What the appraisal clause actually does
Most Kentucky homeowners and commercial property policies contain an appraisal provision. The wording varies, but the structure is familiar: if you and the insurance company disagree on the amount of loss, either side can make a written demand for appraisal. Each side then selects a competent and impartial (or “independent,” depending on the form) appraiser. The two appraisers choose an umpire, and if they can’t, a court can commonly be asked to appoint one. A written agreement signed by any two of the three sets the amount of loss.
That is the whole job of appraisal: putting a number on a covered loss. It does not decide whether a loss is covered, whether an exclusion applies, or whether the insurer handled the claim properly. Those are separate questions, and legal ones belong with a Kentucky attorney.
Where we fit in
Once appraisal is demanded, you name us as your appraiser. From there we handle the technical side of the dispute so you aren’t trying to argue line items with a carrier’s estimating department on your own.
- We inspect the property and document the damage with photos, measurements and notes.
- We write our own detailed estimate of the covered damage, priced for your local Kentucky market.
- We compare it against the carrier’s estimate and identify every scope and pricing difference.
- We meet and negotiate with the insurer’s appraiser and, if needed, present our position to the umpire.
- We explain any proposed award to you in plain terms before anything is signed.
Impartial does not mean passive
Many policies require each appraiser to be impartial or disinterested, and we take that seriously. We disclose any relationship with the parties, and our fee is not tied to a percentage of the award. That said, the reason you hire your own appraiser is so someone qualified is checking the scope, the quantities and the pricing on your side of the table. We support our numbers with evidence rather than volume.
Costs and how the clause splits them
Under most policies, each side pays its own appraiser and the two sides share the umpire’s fee and other appraisal expenses. Check your policy, because some forms word this differently. Before you commit, our appraisal payoff estimator can help you weigh the size of the gap against the likely cost of the process.
Getting started on a Kentucky file
- Send us the policy declarations, the appraisal provision and the carrier’s estimate.
- We review the gap and tell you whether appraisal looks worthwhile.
- If you proceed, you send the written demand (or respond to the insurer’s) naming us.
- We inspect, estimate, negotiate and report back at each step.
We work everywhere from the Jackson Purchase to Pikeville. For a broader walk-through, see our Kentucky appraisal process page, or contact us to talk through your claim.
Questions about appraisal clause representation
Can I name you as my appraiser after the insurer has already demanded appraisal?
Yes. Either side can invoke the clause, and you can name us whether you made the demand or are responding to the insurer’s. Check your policy for any timing language on naming your appraiser.
Will you decide whether my claim is covered?
No. Appraisal sets the amount of loss on a covered claim. Coverage and claim-handling questions are legal matters for a Kentucky attorney.
Is your fee a percentage of what I recover?
No. We don’t tie our fee to a percentage of the award, which helps protect the impartiality many policies require of appraisers.