim file.

Detail
WTR

Low Grain Refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifier
F9
Note Attached

LGR dehumidifier deployed based on Class [X] / Category [X] conditions and the materials present. LGR equipment selected over standard refrigerant due to [dense materials requiring deeper extraction / lower grain conditions needed to dry hardwood, plaster, or concrete / structural cavity drying]. Equipment sizing follows IICRC S500 dehumidification calculations for the affected cubic footage. Performance recorded in daily moisture log. Verify against the current published edition of IICRC S500.

IICRC S500
Detail
RCN

Detach and reset baseboard
F9
Note Attached

Existing baseboard is in serviceable condition and can be removed in one piece. Detach and reset selected over remove and replace to preserve existing finishes where like-kind-and-quality replacement is not warranted. If material fails or is damaged during removal, line item to be revised to R&R with photo documentation.

Detail
GNL

Supervision
F9
Note Attached

On-site supervision by a project lead during active work days. Activities included in supervision for this scope: coordinating trades; verifying scope completion; addressing conditions discovered during work; maintaining communication with the policyholder and adjuster; obtaining and managing required permits; scheduling and attending required inspections; and coordinating permit sign-offs at applicable work stages. Calculated as a percentage of the production scope, consistent with industry standards for managed restoration work. Amend this note to reflect the activities actually performed on this project. Remove any activities listed above that do not apply and add any supervision activities not listed that were required for this scope.

Detail
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About Us

F9Notes was built by two property insurance claims professionals who believe clear documentation makes claims better for everyone involved.

Eric Davisson

Eric Davisson

Founder of Claim Titan, a claims management platform built specifically for property insurance professionals. A software developer, and past public adjuster.

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Sarah Parker

Sarah Parker

Founder of Claim Cohort, a year-round professional development platform and community for property insurance claims professionals, and of TheClaim.Directory, a curated resource library serving the broader claims industry. A public adjuster, firm owner, past NAPIA Board Member, and national continuing education instructor.

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Together, they created F9Notes as a neutral, platform-independent resource for anyone who writes or reviews property insurance estimates — a free guide first, with more to come. The goal is simple: clearer communication, better claims.

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The best F9 note is one the reviewer never has to question.

If the reader finishes the note and understands exactly what was done, why it was done, and how it fits the standard — the line moves forward. That is the entire point.

Clarity = Closure.

Browse All Notes

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