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How Wave Works

Coverage and industry standards questions

Ask Wave whether a policy covers the loss, or what the industry standards say about a situation. Wave recommends a reading and names the section it rests on. It never decides coverage.

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Two questions come up on almost every job: "will the policy pay for this?" and "what does the standard actually say?" You can ask Wave both, anywhere you talk to it: the Home box, the Chat page, or the chat beside a job. This page explains what you get back, and what Wave will never do.

Ask about coverage

Ask in plain words: "Does this policy cover the mold in the crawlspace?" or "What does this policy say about water that came in under the door?" For the best answer, attach the policy as a PDF with your question.

Coverage answers are available on every plan.

What Wave's recommendation includes

Wave gives you its reading, not a verdict. You get:

  • Its reading first, with the reason for it. Wave tells you which way it thinks the policy points for this work, and why, without settling the question.
  • The section it rests on, from the document you gave it, so you can read the policy's own words yourself.
  • What could change the reading, such as an exclusion that might apply or a fact about the loss that still needs confirming.

When you ask about a whole policy, Wave gives a separate reading for each kind of damage or work, each with its own section.

If Wave hasn't seen the policy, it says so. Its reading then rests only on the facts of the loss, it doesn't quote policy wording from memory, and it asks you for the policy.

What Wave will never decide

Wave recommends a reading. It never decides coverage, and it never gives you a flat yes or no. Even with a policy attached, every answer stays a recommendation with its reasons. A recommendation from Wave is not legal advice.

Wave also won't cite a statute or a building code section as a requirement from memory. If a code matters to your answer, give Wave the text and it will work from that.

Ask what industry standards say

Industry standards, built in. Wave carries the industry's water damage and mold remediation standards themselves, not a summary. Ask about drying science, mold, containment, or a situation on the job in front of you, and Wave searches the standards and answers with the section its answer rests on.

This is how you defend your estimate with real information while you build it. Ask "why does this job need that?" or "what does the water damage standard say about wet insulation?" and you get a grounded answer you can point to, not a guess.

Wave keeps its sources apart. It tells you what the standard says, what your attached document says, and what is general estimating judgment, and it tells you when the standard requires something versus recommends it.

When Wave has nothing that applies

If the standards don't contain a section that fits your question, Wave says it doesn't have a governing section. It won't stretch a nearby section to fit or answer from memory. The same goes for documents: if Wave could read only part of a PDF, it says so in its answer.

Which plans include standards answers

Industry standards answers come with Basic and above, and they're included in the free trial. On Starter, Wave tells you the standards lookup isn't included in your plan. Coverage questions work on every plan. See Plans and limits.

Carrier guidelines are separate

Industry standards and carrier guidelines are different things. Wave is not trained on carrier guidelines. On Pro, your team uploads the carrier or TPA programs you work under, and Wave flags your estimates against the programs you attach. Your uploads are used only for your company's estimates and never to improve Wave.

Guideline findings can include a Coverage note from Wave. That note is about how completely Wave could check your estimate against the program (for example, when the program refers to a companion document Wave doesn't have), not about insurance coverage. See Review guideline findings.

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