Expert Damage Appraisal

Professional Construction Estimating & Damage Appraisals

We have successfully completed, cost effective insurance appraisal clause processes in New York, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

What happens when there is a dispute about an insurance claim amount? Very often one party institutes litigation. This is an immediate signal that there will be lawyers involved, years of time will elapse before resolution is reached and both parties will be exposed to healthy legal expenses.

When settlement amounts are in dispute, the parties involved are frustrated or the insured honestly does not understand the coverage limits that the paid premiums provided. Harsh words may have been exchanged and the file remains open, further aggravating the participants. This is the time for either party to consider resolving the differences under the appraisal clause provision in the policy. The “Insurance Appraisal Clause Process” found in all insurance policies, was designed to establish a procedure to allow disputed amounts to be resolved by disinterested parties.

Insurance Appraisal Clause

“Appraisal Clause Process” is straightforward and binding. Lawyers are not needed, and the time required is governed by the complexity of the loss.

Each party appoints an independent, competent  appraiser. From that point on, the principals are not involved in the dispute because each appraiser must independently assess the loss. The appraisers resolve the issues. An independent, competent umpire, pre-selected by the two appraisers, stands ready to resolve any disputes between the two appraisers. To be effective, the umpire must also be impartial, willing to listen, ask questions and to be of good moral stature and reputation. An umpire that has a vested or undisclosed interest or reward other than his hourly rate must be avoided at all costs.  Research the background of your potential umpire thoroughly.

The insurance appraisal clause process is not designed to accommodate lawyers. Legal fees are not incurred and the time to reach a settlement is minimized.

Matthew Hebert has served as appraiser in dozens of insurance appraisal clause files and points out that disputes can be resolved relatively quickly, compared to the time element in litigation and the formal structure of arbitration. Claim disputes can usually be settled by reasonable parties for a reasonable cost, in a reasonable amount of time.”