What does appraisal cost?

Each side pays its own appraiser and they split the umpire. Public adjuster fee forms put an appraiser at roughly $1,000 to $5,000 for an average home and an umpire at $1,000 to $3,000 total. Complex or large losses run higher. Some appraisers work on contingency; enter that as a percentage of the recovery.

When is appraisal not worth it?

When the gap is small relative to the costs. Under roughly $10,000 in dispute, appraiser and umpire fees can eat the whole gain. The break-even figure shows how much of the gap the award must recover just to cover costs.

Does appraisal decide coverage?

No. Appraisal decides the amount of loss. If the carrier disputes whether the damage is covered at all, appraisal is the wrong tool; that is a coverage dispute for negotiation, a complaint to the state, or counsel.

How long does it take?

Appointing two appraisers and agreeing an umpire alone can take weeks; two to four months to an award is common. The calculator lets you put a time figure next to the money.

Free tool · adjusters and policyholders

Appraisal Decision Calculator

Appraisal is a bet with real costs on both sides. Put a number on it before you invoke the clause.

Carrier's figure$Their estimate or last offer.Your figure$Your full-scope estimate.

Your appraiser's fee$Flat fee. If they work on contingency, enter 0 and put the % in the fee field below.Umpire fee (total)$Usually split evenly.

Your share of the umpire%Fee on the recovery%PA or contingency appraiser fee, as a % of what appraisal adds.

Where you expect the award to land

Carrier's figure60% of the gap → $75,600Your figure

Be honest here. A well-documented full scope tends to land past the midpoint; a thin one does not.

Expected time to awardmonthsAppointing appraisers and an umpire alone can take weeks.

Gap in dispute

$56,000

Your cost to appraise

$4,250

Appraiser $3,000 + 50% of a $2,500 umpire.

Expected net gain

$29,350

Award $75,600 less the carrier's $42,000, costs.

Break-even award

$46,250

The award must recover $4,250 (8% of the gap) just to cover costs.

Best case net

$51,750

Award at your figure.

Worst case net

-$4,250

Award at the carrier's figure.

Strong case for appraisal: it pays even if the award lands well below the midpoint. Budget about 3 months before money moves.

The decision in one line

Appraisal pays when the award is likely to recover more than your appraiser's fee plus your half of the umpire, after any contingency fee on the recovery. Everything else is detail. The calculator makes the detail visible: the gap, what it costs you to contest it, where the award has to land to break even, and the best and worst case.

Before you invoke

Try the supplement first. A documented supplement with code basis closes many gaps without the fees, and strengthens the appraisal package if it does not.
Confirm the dispute is about amount, not coverage. Appraisal panels decide the amount of loss.
Check the deadline. In Florida the supplement window is 18 months from the date of loss; use the deadline calculator.
Set the “where it lands” slider honestly. Awards follow the documentation, and a thin scope lands near the carrier's number.

Questions

What does appraisal cost?: Each side pays its own appraiser and they split the umpire. Public adjuster fee forms put an appraiser at roughly $1,000 to $5,000 for an average home and an umpire at $1,000 to $3,000 total. Complex or large losses run higher. Some appraisers work on contingency; enter that as a percentage of the recovery.
When is appraisal not worth it?: When the gap is small relative to the costs. Under roughly $10,000 in dispute, appraiser and umpire fees can eat the whole gain. The break-even figure shows how much of the gap the award must recover just to cover costs.
Does appraisal decide coverage?: No. Appraisal decides the amount of loss. If the carrier disputes whether the damage is covered at all, appraisal is the wrong tool; that is a coverage dispute for negotiation, a complaint to the state, or counsel.
How long does it take?: Appointing two appraisers and agreeing an umpire alone can take weeks; two to four months to an award is common. The calculator lets you put a time figure next to the money.

Going to appraisal? Go in with the full scope.

The award lands where the documentation points. We write the line-item estimate and the appraisal package behind your appraiser, free for the first estimate.

All tools on this page are informational and not legal or insurance advice. More free tools